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Tribute to Jim Macauley, the ‘workerhaulic’ journalist
MHB 975
When the day of toil is done,
When the race of life is run,
Father, grant Thy wearied one
Rest forevermore.
When the strife of sin is stilled,
When the foe within is killed,
Be thy gracious Word fulfilled;
Peace forevermore.
When the darkness melts away,
At the breaking of the day,
Bid us hail the cheering ray;
Light forevermore.
When the heart by sorrow tried,
Feel at length the throbs subside,
Bring us, where all tears are dried
Joy forevermore.
When the breath of life is flown,
When the grave must claim its own,
Lord of life, be ours Thy crown,
Life forevermore.
This Methodist hymn simply sums up the beginning and the end of mankind on this earth.
It is with the greatest heart and tribulation that I pay this special tribute to my brother, good friend and colleague of the inky fraternity, James Yao Macauley, a former Deputy Editor of the Ghanaian Times who makes his final journey to his ancestral home today, the 6th of March, 2021, which falls on Ghana’s Independence day anniversary celebration.
This day will forever go down in history as it will always ring a bell in the minds of his children, family members, friends and colleagues of the media.
Dubbed, a journey of no return, Jim Macoco, affectionately known by his close associates and friends, was called to eternity by his Maker on 24th December, 2020 being the birthday of his elder daughter, Celeste Eyram Macauley.
The funeral is being held this morning at the Transition Home at Haatso after which the body will be interred at the Achimota cemetery. Memorial Service will be held in his honour at the Pure Fire Ministries International near GIMPA, Kisiman junction at 10 am tomorrow and thence to his residence on the Passion Clinic road, Ogbojo.
I have decided to use this medium to eulogise this good friend and hard working colleague because of my closeness with him over the years. I have already shared few thoughts about my late friend in a series of tributes on my Facebook wall but I promised to pay special one at the appropriate time which is now.
The death of Jim came to me as a shock and a big blow because I hardly expected that so soon, although death is inevitable in one’s life. It came as a surprise because I spoke to him few days before he passed on.
He made an arrangement with me to attend a funeral ceremony of a former staff of the New Times Corporation (NTC) at a place called Israel, which is a suburb of Accra. He promised to join me from my residence at Mamprobi to that place.
The night to the funeral day, I called to confirm that I would be waiting for him for the trip. Indeed, he spoke to me on phone and nothing showed that he was unwell from the conversation we had.
The following morning which was Saturday, I had prepared for our journey when all of a sudden I had a call from him telling me that he could not make it because he was not feeling well. Since I had already prepared for the funeral, I advised him to rest whilst I attended the function.
To be frank, I was not myself at the event as I kept calling him to check how he was faring. His answers were so positive that I felt good that he was recovering fast. I made a follow up the following morning to which he assured me he was getting better. Hardly did I know that he was rather announcing his death to me in parables.
On 24th December, 2020, as I sat behind my dinner table around 8am having my breakfast, I received an unexpected call from the Editor of the Ghanaian Times newspaper, Mr. Dave Agbenu, who broke the sad news to me. I hesitated and cut short my breakfast.
I couldn’t believe it initially but after enquiring from Jim’s wife and also his elder brother, Humphrey, formerly of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), it became clear that my good friend was really dead. From that day until now, I have never been myself as I kept wondering the root cause of his death.
Indeed, as I keep saying, the good Lord knew best and he had answers as to why He had called him at this opportune time when his services would be mostly needed to groom young and upcoming journalists because of his deep knowledge and rich experience in the journalism profession.
Jim was my deputy when I was the editor of the Ghanaian Times newspaper and I knew how experienced he was especially in newspaper layouts, page planning and sub-editing. The two of us did not allow our retirement to affect our journalism profession because we believed that we had the potentials, skills and the strength to forge ahead.
No wonder, we had a lot of offers from some people within the society to assist in the publication of journals and magazines meant to shape the society. We took up the challenge and we came out with two sets of attractive and beautiful magazines which we duly registered with the National Media Commission (NMC).
The African Network Magazine and The Public Official Magazine of which I am the editor and he was the Director of Production in both cases. His handiworks are available for those who want to see them.
Jim, you mentored a lot of young journalists during your hey day in the field of writing and reporting in the arts and culture because of your vast interest in that field of journalism.
Many were those journalists from the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers who could testify that you assisted them to win most of the awards instituted by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in the years past. You exhibited brilliance in your assigned duties and loved by all those who came into contact with your work.
Mr. Edward Abi-George, a former Chief Sub-Editor of the NTC under whom you acquired greater skills in your work and also your mentor, was proud of you because you put into practice all that he taught you.
My empathy goes to his wife Lily and children, Celeste Eyram, James Elorm and Charlotte Fafa Macauley, for this great loss. I pray that the good Lord will continue to console them during this difficult times.
