Sammuel D.,
Kumasi
Sun Jan 4 1998

Hello Amanfoo,
I'm writing from Kumasi to let you know some sad things that are going on here at Prempeh College, some of which you will find hard believing.

Prempeh is now a mess. You can not tell the difference between a Prempeh kid and a crook from Kumasi High. prempeh Boys stand at our school gate smoking marijuana, our esteemed school Chaplain will walk by, say hello to these students and walk right off. All because members of staff have beef with the Acting Headmaster, Mr. Twumasi "Expensive" Amponsah. The Chaplain, being a Presbyterian, is mad that Mr. Twumasi is building a mosque on Prempeh campus, a school which his church co-established. Even though The Acting Headmaster promised Amanfoo months ago that construction of the mosque has ceased, he continues to build it secretly during vacations and other school closings.

Any master who challenges Expensive gets slapped. The Asst. Head, the Biology teacher Mr. Ben Kumah (who is an Amanfoo), has received over a dozen slaps. How are the students supposed to learn any morals when the head of the school is doing this? he has established a dictatorship in which everything he says goes!! In Prempeh College today, Gods ten commandments are ten suggestions.

This graduate of Tweneboah Koduah Sec Sch and former Asst Headmaster of Konongo Odumase Sec Sch has abolished all of the Old Prempeh traditions, at a time when we need them most--our 50th Anniversary is about 383 days away. Take for example the selection of Prefect. There is no discipline because students elect their own Prefects in a yearly elections, markedly different from the Old days when out-going prefects will select new prefects to be approved or rejected by the headmaster and his staff. Any popular but irresponsible student who is capable of campainging and bribing can win the elections. The Consequences: The discipline has gone down remarkably and since masters hate the Headmaster, or for fear of being smacked by this Mighty African Dictator (MAD), evil deeds by students go unreported and unchecked. As a matter of fact, the masters encourage it. Prempeh College, as I went to meet it last week, was a complete mess. In The D-Hall there is no order. As soon as the bell rings, it is "Survival of the fittest." No grace is asid. Students "scatter" the food and leave the D-Hall. The little students (the 11- and 12-year olds) are left out and don't get any food to eat. My little brother came home complaining that he hadn't eaten in 2 days. All because some psychopath ran for Dhall Prefect and won it. Gone are the days when we used to have The Banahenes, Ofori-Yeboahs, Kyei Youngs, Caesars and the Gyampohs as Senior Prefects. Parents are pulling their ward out while other parents are bribing this Self Proclaimed Headmaster with air conditioners and other wonderful things just to get them in the school. One may wonder how we manage to win the National Science Quiz nearly every year if such problems are going on? Well, well, well. We began the winning dynasty when Mr. sackey was still Headmaster (1985-96). As soon as he retired in '96, Expensive was made an Assistant. Thats why in this years finals of the Quiz Competition, we came second to Opoku Ware. All the bright Pprempeh students taken out of the school by their parents, went to OWASS and turned that school around. We only got to the finals because a dedicated Asst Headmaster, Mr. Kumah (Biology), pulled 3 students aside and constantly trained them, even during school vaccations, to prepare them for this tournament. Therefore, their performance doesn't reflect the ability of an average Prempeh kid. Why they will not make Mr. Kumah the Headmaster.....I don't know.

This is why I was so excited when I came across this home page. This webpage (especially the directory) might be the greatest idea since the introduction of sliced bread.

Amanfoo, we don't need any money. All we ask of you (especially the older generation 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s) is to use some means to help get this man out of office. Remember, it happened in 1984. It took one great rescusitator to come in and revive the school. Why should we let this man set us back many years? Write to the Education Service. You can besiege the Daily Graphic and The Times with email messages. All the Ghanaian newspapers have websites online. Make some phone calls if you have to. Do everything to help make Prempeh Great again. I'm very confident you can do your best to help save our institution because while going through the list

Saying I will be disappointed will be putting it mildly if you all don't do anything.

I wish everyone success and hope we can stand up to our duty as a people identified through only one source--Prempeh College. May God Help Us All.

