A solemn and befitting state burial service was held Thursday at the forecourt of the State House in Accra for the illustrious Ghanaian poet, playwright, and academician, Professor Ama Ata Aidoo, who died on May 31, 2023, at 81.
In attendance was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, former President John Dramani Mahama; the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns, Dr. Ibn Chambas; Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, and the 2020 NDC running mate, Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman.
Officiated by a large retinue of clergy led by the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Dr. Paul Boafo, it also attracted ministers of state, Members of Parliament, some members of academia, the military top brass, family, and friends.
Reading a tribute, President Akufo-Addo quoted an African saying that: “Every time an elder dies, a library burns with him,” meaning when an elder passes on some amount of stored knowledge disappears.
He explained, however, that that could not be said about Ama Ata Aidoo who was a knowledgeable teacher, famous poet, flawless public servant, and an outstanding writer, who possessed excellent mastery of the English language and put all into writing.
President Akufo-Addo indicated that through her work, Ama Atta Aidoo made a tremendous contribution to the development of Ghana and Africa, and expressed so many of the feelings about the faith of Ghanaians and Africans.
The ceremony was interspersed with some of her poems, hymns by the Methodist Church, and songs by the Winneba Youth Choir.
A 143-page gorgeously designed brochure that was distributed contained memorable pictures of her with some leaders around the world, classmates, colleagues, and family members and tributes written by laureates such as Wole Soyinka, Efua Sutherland, and Anne Adams, among others, as well as tributes by family members were also captured in the brochure.
Delivering the sermon, Rev. Dr. Paul Boafo said just as Ama Ata Aidoo used her writings and speeches to fight for the right of others, including domination of the Western world over Africa, others must emulate her example.
Female ladies of the Ghana Navy in a regimented fashion presented the wreaths to seven designated people who laid them on behalf of the state, the chiefs and people, her daughter, the clergy, the writers’ association, and Wesley Girls High School.
Her casket, draped in the colors of the flag of Ghana, was carried by the officers and men of the Ghana Navy to a waiting hearse in a well-rehearsed slow match to be transported to Abeadze Kyeakor in the Central Region for burial on Saturday.
