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Rev. Prof. Dorothy BEA Akoto, first female Vice President of Trinity Theological Seminary
Reverend Professor Dorothy BEA Akoto and her husband Reverend Dr. Johnny Yao Akoto.
After over its 80 years of existence, the Trinity Theological Seminary ((TTS) located in Legon in the Greater Accra Region, had its first female Vice President from 2020- 23.
It was a typical example of women breaking the glass ceiling all over the world with Reverend Professor Dorothy BEA Akoto adding up to the number of trailblazers globally. She served for three years in this enviable yet challenging position.
Interestingly, this is a lady who was touted a ‘failure’ and was shunned by many until her rise to the rank of Professor, in TTS, Legon.
Born at Akuse in the Eastern Region to a former Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG), Very Reverend Andrew Kwami Abutiate and Mrs Josephine Afi Wosordoe Adonu Attipoe Abutiate both of blessed memory from Avatime, Biakpa and Anyarko/ Asadame respectively, both in the Volta Region , she has always been determined to make a difference wherever she finds herself with faith in the Lord.
Speaking to The Spectator, Rev. Prof. Akoto the Immediate Past Vice President for the TTS said, it is always good to be the first to do something.
Rev. Prof. Akoto was also the first female Professor Reverend Minister of the EPCG and also the first female to operate a Massey Fergusson Tractor in Ghana in 1973-1975 while she was a student of the Mawuli School, Ho from 1969-1977 – a feat that was featured in Student World Magazine at the time and interviewed on Radio Ghana and on national television.
She is currently a Lecturer in Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) Biblical Hebrew Language and Gender Studies at the TTS. She is also the District Pastor of the Adenta District of the EPCG.
She recalled her journey had not been an easy one but ‘with God on my side, through prayer and family’s encouragement’, she has become a woman many are proud of.
One of her challenges was when she practically became an object of disappointment when she married at the age of 22 and had a son after the Upper Sixth form at a time when many classmates, family members, teachers, friends and well-wishers expected her to attend university especially having been on national television and excelling academically.
“Some condemned and labelled me a drop-out. When my son was seven months, my husband and I agreed that I entered the university and after that, I became an English teacher and at a point was national trainer of teachers in Primary, Middle, JSS, Secondary school and Teacher Training College in Ghana,” she disclosed.
Determined to achieve greater heights, she continued schooling and had three other children within the period.
The Reverend Minister described that period of her life as a time of fulfilment as “many who saw me as a failure, often advise their own daughters to follow my example.”
She had her basic education in various E.P Primary Schools in various places due to the nature of her father’s itinerant Pastoral Ministry and her mother, a Home Economics Teacher namely with E.P Primary School in Akpafu, Todzi.
She also went to the Ho International School, SNAPS Kindergarten School in Accra, John F. K Memorial Preparatory School, Accra, St. John’s Preparatory School on Mile Seven, Nsawam Road.
She proceeded to the Mawuli School, in the Volta Region for the General Certificate Examination- GCE ‘O’ Level and GCE ‘A’ Level and then to the Cape Coast University Institute of Education ATTC, Winneba, where she graduated with a Diploma in English.
The Immediate Past Vice President for the TTS also attended the Johnson C. Smith Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Center (JCSS of ITC), USA and graduated with a Dual Degree, Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE), and to the Emory University Candler School of Theology (EU, CST) for a Master of Theology (ThM).
She further went to the Union-Presbyterian School of Christian Education (UNION-PSCE), also in the USA where she graduated with a Master of Theology (ThM).
Determined to add more value to herself, she proceeded to the Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS), and graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Hebrew Bible, Culture and Hermeneutics.
She is married to Reverend Dr. Johnny Yao Akoto, a retired Reverend Minister of the E.P Church, Ghana and Retired Reverend Minister of the Norvisi-Friendship Presbyterian Church in the USA.
They have four biological children, several other children and four grandchildren.
She advises the youth to make the fear of God their priority, always read the Bible and pray in order to make their ways pure.
“They should also eschew pride, envy, animosity, dishonesty, get-rich-quick syndrome, emigration for greener pastures, laziness and peer pressure to commit immoral acts.”
She also advised women who marry early to continue to pursue their dreams.
Reverend Professor Akoto is also an author and some of her books include, ‘Lord, Teach Us to Pray,’ ‘Proverbs and the African Tree of Life,’ ‘Grafting Proverbs 25-29 onto Ewe Proverbs,’ and ‘African Theology/ies.’
She also published numerous articles in Books, Journals and Academic Resources in various parts of Africa, Asia, USA and Europe.
A few of her articles are “The Mother and First Born Daughter of the Ewe People as a Good Shepherd,” “Women and Health and the Trokosi Practice,” “An Issue of Women’s and Children’s Health” and “Marriage in the Bible and the Traditional Kusakorkor Marriage Ceremony among the Avatime People of Central Volta.”
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