Belated merry x'mas and happy new year. I just read Sammy's letter to Amanfo and I feel that it should provoke a lot of discussion. This is where all your efforts in putting up this web page would make a huge impact. I will advise that you set up a special page exclusively for this issue raised by Sam for people to express their views and suggestions. Such an effort would help us in our fact findings, to delve into the root of the issue, and make concrete recommendations. I have my own reservations about the whole idea of Mr. Twumasi been the headmaster of our cheerished Prempeh Collge based on my personal experience of him. I will however, reserve my comments till the forum is created and until some of the allegations raised by Samuel are confirmed or refuted. This is an issue which deserves immediate attention and Amanfoo worldwide should be able to discuss and detonate this "time bomb" before it explodes. Once again thanks for this great web page which makes it easy and cheap.

Hello all Amanfoo, I read with much alarm a recent e-mail that has been sent to all amanfoo on line. This is in response to the messy conditions at P-coll. The validity of the allegations you brought forward as being the cause of the mess need further reinforcement, notwithstanding, I will commend you on your courage in bringing out this "mess" to our knowledge. I will strongly suggest that you forward these allegations by means of letters to the local organizations like:
1) The PTA of Prempeh College
2) The local Amanfoo Branches in Ghana
3) The Ghana Education Board
4) The Teachers' Council of Prempeh College
5) The Students' Government of P-Coll.

With your leadership, encourage these groups to send us e-mail in order to determine the authencity of the allegations. Please, keep us posted..

This note is being sent out to everyone who received a note from Sam regarding Prempeh College and advocating removal of the current headmaster.

PLEASE DISREGARD THAT NOTE. THAT NOTE IS THE WORK OF ONE INDIVIDUAL AND MISREPRESENTS A LOT OF ISSUES, WITH A MAIN OBJECTIVE TO DISCREDIT THE CURRENT HEADMASTER.

I just returned from Ghana and had a chance to talk to a lot of key Amanfoo involved in planning for the Golden Jubilee. There seems to be a few Amanfoo who are bent on seeing an Old student become a headmaster, rather than supporting whoever does the best job. There had been a hidden campaign to discredit non-old student candidates in order to get an old-student in place.

First, such notes that seek to discredit anyone or entity affiliated with Prempeh is divisive and should not be sent out on the e-mail list. Second, any issue that has a negative element to it or may be controversial should be sent out to be verified by the executive before posted.

Please, Mark, Clifford, Arrojah, Kwabena, Prosper, 'Blindee'....let's talk with the webmaster to rectify this situation, such that the e-mail do not become a medium for interest group campaigns.

Hello Amanfoo,
Let me emphasize that Dr. Ohene Kwapong is an idol of mine whom I love very much and so I don't feel comfortable disagreeing with him. The core of the problem is the lack of communication within this Amanfoo Society. The Director of Prempeh College Board of Governors, Dr. Kuffuor, has a son who is an Amanfoo based in New York. He is in our directory. His name is Nana Osei-Kuffuor. I'm sure he talks to his dad back home from time to time. Yet we haven't been able to get any information from such a reliable source. I have spoken to him several times. I feel guilty for not sharing with you what he knows. Yes, such a problem exists on campus.

Just like Dr. Kwapong stressed in his message, Amanfoo in Ghana are divided over the issue. I am aware Samuel sent a follow-up message in which he self-reported that Amanfoo are indeed split on the issue. In that same message, he said that Prempeh staff are also split. I have such a message from him. I don't know if all of you received one. Further, Snr. Joseph Nsiah in Accra has also sent me a message in which he made clear that both Amanfoo and the Prempeh staff are split on the issue. He even advised that we watch and get a clear picture before doing anything. Again, I apologise if I didn't make such statement available to you. Kwadwo Oteng-Boateng of New Zealand has also confirmed that some of the traditions have indeed changed. In fact, he was the First day Student SP of Prempeh in '96 (in addition to the Boarding Sp's). He ran for the elections and won. It is true that elections is the normal route to prefectship now. Sammy's story about the mosque is also an undisputed fact. SO FAR NO LIES HAVE BEEN DETECTED IN SAMMY'S STORY!!

