BIOGRAPHY (October 11 1958-September 26 2018)
Vicky was born at the Princess Mary Maternity Hospital in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, in the district of Victoria, to Mr Emmanuel (Yaw) Baah and Mrs Mary Julia Baah (nee Nyampong). Family legend has it that Vicky was a fascinating baby, with unusually thick, dark kinky hair which became a spectacle for the nurses, doctors and the local Geordie community who often asked to touch and feel it. It is a wonder why her student parents did not charge for the privilege to touch little Queen Victoria’s hair. In 1992 when Vicky gave her reluctant aging parents a first class train journey to revisit their past, they only brightened up on arrival at 1 Eslington Terrace. Invigorated, by the fond shared memories they started claiming ownership of a house, pointing to areas of the street where Mummy frequently plied every morning with baby Vicky in her huge pram. Vicky’s Daddy who was a student of Town Planning and Landscape Architecture even offered the residents some gardening advice as we watched and listened listened gleefully.
Vicky as a child accompanied her pioneering, professional post-colonial Civil servant parents as they were posted from town to town across the length of Ghana from Kumasi -Tamale-Koforidua-Kumasi-Accra
Vicky attended a number of Primary Schools when the family returned from the UK namely, Garrison Preparatory School in Kumasi, Koforidua Experimental School and State Experimental School at Nhyieso in Kumasi until September 1970 when she became a member of the Ninos of Aburi Girls 70.
She studied for her GCE O’ and A’Levels from 1970 to 1978 at Aburi Girls’ Secondary with a year of intercalation. The 1975 Class of Aburi Old Girls Association fondly remember Vicky as the witty, intelligent, funny and mischievous baby of the cohort. Although she was among the youngest in her cohort Vicky showed recognisable leadership skills that earned her a place as one of the 10 Dormitory Prefects “to look after” Form One students at “Metico”, the student residence located away from the main school campus. Some of the highlights of Vicky’s student life at Aburi Girls relate to her jovial and affable personality and her famous Uncle on the teaching staff.
In 1978 Vicky enrolled at the Advanced Teacher Training College, now University of Education in Winneba. She often recounted amusing experiences of being pampered, fussed over or even receiving privileges from course mates, “mature students” and lecturers. This was because Vicky was the youngest and the only female Science student in her College class. After qualification in August 1981 Vicky started her first teaching appointment at Ghana Secondary School, Koforidua, where she taught Biology and General Science for two years. On August 7 1982 Vicky and Akwasi got married at the Legon Hall Chapel, University of Ghana, after seven years of dating and courtship. Vicky was blessed with two lovely daughters and three amazing grandchildren.
In June 1992 Vicky qualified as an Accounting Technician after part time studies at Waltham Forest and Havering Colleges. She also completed the Professional Diploma in Management with The Open University.
Vicky’s teaching career was further enriched when from September 1983 to 1984 she taught Biology and Chemistry at the Njala University Secondary School in Sierra Leone. It was here that Vicky often hosted 10 young Namibian refugee students to meals and games in her home. The students’ pet name for Vicky was “Anopheles”. She moved to Freetown at the end of the academic year to teach at the elite Bertha Conton School, before leaving for the UK. In June 1985 she had taster day at the Clapton Girls School in Hackney whilst considering a teaching career in the UK. She was so decisive at the end of her experience on the day that pursuing a teaching career in the UK was definitely not her for her.
Vicky’s career route changed completely when in March 1986 she started as Administrative Officer at the Department of Social Security in Hackney, a strategic move which turned out to be the bedrock of her career progression. She moved to the Housing Benefits sector from March 1988, working for 3 months with the London Borough of Islington as a Housing Benefits Officer and returned to the London Borough of Hackney in the same role from June 1988 to March 1993.
Vicky’s cumulative knowledge, skills and expertise in Housing Benefits policy and practice prepared her to step into management roles, first as a Deputy Team Leader from April 1993 to December 1997 and Team Leader under ITNET in December 2001. Vicky was in her elements managing corporate change, monitoring performance and supporting the personal development of her staff. Her outstanding achievement in this capacity was sustained when the Revenue and Benefits came back under the London Borough of Hackney.
As the Head of Customer and Corporate Services Vicky was responsible for over 150 staff covering 26 areas including Facilities Management, Business Support, Finance, the Council’s Contact Centre as well as front facing Customer Services. On a daily basis she advised, mentored, led and supported people to achieve their best potential. As a stalwart and an influential team player Vicky was always results driven but never at the expense of her human relations.
When Vicky left the shores of Ghana with her 3 month old daughter Afua to Sierra Leone it was in response to the opportunity, as a Teacher to be involved in “Tentmaking Ministry” by supporting the work of SLEFES and Scripture Union (SU). She, with her husband, networked with Christian Lecturers, SLEFES and SU Staff to provide support and training of Christian students at conferences in Freetown and Bo.
In the UK Vicky attended the Methodist Church, Mare Street in Hackney. She joined the Hornchurch Baptist Church in 1990 and soon became actively involved in leading Homegroups. She regularly attended the Saturday morning prayer meetings as well as facilitating the Tea rota for the church. She was a keen member of the Ghana Christian Fellowship which used to meet in Tavistock Place in London and GHAFES Associates (UK). Vicky was recently invited to join the Board of Reference of Healing Rooms (England and Wales) a honourable strategic role which she did not get to play. She has been keen to support the ministry outreach of Hope Chapel in Basildon through monthly Healing Rooms meetings.
Vicky was diagnosed in 2014 with Systemic Sclerosis (or Scleroderma), a rare autoimmune family of diseases which affects skin tissues and various organs. Frequent hospital appointments, admissions and the variety of medication she had to tolerate became routine in her life.
Alongside the treatment plans of the medics Vicky prayed diligently and hoped fervently for divine healing. Her faith in the power of God to heal remained resolute and undimmed to the glory of God.
“BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER”Romans 12:12
