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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.

Ex Lance-Corporal Wisdom Edmund Kudowor

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.

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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.

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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.

Captain Ben Edmund Duah (Rtd)

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.

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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.

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“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.

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“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.

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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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Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II driving innovation in Kobriso Akyem Abuakwa

• Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II
• Nana Barimah Kofi Bio II

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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From herding cattle to Yale Law: Frederick Adongo’s inspiring journey backed by Alhaji Agongo’s philanthropy

In today’s social media-craze world, motivational stories are not in short supply but only a few of them tickle real emotions. Frederick Agaaya Adon­go’s story is one of the rare exceptions.

Last week, beneath the historic elm trees at Yale University’s graduation ceremony, the once cattle herder stood tall in his academic regalia, the same hardened hands that once held farm tools in rural Zorkor in the Upper East Region now clutching a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from one of the world’s most prestigious institutions.

“This is nothing short of exhilarat­ing,” the cheerful graduand said in an interview, recalling his emergence from a humble background – the dusty paths of his remote village, where dreams often wither under the harsh sun – to becoming the first Ghanaian in almost four decades to graduate with LL.M from the prestigious Yale Law School.

“I had no professional ambitions growing up. I would say my journey to law school was divinely orchestrated,” he said.

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A key part of that divine orches­tration is the unwavering support of renowned businessman and philanthro­pist, Alhaji Seidu Agongo, whose gen­erosity transformed the cattle herder’s dream into an extraordinary reality.

Between farm, cattle and classroom

Growing up in rural Ghana, Freder­ick said his early life revolved around farming and animal husbandry.

He recalled dividing his time be­tween school, herding cattle, and going to the farm, costing him precious learning time.

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Despite these challenging circum­stances, he persevered through basic education, eventually stopping cattle herding in his final year in Junior High School (JHS) to focus on the Basic Edu­cation Certificate Examination (BECE).

Predictably, funding his education was a constant struggle. “With contri­butions from family and other benevo­lent people, I managed to meet all my financial obligations to complete high school,” he said, though that meant a bigger hurdle was ahead.

At the University of Ghana, he said relied heavily on support from chap­lains and members of the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

The Agongo factor

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Frederick’s life changed dramatically when a senior at the University of Gha­na recognised his potential and recom­mended him to Alhaji Seidu Agongo – a moment he describes as “a significant turning point in my life.”

“Since knowing Alhaji Agongo, he has paid my school fees and provided for my needs throughout my education­al journey,” Frederick explained. “I didn’t have to worry about the burdens that otherwise would have made it dif­ficult for me to focus on my studies,” he said.

The result is an improbable Yale Law School star, now a symbol of possibility and a beacon of hope for rural youth across the nation.

The story of Frederick, who Alhaji Agongo neither knows nor has ever met, is one of many by a philanthropist who believes in sharing himself to help make society better.

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He has sponsored hundreds of children across the country through various levels of education, paid the bills of hundred more people and constructed and furnished a state-of-the-art block for the Children’s Depart­ment of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

Alhaji Agongo has also funded several females, widows and single mothers through vocational training and entre­preneurships as part of his commit­ment to helping create an equitable society.

“Frederick is an exceptional talent and the least I can do is to support him shine,” he said. “Through that support, he will make his family and society better and the world will be the bigger beneficiary,” he added.

Making history at Yale

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For Frederick, Alhaji Agongo’s pres­ence in his life led him into a land of possibilities.

After successfully completing his law degree in Ghana, he said he was faced with offers from both Yale and Harvard Law Schools but settled for Yale for its intimate learning environment with smaller class sizes.

“My checks also strongly suggest that since 1987, we have not had a Ghanaian in the programme,” he notes proudly.

As the only African in his cohort, Frederick decided to “take the road less traveled,” breaking a 38-year absence of Ghanaian representation in Yale’s prestigious LL.M. programme, a journey smoothen by constant financial and moral support from Alhaji Agongo.

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For him, the LL.M. holds immense personal significance, more so from Yale.

“Yale Law School not only imparts profound legal knowledge but also instills in us the responsibility to use that knowledge to address society’s most pressing challenges. Coming from a background where higher education seemed like an unlikely dream, the op­portunity to now be part of a commu­nity that strives to create meaningful change in the world is nothing short of exhilarating,” he said.

Genuine philanthropist

For Frederick, Alhaji Agongo’s suc­cess story highlights the transformative impact of a man’s philanthropy that extends far beyond his personal.

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“Alhaji Agongo is a genuine philan­thropist,” Frederick said, noting the distant nature of their relationship.

“Since knowing him, we have only spoken on the phone; he has never met me and has nothing to gain from me for helping me. Yet he constantly checks up on me to ensure that I am comfortable and provides whatever I need,” he said.

Frederick revealed that Alhaji Agongo has similarly supported numerous other students whose educational journeys might have been “prematurely truncat­ed but for his benevolence.”

Message to the youth

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For Frederick, his situation is a pow­erful testament of how one’s back­ground means less to his/her future.

“One is not defined by their circum­stances,” he said.

“We need to only push ourselves to our elastic limits in the pursuit of our goals,” he said.

He stressed the importance of mentorship and humility, noting that the youth needed to get mentors who can guide them in whatever field they choose to pursue.

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“We just need to humble ourselves and be ready to learn from mentors, friends, and colleagues. And we will attain greater heights,” he said.

On what next, he said he return home to work while exploring opportu­nities for further studies.

While at it, his story stands as a pow­erful testament to perseverance, the impact of philanthropy, and the heights that determined Ghanaians can reach with proper support.

By Spectator Reporter

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