Prof was a gracious and warmly weloming in law.There had been a special bond of friendship and respct between him and our late father, Mr E  A Amegtcher, whose advice on family matters he greatly valued. This friendship continued with us, the children of E A.  He never failed to acknowledge us as  in laws in whatever circle we happen to meet. He always tried to speak Dangme with us and would jokingly start off with 'O nge saminya?'( how are you).I remember when i was at Legon in the  1960's, their home was open to me day and night. i recall my trip to Japan in 1984 to undergo a short rogramme. they invited me to their home several times and Prof always took time off his busy schdule to be there. this made the cultural shock less daunting and i could also look forward to familiar food on those visits. being in the compny of Prof was always fun as he  told one story after the other. it is a pity that the last time we visited them at home, Prof was not available so it came as a shock when barely two weeks later, we were informed that he had passed on.

Prof, O ke wo mi saminya. Wa he nge mo jaa!

 Prof, beloved husband of our cousin Evelyn, Rest in Perect Peace. 

from Saah, on behalf of the children of Emmanuel and Sarah Amegatcher   

  
      

Visits to Cousin Evelyn and Prof. were memorable.  Jokes and interesting stories from Prof. always flowed with the Koforidua Orange Juice.  These moments will be dearly missed.
Seth and Akorli 

I was very privileged to have been selected as consultant and later Pan  African Coordinator of the first food and nutrition project for Africa  to work under professor Kwapong , first UNU Vice Rector for  Institutional  Development in Tokyo Japan . Prof as we used to call him , was a real guide and mentor .Through his contacts and connections we were able to mobilize  all the resources for the UNU preparatory work and the project from the EEC in Brussels . As almost the only African  in UNU in Tokyo , I did not feel lost at all , very open mind ,very helpful was more than a father by looking at every aspect of  my work and all my contracts as consultant and ensuring timely implementation of all recommendations and follow up to all missions undertaken . Until I left UNU for other UN agencies contact was maintained with prof .

The latest we met  was when both were back in Ghana , he as chairman of the Council  of State and I as Senior Food and Nutrition Officer of the Food  and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations .In these capacities , we were able to host the 26 th session of ACC / SCN  in Accra Ghana. This was the first time the session was organized in Africa . The session turned to have been a full success .Thank you Prof again for your assistance in making learning ,  science and technology what it ought be in Africa.

Through Prof leadership and negotiating skills Ghana hosted the African Association of Universities , The Food and Nutrition Project for Africa , the Institute for natural Resources and university of Ghana legon as an associated university to the UNU. Africa says again thank you.

African universities owe Prof a big thank , as he himself narrated  to me , while we were on mission in senegal ,that his advise to former President Senghor of Senegal made him appoint Prof Seydou Madani  Sy as the first black vice chancellor  of Dakar University after the French Prof Tessier.This paved the way for others to follow .

Prof with your friends , colleagues , students and parents ,  we will miss you , pray that  you rest in peace and be remembered for ever .

Dr Cheikh Ndiaye, Executive Director African Food Information Council (CAIA )

-Pobox  3773 Dakar Senegal West Africa

-Pobox 43536 Philadelphia PA  19106-3536 USA

Food

They do  not come any mightier
The giants of the intellectual domain
Nor, do they come any more humble
This man, of native nobility
In him, Mercy played kid to Justice
Alex, you will forever be remembered
Rest in Perfect Peace 

It is with great sadness that the United Nations University announces the death of Professor Alexander Adum Kwapong, former UNU Vice-Rector from 1976 to 1988. Dr. Kwapong died in Accra, Ghana on 9 August 2014, aged 87.

Dr. Kwapong had an extraordinary career. After studying at Achimota College in Ghana, he was awarded a scholarship to continue his studies in Classics at Cambridge University, graduating with first class honours in 1951. He went on to become a lecturer and then full professor at the University of Ghana where he taught Greek, Latin and ancient history. Over time he was appointed to a number of senior posts with the University of Ghana, before becoming that university’s first Ghanaian Vice-Chancellor in 1966.

Ten years later, in 1976, he moved to the United Nations University in Tokyo and took up the post of Vice-Rector for Institutional Planning and Resource Development. During his time with the United Nations University, Dr. Kwapong worked closely with the first rector, James H. Hester, to lay the foundations necessary for UNU as both a university and a part of the United Nations system, and to attract funding for the University.

Working with UNU’s second rector, Dr. Soedjatmoko, he was instrumental in the establishment of the first UNU institute — the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) — and the first institute established in Africa — the UNU Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA), based in Accra, Ghana.

After leaving UNU, he was a Professor of International Development at Dalhousie University in Canada and the Director of Africa Programmes for the Commonwealth of Learning.

Throughout his career, Dr. Kwapong served on numerous boards and councils, and upon retirement he was appointed Chair of the Council of State of Ghana, an advisory body for the president and government of Ghana.

