He was a star performer
“Let us praise our great and famous men while they live”.
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Did Komla ever know how much he was loved and admired around the world before his untimely death? I hope he knew! Let us honour our heroes while they have breath.
Komla and I shared the same birthday (October 3), albeit with a significant age difference. It was, therefore, not surprising that we bonded well and had great respect for each other.
With his level of maturity and depth of experience and professional exposure, I didn’t quite feel or think that he was much younger than I. As the Akan proverb goes, “You will have the opportunity and privilege of dining with the elderly when, as a young man, you play your cards well (to wit)”.
Komla rubbed shoulders with great and famous men around the world.
Although we had known each other for some time when he was working in Ghana, we renewed contact when I was appointed to lead the African Trade Policy Centre of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa in June, 2011.
One of the first major initiatives I spearheaded was to introduce the Africa Trade Forum as a new major multi-stakeholder platform to discuss and debate critical issues on trade in Africa, bringing together senior government policy makers, the private sector, civil society groups, parliamentarians, academia and the media from around Africa, as well as representatives of international development partners.
In my quest and desire to brand and position this initiative as a high-profile event to attract the right audience and bring international recognition to trade in Africa, my primary objective was to identify and recruit an international icon who would not only lend credibility to the event but also professionally moderate the proceedings to a successful end.
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I did not have to struggle to find such an icon when I remembered that my friend Komla would be a perfect fit.
When I approached him in respect of that matter, he readily consented to undertake the assignment, saying, “Uncle I will do anything to support you.”
And yes, indeed, he did support me, putting up a superlative performance as the lead moderator for the First Africa Trade Forum in September 2011.
At the end of the forum, in thanking him and acknowledging his contribution to the success of the event, I remarked, “You can always count on Komla as a ‘Star performer’.”
Yes, Komla was, indeed, a star performer any time, any day.
Komla also greatly encouraged me when I was contesting for the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation and was prepared to put his services at my disposal.
But beyond our professional interaction, we had the opportunity of discussing other issues, including politics and how to contribute to the development agenda in our dear country.
Ghana has lost a gem of a son. Africa and the world have lost an iconic broadcaster. He fought a good fight and ran a good race. Let us be consoled by the famous quote that it is not the number of years in your life that matters but the life in your years.
Komla, sleep well in the bosom of the Almighty God.