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Patriotism, sacrifice and service — the veterans’ perspective
For men and women with battlefield experience, patriotism, sacrifice, and service are not just abstract ideas, they are lived experiences deep-rooted in hardship and sustained endurance in the line of duty.
Such lifelong duty goes beyond the uniform to include the values of duty, honour, and commitment, long after active military service.
Such has been the life of Ex Lance-Corporal Wisdom Edmund Kudowor, a 97-year-old World War Two (WWII) Veteran, who volunteered for recruitment in 1943 at the age of 15.
He was to be trained and enrolled as a soldier and tradesman for the Artisan Work Company of the then Gold Coast Regiment.
Though looking frail currently after a few days of head surgery, the ex-serviceman’s ability to recall his past experiences was exceptional.
Ex-Lance-Cpl Kudowor lived in an era that saw many young Africans recruited and conscripted to fight for their colonial masters in a war that ravaged half of Europe and claimed almost 85 million lives.
In a brief yet straight to the point interaction with the Ghana News Agency, he expressed no regret in volunteering, despite the imminent danger and harrowing stories about WWII back then.
More surprising was his nonchalant attitude towards the fact that he was not put on pension immediately after service. He expressed no bitterness nor pain.
He returned to the Gold Coast in 1946 after four years of service without any benefits, not until two years ago when he began receiving an annually paid British grant, which was recently increased to 1,350 pounds sterling.
Though the grant did not match the sacrifice, “it is still better than nothing,” he said. Despite his past experiences, the old veterans’ patriotism, sacrifice and service did not wane after his return in 1946, at age 18, to the then Gold Coast.
He gained scholarship to further his education (both home and abroad) and with the knowledge acquired, he served his country for almost half a century, first as a pupil teacher, and rising to become the Headmaster of the Kpando Technical Institute. He headed other educational institutions and retired as a civil servant.
The veteran was not happy about the decline in patriotism and sacrifice, especially among young people in contemporary Ghana.
Listening attentively due to a hearing challenge, the frail-looking veteran pointed to the attitude of the current generation, most of whom were unwilling to go the extra mile to support their country.
He expressed worry over their focus on immediate gains and monetary rewards for little services rendered.
His observation was corroborated by Captain Ben Edmund Duah (Rtd), a veteran, who began his service with the Field Engineer Regiment soon after being commissioned at age 24 as a young officer in the early 1970s.
The retired Army Captain, who once served with the Delta Company of the Five Battalion of Infantry (5BN) among other positions, said: “Patriotism is non-existent in today’s Ghana, unlike our time when we took pride in openly exercising these values.” He, however, did not entirely blame the youth for not exhibiting such traits.
Capt. Duah (Rtd) attributed the seeming non-patriotism by the youth to the struggles they see the veterans go through just to survive, after sacrificing for humanity.
The needs and concerns of patriots and forerunners, particularly veterans in Ghana, were largely unmet, compared to other countries, he said.
“The veterans brought honour to our colonial masters and by extension to Ghana. They were not given what they were promised. Right now, the British Government gives them some support and that is what sustains a lot of them.” Captain Ben Duah stressed the urgency for the country to pay more attention to the concerns and needs of veterans.
“We should see them as people who voluntarily decided to sacrifice their lives for us. If anybody does this for you, you should be fair enough to look at his interest…these are people who have devoted their lives to save us, therefore we should be nice to them in the form of caring for them,” he noted.
When asked for their opinion on many of the youth trying to seek greener pastures abroad due to their lack of confidence in the economy, Capt Duah and L/Cpl Kudowor both agreed that Ghana was still worth sacrificing for, despite the challenges.
Captain Duah, who served during an era awash with military coups d’etats, urged Ghanaians to respect, recognise and be willing to support veterans because government could not shoulder the responsibility alone.
“Citizens should realise that these are people who, some time ago, in their youthful years, sacrificed their precious lives to save others…We expect that as veterans, people will respect and admire them for their values and bravery,” he said.
“I will advise the youth to utilise existing opportunities as a means to serve Ghana. Service to the country, I believe, should be the youths’ primary goal”, Ex L/Cpl Kudowor said.
The two justified the continuous celebration of Veterans Day on the 28 of February as a step in the right direction.
