Conversations about the late former Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Ernest Yaw Kumi, have resurfaced following the official calling of 824 new lawyers to the Bar on Friday, October 10, 2025.

During the just-ended congregation, the name of the late Akwatia MP was mentioned among the graduating students.

Ernest Kumi, who was also a student at the Ghana School of Law and a first-time MP on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), died on July 7, 2025, shortly before the release of the final examination results.

Prior to his death, he had been at the center of a high-profile legal battle over the legitimacy of his parliamentary seat. His sudden passing came just weeks after the Supreme Court overturned his contempt conviction related to the disputed 2024 parliamentary election results.

What happens to the Akwatia Parliamentary seat following Ernest Yaw Kumi's death?

Reports indicate that the late Ernest Kumi died of heart failure.

During the congregation ceremony, GhanaWeb’s Mandy Agyemang, in an exclusive interview with the late MP’s best friend and Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Eric Adjei, noted that the late Ernest Kumi passed all the required papers before his death.

According to Eric Adjei, who was among the 824 newly called lawyers, the late MP had looked forward to this moment, only to pass away a few months after completing his exams.

"During the preparation of the exams, my best friend, Ernest Kumi, Akwatia MP, and I were all staying at GIMPA together, and we normally used the same car for the exams. It's rather unfortunate that he also passed the papers, but today he is not alive. So, wherever he is, may the good Lord keep his soul for me.

"I dedicate it to him. He would have been here with him because we were together everywhere, but today, he is not here with me. The pain is passing law school exams, and I dedicate my own to him wherever he is. May his soul rest in peace," he said.



Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, also shared a tribute on X, recalling how the late Ernest Kumi worked tirelessly to achieve his dream of being called to the Bar, a goal that took him nearly a decade to realise.

"Congratulations, Hon Ernest Yaw Kumi. The vicissitudes of life are cruel. You spent nearly a decade fighting for this day, burning the midnight oil, holding on through setbacks, never losing faith. But just when you made it, death snatched you away.

"Today, as your name is called at the Bar, our hearts break. You earned it, yet you're not here to wear the gown or lift your head with pride. Still, we celebrate you because your story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and unyielding hope. Rest well, learned friend. You made it, even in death," Edem said.

Congratulations, Hon. Ernest Yaw Kumi . 💔

The vicissitudes of life are cruel. You spent nearly a decade fighting for this day, burning the midnight oil, holding on through setbacks, never losing faith. But just when you made it, death snatched you away.

Today, as your name is… pic.twitter.com/M8B3kgHmub

— Eric Edem Agbana (@edemagbana) October 10, 2025