So Amanfoo, why should we discredit his story, and go as far as erasing our email directory just because a person from the opposition is voicing his oppinion? Should we listen to one side only? After all, Dr. Kwapong did not tell us if he actually visited the campus and saw everything firsthand. He only mentioned that he talked to fellow Amanfoo, while Sammy claims to have stood in front of the DHall and witness chaos. Sammy's argument is even more supported by the fact that he has a little brother at Sofo Line. Didn't he do what every concerned Sofo Line citizen will do? If we discourage him from speaking his mind, who else will come forward when there is a more serious problem someday? I blame us all!! Opanin Kyere, during his 1996 visit to the States, met with some of you at a special event and discussed the current state of the school and where it is heading. Did anybody share it with the rest of us? No! Snr. George Mensah (G'berg '79) did put it best when he said in his last email message to us "We have come from behind and now seems like we are sitting pretty on top of the educational hierarchy in Ghana. However, I think we can do better. I am disappointed by the lack of participation from most of us. Busy? Yeah! Right, Ain't we all?"

Now, should I cross out the The Amanfoo Directory simply because "one of our very own" has sent us some information from home which some of disagree with? Then who will come up next week and give us some much-needed information? I can't believe we have this great internet link and still not communicating.

I agree with Sammy, the school is in chaos and nothing to be proud of at this time. As alums, we need to sit up and be more proactive if we are to maintain our spot as an ivy league secondary instituition in Ghana. Prempeh College is in a mess. One of my seniors from Butler House, who lived about a mile from the school, and a proud alumina sent his son to some school called Presec because of the indiscipline at Prempeh.

I know about the elections, nothing wrong with it though, (I was always against the undemocratic method through which prefects were elected). However, they need to shortlist and siphon off bad candidates. Some of the prefects are a joke!!!!! Even some of the masters are too indisciplined. Gone are the days when you looked to your housemaster for guidance and worshipped the very ground he walked on.

One of the fundamental problems of Prempeh is the apathy of the alums, of which those of us in London are the number one culprits, (we cannot even organise a party).

The old students with the exception of a select few do very little and play a minimal role in the affairs of the school. Let's take a cue from Opoku-Ware and Achimota alums. After all, most of our friends and acquaintances are people we met at Prempeh. I have heard all kinds of excuses.

For those of us who have done nothing so far, let us take a cue from the Mark Addo's, Harolds etc and start to play our part. After all there would not be any great educational instituitions without the participation and concern of the alums.

Hello Amanfoo,
Here is another response to Kwapong's mail. Kwapong, are you talking about censorship? You live here in America, what happened to freedom of speech/ideas?

I call Ghana very often and this guy is not the first person to tell me these stories. Besides, his story is more credible than yours anyway. He lives there, you visited and spent most of the time in Accra. The last thing that we want to do is to discourage Amanfoo in Ghana from filling-us-in on what's going on at Prempeh College. Frankly, I will be more comfortable to see an Amanfoo as head of the school. We want to keep the tradition and culture of the school and who could do a better job than an Amanfoo?

I remain,
Georges('79).

Hi Amanfuo,
Kwapong's message touched a nerve. I do not believe we should start centoring ideas, views, opinions etc. on the net. It would really be a shame. Some of us, perhaps, naive cyberwriters thought this was what the net is all about. Having the freedom and opportunity to really express your view, however, "controversial" it might be. Having said that, I would encourage Amanfuo to refrain from personal attacks and the like in order to foster constructive and critical thinking to mold our beloved alma mater to greatness.

Let me begin by wishing all of you A HAPPY AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. As a concerned Amanfoo, I wish to express my sincere opinion of the current situation in Prempeh College administration.

Opinions are relative and subjective but not objective. This however, does not warrant any inconceivable ideas or comments. The essential purpose of the E-mail pool is to enable us to communicate efficiently and jointly to help make our institution the proudest of the Ghanaian heritage. If we can't communicate, then we won't be able to resolve issues or differences. Given that there is this obtuse Headmaster slapping his own Assistant for questioning his administrative policies, it is enough reason for the old students to protest for him to be ousted from his position. Not withstanding the substance of his policies, slapping the Assistant headmaster over disagreeing with him does not merit the leadership role of our great institution.

Amanfoo, what happened to etiquette? I have quite a few history about this Headmaster, Twumasi, known to Owareans as "Expensive". He was a tutor at Opoku Ware Secondary School and was known by the Owareans for his bad temper and the follow up slapping irrespective of the status of the individual involved be it a student or a fellow member of staff. I wonder how he secured the position as the Headmaster of Prempeh College. Does our community consider resume` for such a sensitive position? As the Headmaster he needs to set a good example of etiquette and he certainly has failed.

