Features
Labone Secondary School: a brief history
A section of Labone Senior High School students Photo: Lizzy Okai
The genesis of Labone Secondary School can be found in the students and teachers who left the Christine Smith Institute at Merry Villas, Asafoatse Nettey Road, Accra, in 1949 and founded the Labone College as it was then known.
Prominent among them were Rev. Matei Markwei, Principal, Mr Alpheus Kofi Ansah Johnson, Assistant Principal, Mr Joseph Andoh Kesson and Mr John Spencer Bilson.
The college was started in January 1949 in a cluster of buildings belonging to Messrs Armah, Okpoto, Osofo Ashalley and Anang of KlannaAbormi. These housed the dormitories, dining hall and Science Laboratory.
During Mid-March, 1949, a catastrophe hit the school. Fire engulfed the school destroying the personal effects of the students. Both the dormitory and laboratory were totally burnt down. Fortunately there were no loss of lives as the boarders had left for the Presbyterian School (Salem) for games.
The school authorities were finding it difficult to pay the salaries of teachers and it became increasingly difficult to sustain good academic work. Eventually a two-storey building was secured at Teshie. Girls were for the first time admitted into the school.
In the latter part of 1950, other teething problems began to show up at Teshie. These problems were scarcity of water, the distance from the school to Accra and Osu, transport problems and bus fares payable by the day students to and from the school. This resulted in a fall in the numerical strength of the students.
To arrest the situation from getting worse, the authorities started looking for a place to move the school again. Rent arrears which had been a perennial problem reached its zenith. Rent arrears at $300 and Ataa Boi, the landlord, ejected the school from his premises.
Through the help of Mr Okwei Mensah and Mr W.K. Ollenu and others, another accommodation was secured at Tenashie now popularly known as ‘Ako Adjei’. It was the new building of Mr D.A.K. Sowah, a private businessman.
In 1951 the school moved to the premises of Mr D.A.K Sowah. It was during this stage that the school experienced a new lease of life. The school came under a newly formed Educational Unit (formed by Dr Nkrumah to cater for all schools and colleges in the country).
On November 10, 1951, the school was formally inaugurated and it operated under a new name —Ghana College Christianborg. In 1952, Mr Joseph Andor Kesson, one of the Co-founders left the school leaving Mr A.K.A. Johnson, the Headmaster as the only surviving co-founder in the school.
The financial problems which had plagued the school previously could still not be overcome. Money raised through student’s school fees could not pay salaries of staff and rent could also not be paid regularly. The school would have collapsed but for the magnanimity of the landlord, Mr. D.A.K. Sowah. And by the end of 1955 the school owed him rent totalling $1,600.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Trust had been founded by Dr Nkrumah and since it was the desire of Mr Sowah that the school should come under its umbrella to enable it gain government assistance, he continued to be patient with the school.
It must be mentioned here that one personality who also stood tall in getting the school to stand on its feet was Mr Ako Adjei, the then Minister of Labour and Co-operatives. Mr Ako Adjei together with Mr Sowah and the headmaster fought for government recognition. One of the conditions for government recognition or encouragement as it was then known was that the school should be headed by a graduate.
On November 15, 1955, Rev. Samuel Gyasi Nimako, holder of Bachelor of Arts and Divinity degrees was appointed Principal. The name of the college thereafter was changed to Ghana Secondary School, Labadi.
On August 23, 1956, Mr D.A.K. Sowah wrote to the Director of Education, Accra, informing him that he had waived the amount of $1,660 areas of rent owed him by the school and that he would not then or in future claim the said amount or any part of it from the school.
This singular gesture of altruism went a long way to enable the school gain government recognition. Government encouragement was granted in October 1956 and with effect from July 1, 1956. The name of the school was then changed to Labone Secondary School.
Having attracted government recognition, the Board then set themselves the task of finding a permanent site with permanent buildings for the school. The present site on which the school now stands was originally negotiated for by Mr D.A.K Sowah for his private use from the Lands Department.
However, the then Minister of Education supported by the Board having convinced Mr Sowah that the school would in future be elevated to university status which in turn would be a great honour to the citizens of La, consented to forgo all expenses he had incurred in connection with the land and gave it to the school.
The Ghana Educational Trust (GET) built a new compound for the school incidentally on La soil where 10 years ago the school had started. After 10 years of struggle and trial, the ship had finally found a safe berth home. Labone Secondary School has a permanent compound at La-Accra. In January 1960 the school moved to its present and permanent site.
