13 YEARS ON: TANKO Pays Tribute To Kofi Awoonor

Thirteen years after the tragic death of Ghanaian literary icon and statesman, Professor Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor, the Volta Regional representative on the Council of State, Dr. Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple, has paid tribute to the late scholar, describing his legacy as one that continues to inspire generations.

Prof. Awoonor died on September 21, 2013, in Nairobi, Kenya, during the terrorist attack on the Westgate shopping mall.

Marking the 13th anniversary of his death on Monday, September 21, Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple reflected on the life and contributions of the celebrated poet, diplomat, academic and statesman in a Facebook post.

For Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple, the remembrance carried a deeply personal significance beyond Prof. Awoonor’s national stature.

He pointed out that both men hailed from Weta in the Volta Region, a shared ancestral connection which, he said, made the memory of the late literary giant particularly meaningful to him.

There was also another connection — Prof. Awoonor once served as Chairman of the Council of State, the same institution on which Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple currently serves as the Volta Regional representative.

Reflecting on the coincidence, Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple said standing in the historic chamber of the Council of State, beneath the national emblem and within an institution where Prof. Awoonor once offered counsel to the Republic, brought home the weight of history and the responsibility attached to public service.

“Prof. Awoonor was a proud son of Weta in the Volta Region — the same ancestral home from which I also hail,” he said.

He said Prof. Awoonor should not be remembered merely as an accomplished poet and scholar, but also as a son of the Volta Region who carried the cultural identity and intellectual heritage of his people onto the national and international stage.

A Legacy Beyond Literature

Prof. Awoonor was widely recognised for his literary works, scholarship and public service, but Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple said his legacy extended far beyond his writings.

He described the late scholar as an intellectual and statesman whose life demonstrated how an individual’s roots could provide a foundation for making a significant contribution to national development.

“His life reminds us that where we come from can shape the depth of what we contribute to our nation,” he stated.

Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple said Prof. Awoonor’s journey from Weta to the highest levels of national and international service remained an important part of Ghana’s collective history.

He noted that the late statesman’s association with the Council of State gave particular meaning to his own current role on the advisory body.

From Weta to the Council of State

According to Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple, the connection between his own service and that of Prof. Awoonor represents more than a shared hometown.

He described it as a link between generations, with the younger generation inheriting the responsibility of building on the contributions of those who came before them.

“From Weta to the Council of State — a connection across generations, a responsibility to serve, and a legacy to honour,” he said.

He paid tribute to Prof. Awoonor’s patriotism, scholarship and contribution to Ghana’s intellectual and cultural development, saying those qualities continued to give relevance to his memory 13 years after his passing.

“Thirteen years later, his words, scholarship, patriotism and legacy continue to live on,” he added.

A Life Remembered

The anniversary provides another opportunity for Ghanaians, particularly those from the Volta Region, to reflect on the life of one of the country’s most distinguished literary figures.

For Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple, the occasion was also a reminder that public office comes with a responsibility to preserve and build upon the legacy of previous generations.

He therefore called for the memory of Prof. Awoonor to remain alive, particularly among younger Ghanaians who may know him more for his literary works than for the breadth of his national and international service.

Concluding his tribute, Dr. Kwamigah-Atokple prayed for the continued repose of the late scholar’s soul.

“May the memory of Prof. Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor remain eternal. Rest peacefully, Prof. Awoonor” he stated.