Kwapong, during our last reunion in Washington DC, you and I talked about how to give our best to the ongoing advancement of Prempeh College. I am definitely wondering why you will question the use of the web to express our disgust towards the administrative policies of the school. That is a positive way towards resolution. I personally do not care whether Twumasi is an old student or not, all I care is whether he delivers his job. Given the facts of the current situation, he certainly has not evinced proprietary. I am disgusted over the fact that the students must vote for their own prefects. This will perpetuate indiscipline in the school. You know and I know that students will always vote for aspiring prefects who are less inclined to enforce discipline. That is a fact and we both are living proof during our school days in the late seventies and early eighties. I do not want to touch the subject of religion, nevertheless the school was founded on the Christian religion and should remain as such. I do not want to enforce my Christian belief on anyone, nevertheless the limited funds of the school could be channelled to other projects like securing computers for the school than being used to build a Mosque for the minority of Moslems in the school.

Fellow Amanfoo, let us capitalize on this e-mail pool, dialogue and pitch a compromise and forward a letter to impeach Twumasi, and then have our trusted old students backhome in Africa appoint a decent person to head our cherished institution.

To Kwapong, I hope you understand Freedom of speech. Please let others use this website to express their opinions and I agree with Ernesto that we should refrain from personal attacks. This is exactly what has plagued Africa for far too long.....our inability to tolerate the views of others.

Amanfuo,
Indeed Dr. Kwapong has touched our nerves and resurrected us from the slumber. I wish to say, first of all, that Kwapong's message might initially seemed to us as censorship and stiffling of opinions etc.. However, fellow Amanfuo, from what I've heard and enquired, there are two very distinct and totally disjoint "interpretations" about conditions at Prempeh. I did talk to Joe Nsiah (Cocobod, Accra) who had apparently talked to Senior Kumah, Mrs. Kyere and a number of teachers who reaffirmed exactly what Kwapong suggested. If indeed the teachers are being slapped and cannot stand up for their rights and dignity, then there is something wrong on both sides. So what is the truth then?

Of course Kwapong is not seeking to silence anyone, and its time to rest that ridiculous suggestion. Lets face it, half truth is no truth. So lets get the whole facts and have a progressive and worthy discussion. Hey, everybody is in love with the school so lets put a stop to the personal attacks. It serves no purpose. Good day to all.

I do not in anyway intend to slander Dr. Kwapong. Nevertheless, the current chaos of the Prempeh College administration must be addressed. Difffering opinions does not and should not erupt into bitterness if the parties involved are enlightened and opened to criticisms. Therefore, desist from misconstruing the discussions at stake as though it is a personal attack. It is the best way ever to enable us all play a positive role to reach or make constructive changes for the advancement of our esteemed institution.

Yes, Kwapong (Kakabo) has really shaken some people from deep....deeep slumber.......I never thought Dr. Acheampong (Adwe) would ever come out of hibernation to voice his opinion on Kakabo's comments....I realized a lot of us no go sit down......Viva Adwe.....Viva Kakabo.....Viva Asiama...Viva Sir G. Mensah...Viva Ernesto.....Viva Amanfooo.....Lets all give some serious thoughts to comments made so far. In any case if the headmaster really slapped a tutor, then I personally don't think there is room for this kinda stuff.....Lets "mow" him down.

Hello Amanfoo, I have gotten a lot of e-mail responses to the message I sent out. To let you all know, I do not have an opinion on whatever is going on at the Campus. I had a talk with the executive of the greater Accra Regional Old boys Association and, in their own words, whatever issues exist are being dealt with satisfactory.

My main concern is not whether the school's problems can be dealt with effectively or not. I have full confidence in Amanfoo in Ghana, that are capable men who are indeed helping. There is a lot of planning going on regarding the Golden Jubilee and I got a chance to meet some of the planners. There are two main concern I have, however.

