3 Former University of Ghana VCs honoured
By
Edmund Smith-Asante
 |
Three
former vice chancellors of the University of Ghana, Legon, on Sunday had their
names literally etched in letters of gold in view of their contribution to
Ghana’s premier university during their tenure.
The three
– Professors Akilagpa Sawyerr (1985-1992); George Benneh (1992-1996) and Ivan
Addae-Mensah (1996-2002), had a roundabout, road and intersection named after
them by the university, in close collaboration with the Alumni Association.
Unlike
other instances when people had been honoured posthumously, the honourees were
present at last Friday’s event.
Unveiling
of monuments
The
heavens endorsed the honouring of the past University of Ghana Vice Chancellors
with intermittent showers of rain during the brief ceremony to mark the
occasion and they had the opportunity to respond to the university’s gesture.
Prof.
Benneh, assisted by the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, started
the symbolic event at the University of Ghana Roundabout, now named the ‘George
Benneh Circle’, by unveiling a monument bearing his name, boldly emblazoned in
letters of gold.
The
second to unveil a signage bearing his name was Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr, who had
the stretch of road from the roundabout into the university named after him.
As if by
design, it was the first intersection on the Akilagpa Sawyerr Road that was
named after Prof. Ivan Addae-Mensah, making the honouring event a three-tie
affair with the apt description, ‘Professors Stretch’.
Responses
In his
response, Prof. Benneh thanked God for his ability to witness the honour done
him, describing it as “the crowning of all the honours that I have received.”
He drew
laughter from the sizeable audience made up of family members, university staff
and alumni when he stated that “This honour demonstrates quite clearly that you
do not have to belong to the political class before you have a road or circle
named after you in the capital city of Ghana.”
Prof.
Sawyerr, for his part, described as an irony of fate, the naming of an
asphalted road at the university after him. He recounted that during his
tenure, the first road to be asphalted attracted some controversy when he was
accused of embarking on an expensive project that was not necessary.
Prof.
Addae-Mensah recounted the benefits he gained from his predecessors when he
took office. After thanking the university and its alumni association for the
honour done him, he stated that intersections were prone to accidents as they
were very busy portions of the street.
He,
therefore, urged that steps must be taken to provide traffic lights at the
intersection named after him to prevent any accidents.
All the
honourees paid glowing tribute to the staff who served under them such as
secretaries, registrars and drivers.
Alumni
The
Chairman of the University of Ghana Alumni Association, Mr Kwesi Yankey, said
they received GH¢250,000 support from Ecobank to construct the two fountains
and monuments at the circle.
He also
said Prof. Benneh always encouraged the alumni in whatever they did, while
Prof. Addae-Mensah continued where Prof. Benneh left off, making the two and
Prof. Sawyerr deserving of the honour that was done them.
“I am
very delighted that the university has found it fit to name these things after
them,” Mr Yankey said, and encouraged other alumni to support the university.
Writer’s
email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh
This story was first published by the Daily Graphic
on April 18, 2016
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