Abusco celebrates 70th anniversary tomorrow

Abusco celebrates 70th anniversary tomorrow
. , 26/10/2007

Abukwa State College, the first secondary school in Ghana to be established and funded by a traditional authority is 70 years. The school was founded by Nana Ofori Atta I, the Okyehene in 1937. An elaborate programme is planned to mark the occasion tomorrow.

The Founder, Nana Ofori Atta I, had the vision that, "Education is the fundamental basis for the creation of human capital for national development, and that traditional authorities must have a role to play in promoting education for national development.”

Saturday, “Yaanom” (old students of the school) will congregate at the ancient capital of Kyebi. Events to commemorate the 70th Anniversary will include the School's 55th Speech and Prize Giving Day.

The occasion will also be used to generate funds for the construction of an assembly hall in memory of the illustrious and visionary founder, Nana Ofori Atta I.

The school started in 1937 at Asafo-Akyem before it was finally moved to its present site in Kyebi. This was the period the colonial Government and the missionaries were also establishing schools and colleges in various parts of the country.

The occasion will bring back sweet memories of the time when Abuakwa State Collage held sway as National Hockey Champions, the time when an Abuscodian, Kwadwo Fredua Agyeman was the national pole vault champion and represented the country in many international competitions, the period when the present occupant of the Ofori Panin stool, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, forced the then regional table tennis champion, Bartels (Sutesco) who later became the national table tennis coach to surrender the title to him (Osagyefuo Amoatia).

Yaanom will also have the opportunity to hear a first hand account from an industrialist, politician and chairman of the Old Abuscodian Association on how he "compelled" the then Headmaster of the school, Mr William Ofori Atta to admit him into the school.

Among those old students expected to grace the occasion are the Okyehene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, Akenteng Appiah Menka (Chairman of the Old Students Association), Rev Lt Col Kwasi Oteng (rtd), Dr K Ankoma Kwakye, Dr Aaron Offei, Dr J K Kwakye Maafo, Wing Commander (rtd) Charles Addo, Rt Rev Emmanuel Arongo, Nana Amo Adjepong, Kwasi Amoako Atta, Dr SKB Asante and a host of others.

By Daniel Danquah Damptey