This serves as a platform for the youth to learn about the three values of patriotism, service and sacrifice, the history behind the celebration and the need to respect veterans.
On February 28, 1948, Veterans of World War II, who had fought with the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force, organised a peaceful demonstration, marching to the Christainborg Castle at Osu in Accra, the capital of the Gold Coast, to hand a petition to the colonial governor, demanding their end of war benefits, which they had been promised.
Before reaching the castle, the veterans were ordered to disperse by the colonial police chief. When they refused, he opened fire on them, instantly killing three of the ex-servicemen – Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey.
The 28 February Crossroads Shooting is commemorated every year to honour the veterans for their sacrifice to the country.
—GNA
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Fiator Mordeku III of Awudome Tsito — The bridge builder in chieftaincy and architecture
Fiator Mordeku III of Tsito, known in private life as Kafui Kwame Amegbe, is a unique blend of tradition, service, and modern professionalism.
As a chief, an architect, and a community development advocate, he wears his many hats with humility, driven by a powerful dual motivation: a deep desire to serve and preserve his family’s legacy, and to play an active role in creating positive change in society.
picture with winners of the Energy Commission
High School renewal energy challenge
From a young age, Kafui’s life has been guided by strong values rooted in communal living.
Growing up in a close-knit family and community, he experienced firsthand the power of shared responsibility-where neighbours became second parents, and village elders doubled as life coaches.
Speaking to The Spectator in Accra on Saturday, Fiator Mordeku Ill said one childhood memory that continues to inspire him is when Togbe Gobo Dake XII, Chief of Tsito, bought him a slate for his first day in school.
Today, he serves as Fiator (father to Togbe Gobo Dake XII) to his childhood benefactor-a powerful circle of legacy and service.
“I was enstooled in my late 30s, so this journey is still quite fresh-just under two years in,” he said, by many standards that is considered quite young, especially given the weight and complexity of traditional leadership.
Tsito during his coronation
But I have always believed that leadership is not about how old you are; it is about preparation, mentorship, vision and most importantly, a desire to serve.
According to him, becoming a chief at a young age came with immense responsibility, saying “chieftaincy can be complex and sometimes misunderstood, but my family played a key role in preparing me.”
On the day of his enstoolment, he stood composed, not because it was easy, but because he was aware of the expectations ahead.
The reality, however, only sank in later-when the calls, community issues, and needs began pouring in. For him, leadership is not about titles but about providing proactive and adaptive leadership that reflects the needs of today’s fast-changing society.
Fiator’s reliability with the youth is a defining feature of his reign. “I am not far from the Gen Zs,” he says.
This closeness, according to him, enables him to connect with young people on a peer level, encouraging them to engage in community initiatives and understand the importance of preserving tradition. It is this connection that empowers him to blend traditional authority with modern innovation.
Outside of chieftaincy, Kafui is a passionate architect and advocate of sustainable design.
His love for designing spaces began as early as Junior Secondary School, and today, he continues to inspire with thoughtful architecture that focuses on sustainability, community needs, and the intelligent use of local materials.
To him, architecture is about how people interact with spaces, and one of his proudest contributions is his role in the design of the new Regional House of Chiefs projects across Ghana’s six new regions-a national undertaking that incorporated diverse stakeholder inputs.
His work as an architect and a chief converges in one of his most symbolic projects-a small concrete bridge he built behind his house.
It replaced a dangerous makeshift path used by locals, especially the elderly, to cross a storm drain.
“Now people walk across without fear. That one act of building a bridge, literally and symbolically, pushed me to think more deeply about the many quiet struggles people go through,” he said.
This bridge became the foundation for his greater calling – providing not just charity, but dignity and equity.
Through the Footprints of Glory Foundation, which he founded in 2020 and officially registered in 2021, Kafui has launched impactful initiatives across Tsito and the wider Awudome area.
From funding school fees and apprenticeships to constructing small community bridges and launching an online radio station (soon to become a full community station), the foundation has been a lifeline for many.
It is supported by respected individuals like Dr Yao-Foli Sekyema and Mr Michael Brefo. The foundation’s success lies in collaboration and shared purpose.
A touching example of his impact is the story of a young boy from a neighbouring village who, due to financial hardship, was working on farms despite being a top student. Fiator took him in, supported his education, and
today, the boy is university-bound-a story that encapsulates the spirit of his work.
