Celebrating 10 Years of Brotherhood
News
A TRIBUTE TO NANA KWAME AKUOKO SARPONG, Omanhene of Agogo,
Statesman, Lawyer, First Chief Vandal August 11, 1938 – March 26, 2026
On the evening of March 26, 2026, Ghana lost a man who wore many titles without letting any of them define him. Nana Kwame Akuoko Sarpong was a traditional ruler, a lawyer, and a politician, but to those who knew him, he was simply a man of uncommon
dedication and quiet strength.
He came from Agogo. He received his early education at the Methodist and Presbyterian schools in Agogo, proceeded to Accra Academy, and later to Opoku Ware School, where he was among the first cohort of sixth-form students. He carried that pioneering spirit to the University of Ghana, Legon, where he studied economics, sociology, law, and political science, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1963 and later earning his LLB (Hons) in 1965.
At Legon, he found a home in Commonwealth Hall, Vandal City. He served on the editorial board of the Echo. To all Vandals, he was and will forever be known as "Showcross," the First Chief Vandal. That title was not honorary. He earned it through years of genuine service to the Hall, from championing the acquisition of a bus for Commonwealth Hall to supporting Vandals with employment opportunities to rallying alumni support for the Hall's annex project. Until his passing, he served diligently as a member of the Council of Elders of Commonwealth Hall, unwavering in his commitment to the fraternity's growth. The bond he forged with Vandal City never broke.
He was called to the Ghana Bar in October 1965. He served briefly as a public prosecutor before building a distinguished private legal career. He co-founded the law firm Forson, Sarpong and Co., with offices in Cape Coast and Takoradi, and served as Secretary and then President of the Central Regional Bar Association. He sat on the board of the Ghana Bar Association and later served on the Ghana Law Reform Commission.
On December 23, 1975, at the age of 38, he was enstooled as the Omanhene of the Agogo Traditional Area, succeeding his uncle, Nana Kwaku Duah. When he was sworn in before Otumfuo Opoku Ware II at Manhyia Palace, the Asantehene addressed the people of Agogo with words that proved prophetic: "Now you have got a chief you deserve, a well-educated and brilliant lawyer. Hold him tight." They held him tight for over 50 years.
The Agogo Traditional Council described his reign as one defined by unwavering dedication, wisdom, and dignity. He stood as a symbol of unity, blending the preservation of tradition with efforts toward modernization and development. His tenure saw the restoration of paramountcy to the Agogo Traditional Area, a status stripped away by the colonial authorities. That restoration was among the achievements he held most dear.
In national service, he gave generously. He served as Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North with the Popular Front Party from 1979 to 1981. Under the PNDC government, he held the portfolios of Minister of Health, Minister for the Interior, Presidential Staffer for Chieftaincy Affairs, and Chairman of the National Commission on Culture. He later served as a member of the Council of State. At every post, he brought the same discipline and seriousness he brought to the stool of his ancestors.
His daughter, AJ Akuoko-Sarpong, described him as "a Paramount Chief, Statesman, Lawyer, Minister of State, Vandal and Bleoobi, but most importantly, my Father." That sequence says everything. The man behind the titles was the part of him that mattered most.
The Agogo Traditional Council called his passing a monumental loss to Asanteman and to Ghana. They are right. But his life was not a story of loss. It was a story of a man who built something lasting everywhere he stood. In the courtroom. In Parliament. In the palace. In Vandal City.
Odupɔn Atutu. Nana kɔ Akuraa.
My cart
Subtotal
$0.00
Total
$0.00
@Old Vandals – Powered by OneTechNation|Cee Capi