Tribute to the late Raphael Sylvanus Amegashie

Next let us praise illustrious men.

Our ancestors in their successive generations

 The Lord has created an abundance of glory,

and displayed his greatness from earliest times,

Some wielded authority as kings

and were renowned for their strength;

others were intelligent advisers

and uttered prophetic sayings.

Others directed the people by their advice,

by their understanding of the popular mind,

and by the wise words of their teaching…(Sirach 44:1-4)

This is a portrait in praise of the late Raphael Sylvanus Amegashie, a famous son of Ghana and the world who passed away recently. Sylvan, as he was affectionately called by young and old alike, came into prominence at a time when respect for age, knowledge and wisdom - which has long been a characteristic of our people - was under threat. I had the great privilege to study under the feet of Sylvan in 1957 when he had resigned his post as ac