One, most of us do not know or have no idea the kind of hard work it takes to build the network of Alumni and etc. The past meetings, yearly events, financial responsibilities, and the socials we organized have received very poor participation from Amanfoo...and yet many want to voice their opinions on issues. Unfortunately, whatever problems that exist at the school are not solved by opinions, debates, arguments and etc. They are solved by individual participation by old students. While the e-mail list is meant to encourage communication, we need genuine partcipation and involvement. I am glad few of us are sending out messages out, but remember your involvement (financial and personal initiative) is what builds the organization.

I really ought to thank him for sending out the note, since it has offered me an opportunity to emphasize a point I made in our first newsletter. The problems at the school is a reflection of the lack of commitment to the school from Old boys. While few have worked hard and given financially to help, most living outside Ghana have not shown keen interest. It will be a shame to find this e-mail useful and yet not take active role in building the organization. So those who find a need to communicate on this e-mail list, please let it be a beginning of a personal involvement. Now I know where you are and I'll pursue you for your dues. Best Regards.

In response to the many concerns at the school, the contents and the concerns expressed in Samuel's note have been sent to the teachers, the headmaster and the executive of Old Boys Association in Ghana for clarification. The three separate responses will be posted.

Let this issue not become a divisive issue, till we get all the facts. In the meantime, please get involved personally and pay your dues.

To all Amanfoo on the e-mail list:

We do not want to create an 'okyeame-like' channel of communication with this e-mail compilation. I was in Ghana, talked with the planning committee of the Golden Jubilee and gathered from them that whatever issues exist on the campus have been satisfactory resolved.

My main concern is that our e-mail list was created as a basis for a network and to promote the kind of communication that strengthens the network and is positive. The last thing we need is 'debates and arguments' ...and stuff. If issues exist, let's not debate them over this e-mail list. As we all know, our people like to debate and talk ...and yet few are willing to give financially and work to build the organization. So please let's not turn this list into a 'talk' channel. I will have the Amanfoo (the executive) in Ghana send me a detail write-up of the whole issue and will have it sent out.

Dr. Kwapong: I have followed with keen interest the discussion among honorable Amanfoor, but what really prompted me to write is how you have reacted to members responses. Sammy has made serious allegations that we need to investigate, but what I'm reading from you is your frustration with organizing Amanfoor. It is a known fact that organizing the human species is very painful and frustrating, especially if they tend to be 'well informed'. That is why few people are cut to do that, and that is precisely why I commend Mr. Harold Ofori for what he has been able to accomplish with this electronic media. If you doubt my claim, ask the Flight Lieutenant Rawlings about organizing Ghanaians. I haven't had the chance to ask him yet, but judging from the look on his face during his address to the Muslims in the North, during the Christmas week, you could just make that inference.

In your second email to us you said, "I do not have an opinion on whatever is going on at the Campus", however, just by reading your first email, one gets the sense that you do indeed have an opinion. In your first email you made this comment, "There seems to be a few Amanfoo who are bent on seeing an Old student become a headmaster, rather than supporting whoever does the best job. There had been a hidden campaign to discredit non-old student candidates in order to get an old-student in place." Now this sounds like an opinion to me. Furthermore, you made an interesting comment in the same email, that you do not wish to see the e-mail become a medium for interest group campaigns, yet you found it necessary to call on your buddies, namely, Mark, Clifford, Arrojah, Kwabena, Prosper, 'Blindee'.... to talk to the Webmaster to put a stop to what you term as, "negative campaign". I call that an interest group trying to lobby the Webmaster.

I wonder then, how someone with a strong opinion against Sammy's position will send honorable Amanfoor a third email implying, "Be calm, I've taken care of your problems by sending your concern to the Executive of the Old Boys association in Ghana, the teachers and the headmaster", emphasis mine. You see Doctor Kwapong, these individuals that you sent the comments to, for clarification, are the same people that you spoke with while you were in Ghana. Based on what Sammy is alleging, the teachers have become "very weak" with frequent slaps, and I doubt we can learn anything from them.

My suggestion will be to form a sub-committee of Amanfoor to look into all the allegations that Mr. Donkor has made, then make a recommendation to this group. Some of us are willing to volunteer our time and energy to see that every allegation is checked out. As you are aware I was also in Ghana during the Christmas, and I did my own little investigation about these allegation, but due to Gas shortages, I could not visit the Campus for a first hand fact finding, therefore I'm not in any position to make a comment yet. I strongly believe that Prempeh College was founded on a tradition, you kill the tradition and there will be no more Prempeh College.

