The Awuni–Namoo family in the Bolgatanga East District of Ghana’s Upper East Region has supported Adakura Primary School and Kumbosigo Primary School with 45 dual desks to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the late Mr. Awuni–Namoo Akaribo.Mr. Akaribo was a twin. His twin brothers, Anaba , and Awine, were born together, but their lives took different directions.
During a period when “whitemen” forcibly took some children to Zuarungu to attend school, Mr. Awuni–Namoo Akaribo was brought along, while his twin brother escaped and later fled to Burkina Faso.
Mr. Akaribo attended school at the time in Zuarungu, at the boardings school that is now known as Adakura Primary School in the late 1930s. He later became the first driver and worked his way through various responsibilities first serving the Frafra Local Council, and eventually securing an appointment with the Ghana Education Service (GES)as a driver. He served as the first driver for the Upper Regions, which at the time included the Northern Region, Upper East, and Upper West.He rose to the rank of Chief Driver and retired in 1992.
He later passed away on 3rd May 2016 and was buried on 12th June 2016, He first settled in Zuarungu but later settled in Kumbosigo, where he spent much of his working life as a GES staff member.Speaking exclusively to Word News on the sidelines of the donation of the **45 desks to Adakura Primary School and Kumbosigo Primary School, Mr. D.A. Williams said the donation was meant to mark Mr. Awuni–Namoo Akaribo’s 10th anniversary.
Mr. Williams noted that their late father placed great value on education, even sacrificing his personal resources to ensure children received formal schooling. He said Mr. Akaribo once told them that he did not have money to give people for their needs, but the only thing he could give his children was formal education.
According to him, Mr. Akaribo remained true to his words, spending his final savings to support school attendance and other educational needs, and the family has since benefited from that sacrifice.
Mr. Williams added that the results have been evident in the success of both girls and boys of the Awuni–Namoo family. Though Mr. Akaribo died nearly ten years ago, the family is still fulfilling his wish by presenting desks to the two communities where he started and later worked.
He explained that when Mr. Akaribo moved from local government service to the Ministry of Education, he was offered land where many of the family members currently reside.
He said the family will continue supporting education in both Adakura and Kumbosigo Primary Schools because education brought them to an acceptable level in society.
Mr. Williams said the family is grateful to the communities of Zuarungu and Kumbosigo, stating that without the cooperation and support they received, Mr. Akaribo would not have been able to provide the type of education his children have enjoyed. He described the donation as “just the beginning.”
He further noted that the families cherish both communities because they contributed significantly to educating the late father’s children.
Spreading to Worrd News ,Mrs. Selina Baba, the Headmistress of Adakura Primary School, expressed gratitude to the Awuni–Namoo family for the kind donation of furniture.She said the school had not received such support for a long time.
According to her, the desks would help students and improve teaching and learning.
She explained that for some time, many children had been sitting on the floor to write, which has affected their learning and handwriting.Mrs. Baba said the desks will go a long way to improve students’ skills and classroom activities.
She thanked the family and appealed for other former students to also support the school. She said, “Little waters make a mighty ocean,” and encouraged old students who have passed through the school to contribute in whatever way they can adding that even one or two desks would make a difference.Expressing hope, she noted that the support will help the school become better furnished, so that in the future, students will grow to become people who will also return to support the school and the wider community.