My brother Jim, you came, you saw and you had conquered, paid your dues also to society and I pray that the good Lord would protect your soul and grant you eternal rest. Till we meet again, fare thee well. Adieu, adieu.
Let me end this tribute with the first, second and the fourth stanzas of the Methodist hymn 976.
Now the laborer’s task is o’er;
Now the battle day is past;
Now upon the further shore
Land the voyager at last
Refrain:
Father, in thy gracious keeping
Leave we now thy servant sleeping.
Amen.
There the tears of earth are dried,
There its hidden things are clear,
There the work of life is tried
By a just judge than here; [Refrain]
‘Earth to earth, and dust to dust,’
Calmly now the words we say;
Leaving him to sleep in trust,
Till the resurrection day; [Refrain]
The driver stopped the vehicle at the gate of the large, fenced property along the Nsawam Highway, and Kakraba stepped out to meet the several workers who had gathered to wait for him.
He greeted them and went straight to the point.
“Gentlemen, I am glad to see that you have almost completed the clearing of the land. I’m happy to report that we have concluded all arrangements with Nana Serebour, and construction of the palace will start in a few days.
“I will need you to go and level the ground, and then come back to start this project. Some workers from a construction company will come and join us.
“My plan is to build twenty houses in four months. Then we will do twenty more until we reach two hundred.
“I am relying on you to help me deliver good-quality work to satisfy our clients and, as I have already indicated to you, I will reward you for your work.”
After an hour’s discussion, he closed the meeting and moved to drive away. Wofa Yaw drew closer.
“Director, can you please spare me five minutes? I would like to discuss a small issue.”
“Why, Wofa Yaw? Your wife has threatened to leave you?”
“No, Director. My wife will never leave me. This concerns a young niece of mine.”
“I hope it’s something I can help with. Please sit in the car and let me hear you.”
“Boss, my niece, Beesiwa, is a polytechnic graduate, very beautiful and with very good character.
“Unfortunately, her parents virtually forced her into a relationship with an idiot based in the US, which affected her badly. She has now recovered from that experience and, Boss, I am respectfully asking if you would find a job for her.
“I promise you that you will never regret it.”
“Well, Wofa Yaw, let me meet her and speak with her. I may be able to help, maybe not in the way you expect, but let me meet her.
“I will not be back here for another week, but I will be at the office throughout next week. You can come with her.”
On Monday morning, Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa were seated at the office by nine o’clock. Three young ladies welcomed them warmly, offered them soft drinks and assured them that Kakraba would be there shortly.
They then returned to their desks and sat behind computers with large screens displaying various building designs.
Kakraba walked in and greeted them warmly. After chatting briefly with the three ladies, he ushered Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa into his office.
“Director, this is my niece, Beesiwa. I mentioned her to you when you came to Nsawam.”
“Yes, indeed. Madam Beesiwa, you are very beautiful, just as your uncle said. Wofa Yaw is my colleague.
“We have just started a building project that will take about three to four years. He mentioned that you have a small problem, so I said I would like to meet you and see how I can help.
“So, Beesiwa, please tell me a little about yourself.”
Beesiwa described her childhood, her school experience, her brief work at the bank and the nasty episode with Sammy Abrokwa, which shattered her peaceful life. She also explained how she had been recovering from the experience.
“I am really sorry to hear this,” Kakraba said. “Now, here is what we are going to do.
“We are a small but very busy company. The three ladies out there spend most of the day on site and come back to report on their work in the morning.
“I have three main projects. The big one is an estate project in Nsawam, where your uncle is one of my main colleagues. I need a personal assistant who can take care of my activities, especially when I am not in town.
“Now, we will have to start with trust. Based on what I know about Wofa Yaw, and based on what you yourself have told me, I think we can start on a sound basis.
“So, Wofa Yaw will take you to my home. You can move into one of the four guest rooms.”
“Sir, I have taken some computer lessons, and I have even done graphics and web design,” Beesiwa said.
“Fantastic! I will give you a good phone and a laptop. I will also arrange computer lessons for you.”
“Now, Wofa Yaw, take her home. My sister, Kuukuwa, will meet you and show you around, and then you can return to Koforidua.
“When would you like to start work?”
“Sir, I would like to start today, but I would need to go and bring my things.”
“No problem. Take a taxi to my house, meet my sister, and let me know what you decide.”
Later that day, Kakraba and the three ladies met with some bank officials to conclude the sale of the three buildings at Adabraka.
They closed at five-thirty and, after rewarding the ladies for their hard work, Kakraba got home just after dark.
He was surprised to find Kuukuwa and Beesiwa sitting at the table enjoying supper.
“What’s happening here?” he asked. “Beesiwa, I thought you would return to Koforidua.”
“She changed her mind,” Kuukuwa said. “We went to the mall and bought a few things for her. Then we came back to cook. She has made some nice changes to your bedroom and cooked a couple of interesting dishes. Sit down; we will serve you.”
“Well, I certainly can’t refuse that. It’s been a busy day.