Most of us chose to go to Prempeh College, not merely to pass the School Certificate, but to acquire "character and knowledge". This is the reason why we need answers to these questions:

Do boys stand at the school gate and smoke marijuana while the college Chaplain walks by and says hi, just because he disagrees with the headmaster? Did the headmaster promise Amanfoor that he will cease the construction of the mosque but secretly continues it during vacation? Has the headmaster abolished the traditional selection of Prefects in favor of student election? Compare this to a Corporate staff electing Corporate Officers versus the Board selecting Officers. Is it true that there is chaos in the Dining Hall? Do the bullies eat the better part of the food while the juniors starve? Is the headmaster corrupt? Does he admit non qualified candidates to the College? Does the Headmaster indeed slap Masters?

Like you and all fellow Amanfoor, I'm not trying to attack anyone, nor am I trying to get emotional or personal, only seeking clarity and offering suggestions.

Hello Boat ! I totally agree with you. I am a firm believer in having people speak their mind and share their concern. I took a copy of the original note sent out to Ghana and some of the Amanfoo were very shocked by the content and the allegations. Some of the allegations are very grave. The problem I have is not having such allegations carefully examined by others (especially the Old Boys Association Executive in Ghana) being disseminated directly to the list. There are certain responsibilities we bear in the US regarding the access we provide people through the Amanfoo network. I believe in free speech, but I want to make certain our free speech is done with discretion, that it is responsible and that it does limit the organization's exposure to risks (legal and etc.).

By the way I have sent (faxed and e-mailed) copies of the allegations to Ghana for clarification from three different constituencies; the teachers, the headmaster and the Old Boys Executive. And we will post the detail response either on the web or through e-mail. We will get to the bottom of this.

The school indeed is in a mess, but as they say in Rome.."where wise men refuse to rule, fools will and the wise will have to live with the consequences". I hope we arouse people from their slumber with this opportunity and help them see the need for personal involvement.

Your idea is a brilliant one. Let's do it, whatever it takes. If you need a committee to be set up to work with you in raising funds and helping with scoping and etc., please send out a general note. And I'd love to assist somehow, just give me some directions.

THIS WEEKEND-- We will send out a detail description of the Fund setup, the plans for the organization, the address and the bank account where Amanfoo can contribute and pay dues and stuff.

Hello, Because he is well known in nearly all Ashanti Regional Schools for his behaviour, Mr. Twumasi CAN NEVER become a headmaster at any Ashanti Regional school. He's worked at OWASS ang KOSS (Konongo Odumase). Everybody knows him now. Even the village schools do not accept him. If he goes to his alma mater (Tweneboah Koduah Sec), there are some die-hard TK fans who will not let him inside. I know some of these people. Why should Prempeh take what nobody else wants? I thought only the best was good for Prempeh. The man has divided the whole Prempeh community. I strongly believe he should be sacked for that reason alone.

Have we all forgotten that it was him who introduced the MOZINGI TRAIN at Prempeh? The Mozingi train is a new Prempeh terminology. It describes a group of guys who only get in because their parents pay. These students, some of whom can hardly read, don't even take the BECE exams (the current equivalent of Common Entrance). Unable to handle the rigorous academic load, these students often "hang" together. They go to the DHall all lined up, one followed by the other. The brilliant students will then tease "Oh, there comes the train. The Mozingi train!!" That is why the term is currently the most popular Prempeh terminology. Every Amanfoo in Ghana knows this. Why are we debating? The man must go!!

I remember the good old days. When a mother will see you on the street wearing a Prempeh uniform, she will come up to you and say "Please come home and meet my daughter." Just because you wear the Prempeh green!! THAT'S AN EXAGGERATION, but you know what I mean. Its not like that anymore in Kumasi. In other regions they still think Prempeh is, to quote the Americans, "the bomb." Within the Bantama, Kwadaso, SofoLine and South Suntreso community, we don't have the prestige anymore. Its time for us to rise up and come back to where we used to be.

Lastly, I think it is a bad idea, if Dr. Kwapong sent the email home to all those parties without erasing Sammy's name and giving him some annonymity. That will be a very poor judgement on our part if we don't let him remain annonymous. He has been attacked enough already. Some of our teachers go out to his store to use his Microsoft, WordPerfect etc. How will they react toward him, if they find out he actually knows that "they are weak." How do you think he will be treated. Besides, he still has a younger brother in the school. His character will be attacked more than a person who testified in The O.J Simpson case. Think about it.