In an interview looking back on his achievements Dr. Kwapong remarked that, “the minimum qualification to be a good leader is not intellectual capacity but the capability to work with people, the modesty to understand one’s own limitations and to do one’s homework.”

 The story is available on the United Nations University website on the link below:
  http://unu.edu/news/announcements/in-memoriam-alexander-a-kwapong-former-vice-rector-united-nations-university.html?utm_source=home&utm_medium=top&utm_term=news&utm_content=in%20memorium%3A%20alexander%20a%20kwapong&utm_campaign=unu%20centre

 

The United Nations University –Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) received with deep sorrow, the sudden passing away of the Former Vice Rector of the United Nations University (UNU), Prof. Alexander Adum Kwapong who was very instrumental in the establishment of UNU-INRA as the first UNU Institute in Africa.

As the Vice-Rector for Institutional Planning and Resource Development for UNU from 1976 to 1988, Prof. Kwapong worked closely with the first Rector, James H. Hester, to lay the foundations necessary for UNU as both a university and a part of the United Nations system, and to attract funding for the University.

Prof. Kwapong played an active role in the founding of the first UNU institute — the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER).

Speaking on his achievements, the Director of UNU-INRA, Dr. Elias. T. Ayuk described Prof. Kwapong as an African legend, who contributed immensely to the development of Africa by championing the establishment of UNU-INRA as a UN policy think tank to promote the sustainable use of natural resources in Africa.

“The death of Prof. Kwapong is shocking news to us. Africa has lost a great son and his contributions to the Institute will forever live with us”, Dr. Ayuk stated.

Throughout his career, Prof. Kwapong served on numerous Boards and Councils, and upon retirement he was appointed Chair of the Council of State of Ghana, an advisory body for the President and Government of Ghana.

He died on August 9, 2014, in Accra, Ghana.


The story is also available on the following media platforms:

Myjoyonline.com
http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2014/august-20th/un-university-mourns-former-vice-rector-prof-kwapong.php

Ghanaweb.com
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/artikel.php?ID=322039

UN Information Centre
http://accra.sites.unicnetwork.org/2014/08/20/un-university-mourns-prof-alexander-a-kwapong-former-vice-rector/#more-1587

Modernghana.com
http://www.modernghana.com/news/564690/1/un-university-mourns-former-vice-rector-prof-kwapo.html

 
Fillaweb.com
http://www.fillaweb.com.gh/news/education-news/un-university-mourns-former-vice-rector-prof-kwapong

Government of Ghana Official Portal
http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/2012-02-08-08-32-47/general-news/6223-un-university-mourns-prof-alexander-a-kwapong-former-vice-rector

Global Newsreel
http://globalnewsreel.com/local-news/un-university-mourns-prof-alexander-kwapong#.U_XS3MV_uMN

Business Ghana
http://www.businessghana.com/portal/news/index.php?op=getNews&id=199950

UN Department of Public Information (UNDPI)
http://www.undpi.org/World-News/UN-University-mourns-former-Vice-Rector-Prof.-Kwapong.html

Ghanafame.com
http://www.ghanafame.com/un-university-mourns-former-vice-rector-prof-kwapong/

I don’t want to say too much here for fear of breaking down, I hope I put it right.

But I think it’s widely acknowledged in Ghana that, the late Prof Kwapong is one of the finest brains that Ghana has produced but many of us benefited greatly from his intellect and his wisdom.  As we all know, for sometime in the late 60s and early 70s when there were only three (3) public universities, our late brother, myself and the late Prof Boateng, we were in-charge of the three (3) Universities.  We were all Presbyterians and very proud of it.  And we fostered unity and friendship not only among ourselves but try to do it along the three (3) Universities.  But of course, although he was our junior at Achimota, he was our senior and more experienced as a vice chancellor and we used to consult him on many things.  We shared our grieves and our sorrows in times of students agitation and all the rest.  We went through all these.  We travelled around the world together and along the way our experiences coincided. So for my part, you know, I have lost a very powerful mentor.  Yes, I call him mentor in many things. He was full of intellectual prowess and full of wisdom.  And when, not long ago, the Opoku family had their 100th anniversary, although I could not be there in person, because of my incapacity for some time now, the Evans family was well represented and we will do everything to support you in your bereavement this time. 

I don’t think I should continue because, I have become emotional, but I want to wish the family, Evelyn, the children and the family our deepest condolences from the Evans family, from myself, my wife and my children and we pray that this great son of Ghana, will find eternal rest and peace in the Lord. Because he has really done a bit for the development of Ghana.  Thank you

Prof was a very kind man.  I had the rare opportunity to attend to him and he was ever so grateful.  He would go to extents to get me international contacts for my career development,  make and relentlessly follow up suggestions for my progress.  He was a father to me and I truly appreciated him and the entire family.