A profound and dignified atmosphere enveloped the Jubilee House on Monday [Nov 17, 2025] during the swearing-in of Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie as Ghana's new Chief Justice.
The ceremony was a formal and proud national event. However, as the judicial secretary recited the official biography of the Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, a particular inaccuracy stood out to those familiar with his personal history and origins.
According to the profile, the Chief Justice originates from Sewua in the Ashanti Region's Bosomtwe District. This is a misstatement that requires amendment, as it not only presents a factual error but also overlooks a key principle of our Akan culture, thereby clouding the authentic narrative of his journey to the top.
The truth, which I can attest to, is that Justice Baffoe Bonnie's roots are firmly planted in Goaso.
His elder brother, Peter Baffoe Bonnie—a retired accountant with the GRA—recently provided clarity on a WhatsApp group we both belong to. Peter stated: “If I can provide some clarity; grand-dad is from Bremang and grand-mom from Goaso. Mom therefore is an Ahafo woman by the Akan custom; Goaso to be precise. Father is a full-blooded Sewua Bosomtwe man. Mother's name is Akosua Amponsah and not Kyerewaa.
Nobody knows the author of that 'biography'. Paul attended Goaso Roman Catholic Primary and Middle schools. The maternal family house is situated along the Goaso-Mim old road.”
This explanation is vital. Within our Akan customs, one's lineage, clan identity, and hometown are determined through the mother's line. To designate Sewua as his hometown is to disregard this essential cultural foundation.
The CJ personally clarified this point during his vetting by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee, explicitly declaring Goaso as his home. It is imperative that the official documentation aligns with this reality.
Rectifying this point transcends administrative housekeeping; it opens the door to the inspiring narrative of a native of Goaso, a chronicle of modest origins, deep family commitment, and a resolute quest for education.
His father, whom we called Agya Baffoe, was a hardworking cocoa farmer who settled in Goaso. He was a close friend of my own father, Albert Kofi Asare (also known as Kofi Sraha), who had moved from his hometown Atwima Yabi in the Ashanti Region to work as the road overseer for the Ahafo District Council. Agya Baffoe was industrious, a typical Asante man with a large family, fathering close to forty children. During a time when a child could be overlooked in such a large family, he demonstrated remarkable foresight, prioritising education and taking an active role in the schooling of all his offspring. He believed that knowledge was the most valuable legacy one could receive, and this paternal insight helped build the groundwork for a future Chief Justice.
The young Paul's educational path started within the walls of Goaso Roman Catholic Primary and Middle Schools. His academic potential then propelled him from the heart of Ahafo to Konongo Odumase Secondary School, where he cultivated the discipline and rigor essential for a career in law. This path continued to the University of Ghana, where he pursued his legal studies.
His subsequent professional advancement, moving from Circuit Court Judge to the Supreme Court, and now to the summit of the judicial system, bears witness to his sharp intellect, principle, and devotion. This distinguished professional life originated in Goaso, the source of his mother's bloodline and the place where his father's aspirations for his children were sown.
As Justice Baffoe Bonnie assumes the highest judicial position in the land, it is essential that his history is accurately documented.
He is an eminent example of Goaso's potential, embodying what can be achieved when cultural roots are respected and a parent's investment is matched by a child's resolve. His ascent from the classrooms of Goaso R.C. School to the seat of the Chief Justice is not solely a personal victory; it serves as a beacon of hope for every young person in Ahafo and across Ghana, demonstrating that a lofty destination can have the most modest of beginnings.
The official record must be unequivocal: Ghana's new Chief Justice is from Goaso.