“I don’t dwell much on legacy,” Fia
tor said. “My focus is on providing real, practical solutions that ease burdens and improve lives.”
Whether it’s mentoring architecture students, building community projects, or planning future academic pursuits.
Currently, he is studying for an MSc in Facilities Management with the aim of uplifting others through service, innovation, and collaboration.
He called on the youth to embrace discipline, humility and a deep willingness to keep learning, urging the youth not to be afraid of hard work or setbacks and that they were part of the journey.
“Find people who inspire you, ask questions, stay curious, and never forget your roots. Where you come from is your foundation, and it will keep you grounded no matter how far you go and we don’t have to wait until we are older to start serving.
He is married with three children and enjoys working out, playing lawn tennis, travelling, listening to music which he says helps him reflect, plan and recharge.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II driving innovation in Kobriso Akyem Abuakwa
Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II, is a visionary leader, a true developmental king whose relentless drive for innovation and sustainable growth, has reshaped the community of Kobriso Akyem Abuakwa in the Eastern Region.
For the past nine years, Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II has defined leadership with impact by taking upon himself to support the community and its environs under the Kyebi Kingdom in the Eastern Region.
This vision and passion to help the community to make life comfortable for the needy and underprivileged led to the establishment of the Kofi Bio Foundation.
The Kofi Bio Foundation, is a non-governmental organisation that was established in 2023 to support the less privileged and promote developmental works in Akyem Kobriso.
Nana Kofi Bio II rose to the throne as the Paramount Chief of Kobriso in Akyem Abuakwa after an installation ceremony supervised by the Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, on October 3, 2016.
He took over from the late Nana Kwaku Bio I.
Known in private life as Mr Isaac Bempong, Nana Kweku Bio II is inspired by the thought of serving his community and fostering growth and development in Akyem Kobriso.
“I believe in kindness and being compassionate. I dedicate my life to making a positive impact in the community and its environs,” he told The Spectator in Accra on Monday.
Nana stated that the development is not just about economic growth but empowering people, bridging gaps and building resilient systems for the future.
Nana Bio II did not however have it all rosy growing up. He endured very difficult and harsh conditions and his parents, who had the going tough made him drop out of school at the Junior High School (JSS) stage at the LA government school in Akyem.
He later moved to Nigeria in 2002 to do business, but that did not go out well. This made him return to Accra in 2003 to sell polythene bags and he became a driver’s mate for about three years.
“I decided to come back home because it seems everything just didn’t go well with me. After that, I joined the older folks in my hometown to do farming and petty trading.”
However, my coming back home proved to be the masterstroke as I was nominated by the family to be king for the area.
Nana Bio II now describes himself as a farmer and a businessman who is doing so well and wants to give back to the society because he didn’t get that opportunity.
“My motive is to help people and communities since we can’t leave it all on the government. I have initiated some of the projects at Akwatia, Kade, Asamankese and Osenase” he told this Reporter.
Nana is personally paying for the school fees of a lot of people through the Kofi Bio Educational Trust Fund which has awarded scholarships to 10 brilliant but needy students in the community.
Currently, he is constructing an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre to empower the youth interested in ICT programmes.
In addition to that, Nana is currently building a three classroom block for the community to complement the few schools in the area.
Stretching his philanthropic work to other sectors, the Nana Kofi BIO Foundation donated furniture and other logistics to the Commander-in-Chief of the Akwatia Police Station.
Also to his credit is a market place constructed at Kobriso to help women trade with ease.
At the Osenase Health Centre in the Eastern Region for instance, the foundation paid hospital bills for patients and also constructed washrooms for staff of the health centre.
For tourism, the Pram Water Falls in Kobriso will serve as a tourist site to create a source of income to the community and also train the youth to become guides to support the project.
For his future aspirations, Nana Kofi Bio promises to redevelop roads in Kobriso so that people can travel easily, adding that Kobriso will be a landmark area of world tourism, because of its rich culture and tourist sites.
Born in Kade to Mr Emmanuel Amoah and Hannah Atiriwaa, Nana Bio II is the fifth among six siblings. After a hard day’s work, Barimah Kofi Bio II prefers to take a walk and tell stories to children.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
