What though the radiance which was once so bright

Be now forever taken from my sight,

Though nothing can bring back the hour

Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find

Strength in what remains behind.

                                                                     William Wordsworth, Intimations of Immortality

Mrs. Emma Effie Afful, the first of seven siblings, was born Emma Effie Atta-Mills to Mr. (Paa) and Mrs. (Mamaa) John Evan Atta-Mills Snr. on the 5th day of June, 1942 in Tarkwa, located in the Western Region of Ghana. Legend has it Paa was so delighted with her birth that she became the apple of his eye; he really doted on her.

Persuaded by a combination of the belief that she would not thrive at the Komenda Local Council Primary School and the crude manner in which children were disciplined at Komenda, Paa enrolled Mrs. Afful at Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) boarding school for her elementary education. Mrs. Afful commenced her secondary education at Achimota School in 1955, where she was popularly known as “Little Emma.” She was in Clark House and graduated with the class of 1959. Thereafter, she completed a two-year post-secondary programme in 1961 at the Winneba Training College. It was during her teaching practice, post-Winneba, at Mensah Sarbah Middle School in Cape Coast, that she met her best friend Sister Lucy Hanson of blessed memory.

Mrs. Afful had immense interest and excelled in the sciences. She taught Mathematics and Science at Komenda College, now the Komenda College of Education, in 1964. A year later, she enrolled at the University of Cape Coast (U.C.C.) for an associate program in Mathematics and Science. Upon completion of the associate program, she taught at Ajumako Teacher Training College. In 1967, she received a scholarship to the University of Reading in the United Kingdom (U.K.) to further her studies. She was among the international students who had the rare opportunity to meet the mother of Queen Elizabeth II during their visit to the Buckingham Palace.

One day, in 1969, her brother, the late Prof. John Evan Atta-Mills, informed her that a friend of his was in a folk-dancing troupe that would be visiting Reading, U.K., soon and that he would ask his friend to stop by and say hello. Her brother’s friend turned out to be none other than her former form mate, Kofi Nketsia Afful. As their relationship matured, she realized that she had found a keeper. Her older brother, the late Mr. Ato Harry Brew, gave her away in marriage to Prof. Afful on 27th June, 1970 in Brighton, U.K.

The couple returned to Ghana in October 1970. Shortly after the birth of their first child in late 1971, Mrs. Afful transferred to OLA College of Education from Ajumako. The couple had their second and third children in 1973 and 1975, respectively. In 1976, Mrs. Afful joined the late Prof Afful in Nashville, Tennessee, where she completed a Master’s degree, while Kofi pursued a doctorate in Economics. The couple had their last daughter in 1980.

Mrs. Afful returned to OLA College of Education, where she taught for 31 years, starting in 1971. Not only was she an effective teacher of mathematics, she also inspired her students to pursue excellence and taught them to realize their self-worth. To her, the line between work and family was pretty fine. Unquestionable evidence that she played a maternal role in the lives of her students lies in the fact that some former students, including but not limited to Mrs. Henrietta Eyison (née Afful) and Ms. Agnes Abaidoo became part of her family: Prof and Mrs. Afful stood in as parents during Sister Henrietta’s wedding. Teaching was not merely an occupation; rather, it was an involving charge to enlighten and embrace young women to excel within and outside the confines of the classroom.

Her interest in mathematics education transcended teaching. Mrs. Afful was a member of the Mathematical Association of Ghana (MAG) and served as its National Treasurer. With unequalled enthusiasm and diligence, she co-authored “Mathematics for Teacher Training in Ghana,” published in 1994.

Mrs. Afful was a staunch Christian, born and baptized into the Methodist Church. In 1986, however, the then nascent Evangelical Methodist Church of Christ (EMCC) found Mrs. Afful! She offered her home to her cousin, the late Rev. Emmanuel Odum Amissah, who had left the Methodist Church and joined a group of resolute individuals toiling assiduously to establish EMCC. The Afful family followed Rev. Amissah to church one day and promptly, Prof. and Mrs. Afful joined as founding members of the church.

Her attitude towards work at the church was nothing short of absolute immersion. She served as President of the Fellowship of Evangelical Women. She was a Leader as well as a Local Preacher. More, Mrs. Afful served as the Director of Christian Education. Further, she was a Sunday school teacher for the youth class. She was a Synod member, and, putting her mathematics skills to work, served as a treasurer of the Building Committee. She sought and accepted opportunities to support church members in a myriad of ways.

Mrs. Afful’s service to the youth was not restricted to EMCC. She also served as a Board member of Youth for Christ International beginning in the 1980s.

She leaves behind a legacy of dedication to duty, nourishment of young minds, love for family, humility and grace. Mrs. Afful will forever live on in the hearts of the many individuals whose lives she touched.