7 years ago, you were alive with purpose. A loving father to your beloved daughter and sons, a wonderful husband and a God fearing man. Today, we remember you because you are no more with us. Happy 57th birthday in heaven and May you continue to rest in peace.
20For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. 23 I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. (Philippians 1:20-23)
The news of the sudden home going of our beloved Ernest Amekporfor who we affectionately called ERNIE hit us with the force of a missile and threw us all on the ground crying and weeping.
Ernie was the grandson of the late Dumega Moses Kwami Amekporfor and therefore was a proud son of the royal BATE clan of Anlo. His grandfather, though originally a native of Anyako from the TEKPOR and DZOGBLEAME families settled at Anloga and became the Chief Linguist of Togbui Sri II, the great Awoamefia of Anlo. By this lineage, Ernie was a royal in his own right.
The name ERNEST was given to ERNIE as a prophetic declaration that he would follow in the footsteps of his older cousin, the late ERNEST GEOFREY AWUDZI GBEMU who was the first male grandchild of Dumega Moses Kwami Amekporfor and was a trail-blaizer in commerce and business. And surely, ERNIE distinguished himself at an early age as a successful businessman. Ernie therefore did in the business world what his elder brother Jim did in the broadcasting world; they both lifted high the name AMEKPORFOR.
When the idea to form THE DESCENDANTS OF AMEKPORFOR UNION was mooted, Ernie supported the idea and became a founding member of the union. It was not surprising that when the elections were conducted to elect the first executive committee of the Union, Brother Ernest emerged as the first Chairman of the Union. He brought the wealth of experience he had acquired in the business world into the running of the Union. Though a very busy person who travelled frequently, Chairman Ernest made time to attend the Union’s monthly meetings when his schedules permitted him.
As one would expect, the infant union needed financial muscles to stand on her feet and Chairman Ernest opened his resources to help in growing the Union. Sometime later, Brother Ernest opened a restaurant called SILVER PLATTER. In a speech at a Union meeting, he announced to the house that with the opening of the restaurant, meals would be served at the Union’s meetings and get-together. When in February 2010, Brother Prosper Amable (the Union’s Welfare Secretary responded to the call to our Heavenly Home), Brother Ernest single-handedly donated a large cow which was used to cater at the funeral.
Ernest was a very quiet person but a profound thinker. His manner of speech and gait clearly marked him out as a diplomat and exhibited that he was cut for the throne. The elders of the Bate clan also noticed this young man and were convinced that he could be the next Awoamefia of Anlo. This was at the time the Anlo state was searching for a king to replace Togbui Adeladzea II who had “gone to the village”. According to the Anlo custom, the next king must come from the Royal Adzovia clan. But it seemed the Royal Adzovia clan was not ready to take their turn to give the state a new king. This made the elders of the Royal Bate clan to begin a search for a king. Dumega John Amekporfor who was then one of the elders of the Royal Bate Clan was approached and tasked with the responsibility of providing the king from among the descendants of Dumega Moses Kwami Amekporfor. Every finger was pointing at Brother Ernest. Fortunately and unfortunately, the Royal Adzovia clan succeeded in finding the new king. But for that development, Mr. Ernest Amekporfor would have ended up on the Awoamezi.
Ernie, your sudden departure was a shock, coming less than one year after we lost our sister, mother, aunt and grandma Josephine Afafa Amekporfor. But we take consolation that you have gone home to be with our departed loved ones.
Rest in peace, Efo Ernie.
