AVM Ashley-Lassen goes home!

A Christmas present I received during the 2024/2025 Christmas/New Year holidays was a book titled “GAFICS Series On Some Outstanding Ghanaians Volume 1.”

The blurb at the back of the book states:

GAFICS

“Ghana Association of Former International Civil Servants (GAFICS) is made up of former staff of the United Nations and its specialised agencies, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank, as well as reputable international organisations.

“The association was formed to contribute to the social and economic development of Ghana by placing the skills and expertise of its members at the disposal of the government, as well as Ghanaian organisations and institutions.

GAFICS has also implemented many national and community-level projects over the years.

“One of the current projects is aimed at alleviating the dearth of information on some outstanding Ghanaians by documenting information about them to be able to inspire current and future generations and also ensure such people are never forgotten.”

Though not a member of GAFICS, in support of GAFICS’ project/objective of immortalising unsung Ghanaian heroes/heroines for posterity, one such Ghanaian who should not be forgotten is former Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Napoleon Yaovi Richard Ashley-Lassen (Rtd).

AVM Ashley-Lassen

AVM Ashley-Lassen’s funeral service took place at the St Catherine’s Catholic Church, Burma Camp on Friday, January 10, 2025. His mortal remains were flown after the service to Denu, his hometown for burial.

Present at the service were the CDS, the Service Chiefs (Commanders) of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, the Chief of Staff, as well as serving and retired Generals, Officers, Men and Defence Civilian Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. Also present were Old Students of Zion College, Anloga, the AVM’s alma mater.

The AVM was born on March 29, 1934, in Port Harcourt Nigeria to Ghanaian parents, Francis Disu Ashley-Lassen and Theresa Ablavi Kudoza. After his basic education in Nigeria, his father sent him to the then-Gold Coast (Ghana) for his secondary education at Zion College, Anloga.

The AVM’s career path has been interesting. Starting as an Army cadet, between January 1955 and December 1957, he trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK.

On his return home in 1958 after commission, he was posted to the Battery, an artillery unit where he served with the late Maj. Gen. DK Addo as the first two Ghanaian officers.

When Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah had the Battery converted into a more mobile Armoured Reconnaissance (Recce) Squadron in 1958, again the two became the first Ghanaian Recce officers.

With the creation of the Ghana Air Force in 1959, then Lieutenant Ashley-Lassen opted to train as a pilot for the Air Force. This he did between July 1959 - March 1960.

After qualifying as a pilot, he rose steadily to become the Air Force Commander/Chief of Air Staff in 1968, and ultimately the CDS in 1972.

Indeed, when my group in the Ghana Military Academy, Intake 15 was commissioned in July 1973, then Brig Gen Ashley-Lassen was the CDS with Colonel Alexander Erskine as the Army Commander.

The head of state and Commander-in-Chief was General IK Acheampong.

Tribute

Excerpts of the tribute to the AVM by the Ghana Armed Forces read:

“AVM Ashley-Lassen was a man of extraordinary character and intellect.

Born with a resolute spirit and passion for excellence, he embraced the virtues of discipline, integrity and honesty, which became the hallmark of his illustrious career.

His life was a testament to the power of principles, as he steadfastly adhered to values that guided his every decision and action, both in and out of uniform.

Throughout his career, the late AVM was a man of profound principles. He believed in justice, fairness and the pursuit of excellence. His forthrightness was his defining trait.

He spoke truth to power, made decisions on merit, and was unafraid to stand by his convictions even in the face of adversity.”

After his retirement in 1974, the AVM left for the US as a Sloan Scholar to study at Stanford University for the Master’s degree programme.

During the June 4, 1979 coup soon after his return to Ghana, he was one of several Generals arrested and detained by the coupists. AVM Ashley-Lassen’s colleagues who were executed in the darkest chapter of Ghana’s history include three former heads-of-state, Gen. Acheampong, Lt Gen. Afrifa and Lt Gen. Akuffo. Others were Maj. Gen. Kotei, Rear Admiral Amedume, AVM Boakye, Maj. Gen. Utuka and Col. Roger Felli. Maj. Gen. Odartey-Wellington was killed-in-action (KIA) resisting the coup.

Homily

The resident chaplain at St Catherine’s Catholic Church started his homily on a humorous note by referring to my Daily Graphic publication in December 2024 titled “General, how do you keep yourself busy in Retirement?”

Quoting it, the chaplain said the writer wrote that, at a funeral Mass during the week at St Ignatius Catholic Church, Baatsona, the officiating Rev. Father stated that, he did not know the deceased.

However, whatever he had heard and read about him was positive, a fact reinforced by a foreign parishioner.

He, therefore, asked everyone who knew the deceased to emulate/practise his virtues, after which he asked the parishioners to pray for his soul in one minute. 

In less than five minutes, the homily was over. Father then said the writer contrasted this with similar scenarios where after admitting they did not know the deceased, priests went on to preach for forty-five minutes mixing truths with half-truths and non-truths.

The chaplain at St Catherine then concluded his story that since he did not know AVM Ashley-Lassen, he was not going to preach for forty-five minutes.

That, he said, was his way of protecting himself from appearing in Graphic/Peace FM-online in the next publication, as he had spotted the writer in the congregation.

Interestingly, my former Chaplain-General told me earlier he had read my article, to the amusement of both of us!

True to his word, mercifully Father’s interesting homily took less than twenty minutes confirming Shakespeare’s quote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” He emphasised the transience of life and asked the congregation to lead good lives.

Discussion

US 16th President Abraham Lincoln said: “A nation that does not honour its heroes will not long endure.”

Like GAFICS, the Retired Commissioned Officers Association (RCOA) of the Ghana Armed Forces is a veritable storehouse of knowledge, experience and varied expertise.

Governments will do the nation a great service if they recognise these veterans who have served Ghana/internationally at the peril of their lives and tap into the rich experience of our retired officers.

Until he died at 90, AVM Ashley-Lassen was very active and a delight to chat with and learn from, as he freely shared his vast knowledge and experience. May his soul rest in peace!

Leadership, lead by example! Fellow Ghanaians, wake up!

The writer is a former CEO, African Peace Support Trainers Association, Nairobi, Kenya and Council Chairman, Family Health University, Accra.

E-mail: dkfrimpong@yahoo.com