BIOGRAPHY OF THE LATE RAPHAEL KWAME AFORNOPE

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. Now, there is
in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will award to
me on that day…” II Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)
The late Raphael Kwame Afornope was born on 19th June, 1950, at Peki – New Adzokoe.
His parents (all of blessed memory), were Afornope Kwame Englebert and Adukpo Adwoa
Elizabeth all of Peki – New Adzokoe in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region of Ghana.
He was the third of four children but was the chip off the old block.
Young Raphael was bubbling with life and very active. At age five the vivacious Raphael
suffered attack of measles which nearly crippled him. However, the prowess of Togbui
Duwodome, a renowned herbalist, through the mercy of God saved his life as he fully
recovered from the ailment and regained his strength.
After the death of his father, Madam Yawa Attimpoe a relative took him and left young
Raphael with her mother Mama Koto Akosua at Adzokoe. She went back to Kpando where
her husband Mr. Johnson Addo was the District Commissioner. Raphael was with the old
lady until he grew up to start school. Young though, he was everything to the old lady. He
performed all chores at home. When the ageing woman could no longer care for him,
Emmanuel Komla Darku (a.k.a Dakuku) came for him and Raphael stayed with him until he
completed his elementary school education.
Education
Raphael enrolled in the local E. P. Primary School together with other pupils. Raphael was
quite brilliant and was second to none. Academically, he was a force to reckon with. He was a
crowd puller, his humble nature and the cheerful disposition he wore always, drew a lot of his
school mate to him.
In the Primary School he was the school prefect and in the then Middle School, he was the
prefect of each class in which he found himself and finally, became the school prefect.
Twice he passed the Common Entrance Examination that selected candidate to access the
secondary school education but was unable to go to school due to unavailability of financial
support. In Middle School Form Three he had admission to Kpando Secondary School and in
Form Four, it was Bishop Herman College. In each case he won government scholarship
outright but was unable to utilize the golden chances.
In the field of sport he was a man of several parts. In the track events, he was nicknamed
VC10 speed in 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m races as well as 800m. In the field event he was
champion in High Jump and Long Jump. In the games, he was the school’s goalkeeper and
the town football team’s goalkeeper. He featured in Volley ball games prominently. He was a
member of the then Kpando District’s Athletic Team which took part in the Volta Regional
inter District Sports Festival at Ho in 1968.
He successfully obtained the Middle School Leaving Certificate in 1969. He proceeded to
Bonsu Agricultural College and completed successfully. From his personal experience he did
his best to educate his children.
After the Middle School education, he went to stay wish Mad. Yawa Attimpo at Kpando. He
helped her in her shop as a sales boy. Raphael was an apprentice to a driver who was
shuttling between Ho and Kpando.
Later on, his uncle Kwaku Afornope who was a worker with Cocoa Board at Ahamanso came
for him and took him to Ahamanso.
Christian Life
Raphael Kwame Afornope was baptized in the Roman Church at Peki Adzokoe. As a young
Catholic he took park in all Church activities, weeding and sweeping the Church premises
especially during school vacations and Sundays. He was one of the few school children who
took part in Sunday reading in Church. During the construction of the current mission house
in use, he was one of the children who would wake up at dawn to collect sand for the
moulding of blocks. Such was his enthusiasm in Church activities. As a communicant and
confirmed church member, he did not shirk his responsibility to the church.
Raphael was an active member of the St. Michael Church Choir. He attended almost every
choir rally in those days. Wherever he found himself he never abandoned his Roman Catholic
faith.
His love and faith in the St. Michael Church Choir made him to buy choir robes for the choir.
Also, he contributed towards the ongoing Chapel project as a true Catholic. His concern
about the future of the church made him to sponsor some brilliant but needy children in the
church in higher institution so that they can also be useful to the church.
He was quite instrumental in the effort to help children learn the word of God as he linked
them to the “Samaritan Purse”, a Christian NGO that supplies Christian literature and play
items to children in all church in Adzokoe.

Marital Life
He married Madam Olivia Lovestine Nani, an educationalist, she was loyal and serviceable
to him, and they were best with nine children. He was in that nuptial union until his demise.

Working Life
Raphael Kwame Afronope was a “workaholic”, he married his work and worked as if the
company was his bonafide property.
Some of the stations where he work were Ahamanso and Peki in the Volta Region. He was
transferred in 1985 to the Brong Ahafo region, now Ahafo Region and worked in towns like
Sankore, Akrodie, Kwapong, Kukum, and later transferred to the Dadieso Enchi, Sefwi and
its environs all in the Western Region.
He knew he could not work alone but would need all hands on deck, thus, he maintained a
very excellent working relationship with all categories of workers he worked with. He was
kind to people he worked with and this endeared him to the heart of them.
When finally he retired from active service at Ghana Coco Board, his co-workers wished him
well as the missed his service. He retired finally at Enchi Dadieso in 2014.

Community/Social Life
Back home (Adzokoe - Peki), he went to live in the magnificent house he built, Raphael
Kwame Afornope, popular called “Fo Kawme” was soft spoken and quite slow to anger. He
used his rich experience in settling disputes between and among people.
He was quite happy to be back home finally to contribute to the progress of the community.
He was not the outgoing type but very affable. His relationship with people in the community
was excellent. He took part in every community activity. At communal labour, you would
find him encouraging the youth to give their best through special empowerment.
Fo Kwame, drawing from his personal experiences, found it quite inevitable the need to assist
needy people. He realized that the major issue that can assist the development and progress of
any community is the number of highly educated people it has. Thus, he helped sponsored a
number of brilliant but needy children in higher institution of learning. Widows and orphans
benefited from his generosity.
Raphael was indeed, the iroko that provided shelter for many. He was the slender arm of
benevolence, an elixir of life and a mascot. His cordial and fatherly relationship with young
children earned him the name “Togbe Kukui” meaning “old man”.
He was a man of good counseling and ready to offer useful advice to people because he cared
about welfare of people and was a cheerful giver. This was the man the community would
miss forever.
 th
He suffered a mild stroke in 2018 but was healed however, he had the second attack on 14
Ferbuary, 2021, which was severe. The family did all they could to help him but it did not
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work. On 16 March, 2022, Fo Kwame passed on at the Peki Government Hospital.
Thus, Fo Kwame, the golden hearted, elixir of life, the giant iroko, obeyed the call of his
Maker.
He left behind a wife, nine children and thirty four grandchildren.
Fare thee well, adieu, out love to you: Rest in Peace until we meet again.
Hede nyuie, Damrifa Due.