Nana Odiako Bonsu — Agent of development

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

- The Serenity Prayer (Reinhold Niebuhr)

The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr, the late American Theologian and Ethicist, sums up the courage and determination towards development shown by the late Nana Odiako Bonsu II, the Tufuhene of the Agona Nyakrom Traditional Area, to whose memory this tribute is dedicated.

In the early 1980s, the government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, decided that district assemblies should encourage the establishment of development companies as a way of stimulating economic activities and development in their areas.

The then Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) Secretary for Agona West put together some men and women from Agona to think through the establishment of such a company. Nana Bonsu I was a member of that think tank. The Agona District Development Company at Agona Swedru was, born and nurtured in Nana's business offices in Accra. This was because the majority of members of the preparatory group worked in Accra. Nana became the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, a position he held until he joined his ancestors.

As Tufuhene, Nana spearheaded the restructuring of the annual Nyakrom Akwambo festival and changed its mode of celebration. The emphasis has since been on the unity of the people, the two main Asafo companies and exhibition of the unique and rich culture of Agona Nyakrom – Odumtu. This he did in the face of stiff opposition to change. Now all acknowledge the beauty of the celebrations of the festival these days.

Nana was also a member of a committee appointed by the Agona Nyakrom Traditional Council to study and recommend to Nananom the celebration of Agonaman Akwantu Tsentsen Akwambo to be done in rotation in succession around the traditional area. This was to be a joint celebration by all the people in turns in the towns within the traditional area. There was one such celebration on experimental basis. The experience is being evaluated for improvement and implementation.

Born Samuel Yaw Mintah Ghansah on May 4, 1939 at Agona Nyakrom to the late Opanin Kofi Annan Ghansah and Madam Dinah Abban Eyifah, he was the sixth of eight children.

He started school at the Nyakrom Methodist School from where he obtained the Middle School Leaving Certificate. He gained admission to Mfantsipim Secondary School in January, 1953 and successfully obtained his 'O' Level Certificate in 1956. He further pursued a three-year programme in General Agriculture at the Kwadaso Agriculture School where he obtained a Certificate in Agriculture in 1962 and thereafter worked with the Ministry of Agriculture from 1962 to 1965.

While at Kwadaso, Yaw Mintah prepared for the Advanced Level programme and on successfully obtaining the Advanced Level certificate, he entered the University of Ghana, Legon to pursue a degree programme at the University of Ghana School of Administration between 1965 and 1968.

As part of the programme at the university, he had his internship as a management trainee at the Credito Italiano Bank in Milan, Italy in 1967. In 1968, he graduated with a BSc (Admin).

He worked with the Ghana Film Industry Corporation in Accra as the head of the Marketing Department between 1968 and 1974.  During that period he was transferred to Warner Brothers Distributors, London in 1969 as the deputy distribution manager.  He was also responsible for the purchasing of films from various countries such as India and China for the Ghana Film Industry Corporation.

In 1975, Mr Mintah established his private film company known as Film Afrique Ltd in Accra and was engaged in renting out reels of films, among other things. His passion for the film industry and for that matter cinematography was such that he acquired a land at Abbosey Okai Zabon Zongo in Accra, where he constructed a Cinema Hall popularly known as Gaskia Cinema.  Patronage of the cinema was very high and that part of town (i.e. Zongo) became very popular and continues to be  as a result of the cinema house. He even extended the cinema business to Agona Swedru.  

In 1975, it was Mr Mintah who literally received and catered for the Nyakrom Rural Bank. On the establishment of the bank it had no offices of its own. Mr Mintah had just completed his private residence at Nyakrom. He willingly and without the least pressure from anybody handed his house over to accommodate the toddler bank. Indeed, if he had not provided the needed offices and residential accommodation (free of charge), the Bank of Ghana would not have given the final approval for the establishment of the bank. Agona Nyakrom Rural Bank is the first-ever rural bank in Ghana. Mr Mintah served on the Board of the bank as the Vice Chairman until 2000 when he retired.

In 1985, he was installed as the Tufuhen of the Agona Nyakrom Traditional Area and swore the oath of allegiance to Agonaman in January, 1986. In this position, he utilised every opportunity to seek the welfare and progress of Nyakrom and the Agona area as a whole.

In 1989, Nana was appointed by the government to serve on the Agona District Assembly and in 1991, he was elected as the presiding member of the assembly. Nana Odiako Bonsu II made education the focus of the developmental agenda of the district assembly. He personally supervised the construction of new classroom blocks, headteachers’ bungalows, workshops and the renovation of dilapidated school blocks. 

The quality of teaching and learning improved tremendously under his able leadership. Due to his love, dedication, contribution and support to education in the Agona West District, the District Directorate of Education honoured him for the wonderful initiative.

Nana Odiako Bonsu's love for education motivated him to institute book and cash prizes for students in both first and second-cycle institutions in the district to encourage students, an initiative he continued to support until his demise.

Nana was humble and selfless, truly kind-hearted. He was extremely generous; he shared whatever he had – knowledge, experience and substance with others. Nana made “Odiako Bonsu” a household name across Agona and beyond.

Nana, rest peacefully in the bosom of the LORD as your memory will always be an inspiration to your admirers and lovers.

Damirifa Due!  Damirifa Due!!  Due ne Amanehunu!!!