“So, what’s the plan now? Will Beesiwa go to Koforidua tomorrow, gather her things together and come down?”
“No, I will stay here for a while,” Beesiwa replied. “Kuukuwa bought me the things I need, so I may go back next week. I’m ready to start work. What would you like me to start with?”
“Well, you can come to the office tomorrow morning, meet the three girls and get a feel for what we do.
“Since you are living here, at least for now, we can discuss the plans for the next few weeks.
“Sometimes there are gaps when I travel up north. You can take care of things from now. I think the girls would like having someone like you around.”
By Ekow de Heer
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A frequent question following breast surgery is whether human tissue possesses the regenerative capacity to restore an excised organ.
From a strict physiological standpoint, a completely removed breast cannot regrow. Unlike certain organisms that can regenerate complex limbs or organs, adult human tissues—particularly specialised glandular structures—lack the cellular machinery required to rebuild an entire organ after its total surgical removal.
Instead, the body heals the surgical site through processes such as scar tissue formation and re-epithelialisation rather than complete cellular regeneration.
What a mastectomy actually removes
To understand why natural tissue regeneration does not occur, it is important to examine the surgical scope of a mastectomy.
Depending on the type of procedure and the medical reason for surgery, a mastectomy may involve the removal of:
Glandular architecture: The milk-producing lobules and ducts that form the functional core of the mammary gland.
Adipose tissue: The fatty tissue that contributes to breast volume, projection and contour.
Other breast tissue: The extent of tissue removal varies according to the type of mastectomy and the need to achieve appropriate surgical clearance.
Because specialised breast structures are physically removed, the body does not rebuild a complete mammary gland. Instead, healing occurs through tissue repair and scar formation.
Distinguishing residual tissue from “regrowth”
Patients or observers may notice changes in the chest area after surgery, sometimes leading to misconceptions about tissue regeneration.
Skin- and nipple-sparing procedures
Modern breast surgery may preserve the outer skin envelope or, in selected cases, the nipple-areola complex. Small amounts of breast tissue may remain depending on the surgical technique. Any changes in remaining tissue due to hormonal fluctuations represent residual tissue responding to the body, rather than the regrowth of a completely removed breast.
Adipose accumulation
Weight gain after surgery can increase the amount of subcutaneous fat across the chest wall. However, this is part of general body fat distribution and does not represent the regeneration of a mammary gland.
Modern reconstructive pathways
Because a completely removed breast does not naturally regenerate, modern medicine offers reconstructive options aimed at restoring physical symmetry, contour and body image.
The two main approaches are implant-based reconstruction and autologous, or tissue-based, reconstruction.
Implant-based reconstruction
Implant-based reconstruction uses synthetic medical devices, typically filled with silicone gel or saline, to rebuild the breast mound following a mastectomy.
The two-stage process: This approach may begin with the placement of a temporary tissue expander to gradually create space and stretch the surrounding tissues. A later procedure may then be performed to place a permanent implant.
Recovery profile: Implant-based reconstruction generally involves a shorter initial surgery and recovery period compared with procedures that require tissue to be harvested from another part of the body.
Long-term considerations: Breast implants are not lifetime devices and require ongoing medical monitoring. Some patients may need additional procedures over time because of complications or changes in the implant or surrounding tissue.
Autologous or tissue-based reconstruction
Autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own living tissue to create a new breast mound. Tissue may be transferred from another part of the body, commonly the lower abdomen, using procedures such as a DIEP flap.
Natural look and feel: Because the reconstruction uses living tissue, it can provide a natural warmth, texture and softness. The tissue may also change with the patient’s body weight over time.
Long-term durability: Once healing is complete, autologous reconstruction can provide a long-lasting result without the need to replace an implant. However, some patients may still require further procedures.
Complex surgery: This option usually involves a longer operation and recovery period. In microsurgical procedures, surgeons may need to reconnect tiny blood vessels to establish blood flow to the transferred tissue.
Direct comparison
When choosing between these two reconstructive pathways, patients and their surgical teams must consider several physical, medical and lifestyle factors.
Surgical burden: Implant surgery is generally less invasive, while flap reconstruction involves surgery at both the chest and the donor site.
Foreign material versus native tissue: Implants involve the use of a medical device, while autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue.
Recovery: The recovery timelines and rehabilitation requirements differ significantly between the two procedures.
Recovery and physical rehabilitation
Recovering from breast reconstruction requires patience, careful pacing and, in some cases, structured physical rehabilitation.
Because implant-based and autologous tissue-flap procedures involve different surgical techniques, their healing timelines and physical therapy milestones can vary considerably.
Understanding these differences is important for patients considering reconstruction, as the choice involves more than restoring physical appearance. It also requires careful consideration of recovery, long-term monitoring, lifestyle and individual medical needs.
Part 2 will examine recovery timelines, physical therapy milestones and other factors patients should consider when choosing between reconstructive options.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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