Ghana general visits son

Columbus, USA-- Kwaku Adu-Bediako is spending his retirement years like many folks his age -- traveling and visiting the grandkids.

That's what brought him to Columbus this week.

His son, Enoch Asante-Bediako, is a project manager for Columbus Bank & Trust Co.

"Enoch's one of my 11 children," said Adu-Bediako, "and it had been such a long time since I had seen him."

It's not that Adu-Bediako and his son are estranged. Far from it. It's just that the 67-year-old Adu-Bediako lives in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

"You've heard of it?" he asked, a smile covering his face.

It has been a while since Adu-Bediako visited with his son, daughter-in-law Georgina Asante, a Columbus podiatrist, and their child, 6-month-old Cameron. But not as long as his last visit to Fort Benning.

"It really hasn't changed all that much," said the retired brigadier general in Ghana's army. "I was here 35 years ago, training as an allied student in the advanced infantry program. I lived in the Battle Park area, right outside the post. The house is still there."

He took the skills he learned here back to Ghana and retired from active duty in 1980. Four years later he became his country's high commissioner (ambassador) to neighboring Nigeria. He remained in that position for eight years.

"I still remain very interested in our military affairs and remain active in veterans organizations," he said.

While here, he was escorted around town by retired Army Col. Jim Jackson, a friend of 33-year-old Asante-Bediako and godfather to his child. Asante-Bediako earned a master's degree at Troy State after taking his bachelor's degree in his home country.

"We met this morning with two former commanders of Fort Benning -- Carmen Cavezza and Sam Wetzel," Jackson said. "And with Mayor Bob Poydasheff."

The mayor presented Adu-Bediako with a key to the city, which the visitor was more than happy to show off.

When not sight-seeing, chatting with family members or attending his son's church, St. Mary's Road United Methodist Church, Adu-Bediako remained glued to the television and reports on President Bush's visit to Africa.

"It's fantastic," he said, almost shouting. "I am very happy to see the American president visit Africa and to address the problems in Liberia. And I understand that your government is giving billions of dollars to help fight AIDS in my country. It's wonderful, wonderful."

Adu-Bediako left Columbus early Thursday for Atlanta where he was to catch a flight for London.

More family over the pond.

"This trip began in New York and Virginia," he said, "before I came to Columbus." Then he corrected himself. "Oh, first there was a stop in Sweden."

Talk about frequent flier miles.

From London, it's back home to Accra and his wife.