Tributes

It is with a heavy heart that I write this tribute to you Dad. You had your flaws that mostly stemmed from your desire to see your children succeed; the beatings you gave when I made a mistake while you were teaching me math are some of the things that I remember you by Those were tough times but as I have grown older, I have come to appreciate that those beatings are proof of how much you cared. You wanted us so much to seize the opportunities that you felt a formal education provided.

One other character trait that you are known for is your generosity. Most people who know you are aware of how generous you are with your money and your time. As your son, I benefited from your generosity as well, far beyond what could be expected of you as a father. One story that sticks to my mind is when I returned to Ghana after being away in the US for 11 years pursuing higher learning. I came to spend about 6 months in Ghana before heading for an opportunity in France. At the airport, you gave me 500 Euros to send me off I refused the money but you pushed it on me knowing that I wasn't working. That money really came in handy as I used it towards paying rent before my first paycheck in France. That selfless action made me think of you not just as a father but as a close friend that I could rely on as well.

The two fundamental lessons that I have learnt from you and will pass on to my future children, nieces, nephews and your grandchildren are to value education as a means out of poverty and to lend a helping hand to those who are less fortunate.

I am proud to say that I am a product of you, dad and will make sure that your legacy lives on. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

TRIBUTE BY CHILDREN

“You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains, you raise me up, to walk on stormy seas, I am strong when I am on your shoulders, you raise me up to more thanIcanbe”

These lyrics perfectly capture the way we remember you, Daddy. You were an incredibly selfless and caring father who always prioritised our well-being. From fixing our broken phones to buying us kenkey from our favourite joint, you were an altruistic father who would give his last cedi for the comfort of his family.

Selina and Lily will miss sharing your meat with you. Lucy will miss calling on you to repair her broken stuff. May will have no one to write a poem for on Father's day Ben, Desmond, Nana and Kojo Boafo will have no one to celebrate their successes like you did.

Daddy, you were the best teacher we ever had. You did everything you could for us to have the best education; you did not only take us to the best of schools but also got personal tutors for us. You even enrolled us in piano lessons though none of us was musically inclined. The home was the safest place because daddy was always there to protect us. We did not doubt how dearly you loved us; each of the girls thought they were your favourite, especially Selina. You were her first boyfriend.

How can we talk about your love without your discipline? As our shepherd, you believed in and lived by the scripture, “spare the rod, spoil the child”. You only had to shout once, and we were all awake for our daily morning devotions. Missing