TRIBUTE FROM GEORGE BAAH-DANQUAH (PhD)

The Good Book tells us that “in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Cor 15:22). Such hope is what has given us the strength to gather here to celebrate the life of a brother, a father, a finance professional, and a philanthropist who energized every one of us whom he came across and laden our hearts with beautiful memories.

We are all here today because Ernest Kwadwo Nyarko positively touched our lives in one way or the other. The longer you knew him, the more you knew you were privileged to be in the company of a wonderful man. He was remarkable as a family man, ingenious as an entrepreneur, an astute finance professional, a simple and yet noble royal, devoted in his worship of God, loyal to his friends, and amiable to the point of being available, literally to anyone who needed help. His generosity was such that we can pay him the highest compliment of calling him ‘a good man.’

Growing up, everyone in my age group knew Kwadwo Nyarko not just because he was a royal. He was one of the few seniors who represented hope, decency, and dignity for the youth in Prang and its environs. Away from home in Accra, he was a source of motivation in several respects. Any time I met him at the UG Maths Department preparing for his professional exam, it encouraged me as a student to learn hard. In his humility, he was studying amongst students in the evening even when he was already working with a prestigious firm at the time.

Mr. Nyarko was a perfect Counselor, a Mentor, Coach, and a Compatriot to me. With utmost calmness, he would listen to me and give a piece of advice which almost always turned out to be the best. In times of challenges, he demonstrated a clear understanding of the situation and spurred me on. He had lots and lots of practical examples, life experiences, and scriptures for illustration in his usual systematic, well-organized manner.

Bra Ernest, as we affectionately called you, you modeled so clearly what it means to love and care for one’s neighbor. You were full of empathy and fellow-feeling, and with your quiet dignity, treated every person you interacted with, with the utmost politeness and calmness, offering the same respect you accorded yourself.

Your jokes and smiles will forever be remembered as a professional, real friend, and a brother. You truly were a wonderful peaceful soul.

May you find eternal rest in the bosom of Father Abraham.