Rev. S.G. Nimako, the Headmaster at that time was assisted by Mr Richard Lomo Jones. Through academic achievements as well as
sports the school quickly became famous. Mr Jones succeeded Rev. Nimako in February 1961. The school population at the time stood at 401 (292 boys and 109 girls).
In September 1961, Sixth Form Education was introduced into the school, an index to the school’s academic performance. From this time on the school was recognised and acknowledged as one of the best schools in the country and LABOSCO became a house hold word.
Mr Jones retired in 1968 and was succeeded by Mr Ebenezer Alexander Lamptey. Mr Lamptey was followed by Mr Bossman Owusu-Ayim in 1982. The period coincided with a tremendous growth in the number of students reaching an all-time high figure of 2,500 in 1989. This increase was in no small way filliped by the government’s policy of de-boardinisation in 1984.
From 1986 to 1996 only sixth formers stayed in the boarding house. The number of students was pruned down to about 1,600 – a deliberate school policy, by the headmaster, Mr Peter Owusu-Donkor (who had replaced Mr Owusu-Ayim in 1990) in order not to overstretch the school facilities and resources.
Mr Owusu-Donkor was followed by Mrs Cecilia Aggrey-Mensah, incidentally the first female head of the school. The current head, Mrs Joyce Ossei-Agyekum took over from Mrs Aggrey-Mensah in September 2003.
The school presently has a population of 1,700 offering programmes in Business Studies, Home Economics, Visual Arts, General Arts and General Science.
This succinctly is the history of La Bone Secondary School. The school can boast of former students in all spheres of life. From the political, professional, business to the academics. From small beginnings it has now come to take its rightful place as one of the best secondary schools in the country.
Today, I focus on the Apostolic Church International in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The Apostolic Church International, Finland (or, Apostolic International Association Ry) was established in October 9, 2023. The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
History of the Church in Ghana
The Apostolic Church Ghana originated from the 1904–1905 Welsh revival, officially established in Ghana (then called Gold Coast) in 1935 following connections between a local prayer group in Asamankese (a town in southern Ghana), led by Peter Newman Anim, and the Apostolic Church, UK. There were historical splits in 1939 and 1953, but the Apostolic Church attained autonomy in 1985.
Today, the Church is headquartered in Accra. Last year (2025), it dedicated its new 10-storey headquarters, “The Apostolic Church Tower,” in Frafraha, Adenta West in Accra.
Activities of the Apostolic Church in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11a.m. in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. in the afternoon. There are no other activities during other days for now.
The Minister in charge of the church in Finland is also the Area Head of Italy Area. He is Pastor Daniel Kofi Addison who is the new Italy Area Head, and has just been transferred from UK South Area to Italy Area during the just-ended Council Meeting in March this year. Italy Area comprises Italy, which has 13 Assemblies, Germany, one Assembly, and Finland, one Assembly.
Elder Ebenezer Amoaning-Coffie is the Presiding Elder in charge of the Assembly in Finland. A Presiding Elder is responsible for day to day activities of the church (Assembly) and reports to the District Pastor, or in the absence of the District Pastor, reports to the Area Head.
Achievements
The Apostolic Church International, Finland was officially registered under the Finnish Law, guaranteeing freedom of worship and providing legal foundation for future growth. The church service is conducted in both English and Twi.
The church opens its doors to all people of every nation, especially Ghanaians who are in Finland and other African nationals. Now, the membership comprises Ghanaians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans.
The Church and the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the Apostolic Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
Elder Amoaning-Coffie said that the main and primary aim of the church is to bring people closer to God. “We aim to win souls for Christ. We aim to preach the gospel to the world. By propagating the gospel to the people, we are hopeful that they will turn away from any ungodly ways and be good individuals in the community and in society in general”, he stated.
He said that everything is going well so far. A key challenge, however, is how to get more members especially the youth. As a new Assembly, we are in need of instrumentalists, for example. We pray to God Almighty to help us do His work, the Elder disclosed.
