Ken is a self-made, successful man.

I know his initial struggles to overcome the limitations imposed on him by his environment, circumstances, ancestral and generational history.

I know how Accra boys who came to Adisco from preparatory/international schools used to tease and make fun of Ken because he couldn't speak English well in our early years at Adisco.

I know how the Accra boys provoked Ken to his first public fight during prep time when he was in Form 3C.

He reacted to unexpected blows thrown at him by his formmate, Collins Patamia Aklibosu from Elliot House.

Fighting in an Anglican mission school could have resulted in Ken and Collins being dismissed from their positions.

Collins Patamia Aklibosu had come to Adisco from Premier International (I think located in Mamprobi).

His father was Togbe Aklibosu Patamia of Srogbe (hometown of Tsatsu Tsikata).

Togbe Patamia was a rich businessman and transport owner who operated a fleet of commercial vehicles with the inscription “Uncle Ben.”

If Collins Aklibosu had been dismissed for fighting in school, his rich and influential father could easily have gotten him another school.

But if Ken from the remote Assin village had been dismissed for fighting, who did he have to help him?

Later on in life, it was a very forgiving Ken Agyapong who bought a Ghana Airways flight ticket for Collins Patamia Aklibosu to travel from Ghana to greener pastures in the UK.

I remember that during the Kufuor era, Ken, Aklibosu, a few of our mates, and I met at the office of senior “oshie ooo oshie” (Hon. K. T. Hammond) at the Ministry of Energy and laughed over how Ken’s blows landed straight at the mouth of Collins.

When Ken travelled outside the country and started making money, he came back to Ghana in 1986 or 1987.

I was one of his mates he met when he visited some friends on the UG Legon campus.

I think we met in front of Sarbah Hall.

I think I still have the complimentary card of his American business enterprise he gave me.

So, I am testifying to the humble beginnings of Ken — my own formerly downtrodden Adisco schoolmate.

I really thank God for his life and how far Ken has worked hard to get in life.

I continue to pray for more peace, progress, and prosperity for my Adisco mate,
Ken Ohene Agyapong.