Integration
By its activities, the Apostolic Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society. This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Apostolic Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
The landscape of the Ghanaian palate is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. In our bustling urban centres, from the streets of Accra to the suburbs of Kumasi, a quiet culinary revolution is taking place; one where the mortar and pestle are being replaced by the pizza oven and the deep fryer. This transition from traditional staple foods like fufu, banku, akple, kenkey, tuo zaafi, and ampesi toward “continental” dishes is more than just a change in appetite; it is a reflection of a deeper social struggle with identity and prestige.
The illusion of modernity
For many, “stepping out” for a meal has become synonymous with consuming foreign cuisine. There is an unspoken social hierarchy where a bowl of Abunuabunu is relegated to the village category, while burgers, pizzas are branded as prestigious choices. We have reached a stage where we equate foreign with modern and local with primitive.
This perception is a dangerous illusion. Our traditional dishes are marvels of culinary engineering complex, nutrient-dense, and deeply rooted in our history. When we choose a processed foreign import over a meal made from local tubers or fermented maize, we are not just changing our lunch; we are eroding the indigenous knowledge attached to our local ingredients and foods.
We need to turn the consumption of indigenous grains and tubers like millet, sorghum, and plantain into a statement of self-worth and national pride.
The cultural and health erosion
Every time a local dish disappears from a restaurant menu to make room for foreign fast food, we lose a piece of our cultural fabric. Traditional Ghanaian cooking is an art that requires patience and skill. By choosing the convenience of foreign fast food, we are raising a generation that may know the taste of a pepperoni pizza but cannot identify the rich, earthy profile of Prekese or the subtle tang of well-fermented dough dishes like corn porridge, banku, etew, abolo, agidi or kamfa, and kenkey.
Furthermore, we are at the crossroads of a nutrition transition. Replacing high-fiber, indigenous crops with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foreign fast foods is driving a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and liver disease. We are trading our longevity for 15-minutes convenience or unhealthy diet.
A call for culinary patriotism
It is time for us to appreciate, preserve, and promote our indigenous foods and culinary traditions. We need to be proud of our local dishes, ingredients and cooking methods, rather than relying heavily on foreign or imported foods. We must stop viewing our local delicacies as low-class and start treating our culinary heritage as the high-end gastronomy it truly is.
True sophistication does not come from imitating Western fast food; it comes from innovation and adding values to our own resources. We see glimpses of this potential in the rise of branded Sobolo and the creative use of gluten-free plantain flour in modern baking of flour-based dishes such as bread, cakes, biscuits and others. This is the path forward. We must elevate our local dishes, making them as accessible, affordable, presentable and trendy as any foreign alternative.
To the hospitality industry: Innovate or stagnate
Our hotels and high-end restaurants must lead the charge. They must stop relegating local dishes to the “traditional corner” of the buffet, and apply the same culinary finesse given to imported dishes to our Fante Fante, apapransa, aborbi tadi, fetritoto, akple, abolo, yakayeke, fufu, ampesi, kokonte, wasawasa, tubani, apapransa, mpotompoto, kelewele, aliha, brukutu, pito, and other local dishes. The industry must enhance customer experiences making eating local dishes the ultimate luxury experience for both tourists and residents alike. We must elevate the presentation of our foods by using modern plating techniques to show that a bowl of light soup can be as visually stunning as a French consommé. We need to reclaim our Ghanaian plate before it is too late.
To the policy makers: Let us encourage buying of local ingredients to promote the local food industry and economy. There should be educational programmes and talks about the nutritional and cultural benefits of local foods so that people understand their value.
We need to encourage serving traditional dishes at school programmes, parties, and celebrations instead of only fast foods,
To the Youth: Let us value and appreciate our traditional dishes instead of always choosing foreign foods. There must be balance in our choice of local and foreign dishes. Confidence in our culture encourages others to respect it too. Our local dishes can also be promoted by sharing pictures, recipes, and videos on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to make them attractive and trendy.
Young citizens must learn from their parents and elders how to prepare local meals to keep the knowledge and cultural relevance alive. Local dishes can be modernised to appeal to younger generations and tourists.
Conclusion
We cannot afford to trade our heritage for foreign cuisines which are gaining grounds across the country at an alarming rate. We must disabuse our minds of the perception that anything foreign or imported is better than those locally made. Our health, economy, and identity are tied to the soil. It is time to stop apologising for our local flavours and start celebrating them. It is possible to embrace modernity without losing ourselves and our cultural identity. Let us make the Ghanaian kitchen the heart of our modern identity once again.
By: Marilyn Gadogbe