A quotation by Robert Bolt addresses this issue more succinctly than I can. He says "God created the plants for their beauty, animals for their simplicity but man he made so that he will serve Him wittily, from the tangles of his mind." I don't know what course others may take, but as for me I need to be convinced in my mind, heart, soul and spirit before I commit myself to an action. At the moment I will not feel comfortable donating money to the school's coffers. That's all I have to say.

Dear Amanfoo, Our great school is preparing for the historic Golden Jubilee Anniversary in 1999, the year marking the 20th Anniversary of the Class of '79.

The grand launching of the Golden Jubilee will be in February 1998 to coincide with the Founders' and Speech and Prize Giving Day.

By dint of hard-work, consciousness and dedication, we have projected the Class of 1979 as the most consistent and organised class in the history of Prempeh College. Now, that is a feat to be proud of. Indeed we have received commendations from the staff and students of Prempeh College, other identifiable bodies of Amanfoo and even sister schools.

At our last meeting at Paloma on December 5, 1997, members present agreed that we should play our role as the pace setters and contribute towards providing furniture for the new school library, which was started during our formative years at Prempeh and it is to be officially commissioned on the said Founders' Day.

We are therefore counting on your usual commitment and generosity to be able to furnish the library by February, 1998.

We wish to take this opportunity to wish you a very prosperous New Year and to thank you for giving Prempeh a positive image.

By, Kwabena Kessie, Osei Bonsu Amoah, E. K. Gyimah -----------------------------------------
Special Message to Amanfoo:
To all who belong to the Class of '79, remember that we gained a lot from Prempeh, probably more than the rest of the other classes. As of this day, we are the only class with a complete compilation of all class members, with listed addresses and professions, except for 5 of our mates who have passed away. Our class has led by example with renovations at the school and in many other initiatives. Please help us give more back to the school.

The Class of '79 holds a monthly meeting (with regular Announcements in the Graphic) every first Friday of the month. Your timely contribution can help immensely. There is an account established in Ghana. The address for Class of '79 is;

P. O. Box 132
Trade Fair Site,
Accra- Ghana

If you need the account number to transfer money to, please send me a personal e-mail and I will send you the number. Or you can send me a check for your amount (Kendall Square, P.O. Box 814, Cambridge, MA 02142) and I will send you a check ( in US dollars ) to be drawn on a foreign account in Ghana and you can mail it to them. For those who are afraid their contributions will be abused, we can get the specifications for the furniture and if you want arrange for your family member in Ghana to get it for the Class. Life is short, we don't have time to waste. Let's do some good.

Hello Dr. Kwapong,
I can't believe you have come up with this effective strategy to disrupt this outstanding Amanfoo organization. Why does it have to be a Class of '79 Jubilee, A Class of '79 Bank Account, A Class of '79 Library Launching, A Class of '79-sponsored soccer jerseys being donated to Prempeh Athletics, a Class of '79 Monthly Meeting and most disheartening of all, "Class of '79--the most consistent and organized class in the history of Prempeh." You claim you are going to "set the pace for Prempeh," didn't somebody from '49 set the pace for '79? So why exclude them? If the 50 students and 4 masters, lead by Mr. Pearson, hadn't went to Prempeh, I'm very certain you wouldn't have went to Prempeh yourself, because there would have been no Prempeh College. Why don't you just change the Old Boys Association to "The Class of '79 Association?" You can treat the post-1979 people (including myself) as unimportant. But what about your elders? And you claim in your message "the Class of '79 gained more from Prempeh than any other class." What makes you so sure somebody from an earlier class didn't get more?

As you may have already noticed, I've taken myself of this email data, please send me no more. I'm changing the "Global Amanfoo Webpage" to "The Class of '79 Homepage" so you can take over. I'll hand it right over. doc, send me no more and let me hear no more. Good luck with the page. No offense to the class of '79!!

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"When a man overestimates his importance Let him remember that mankind was moving on well before his birth And in all probability more or well after his death." ---T.S. Elliot

Hi Albert, We need open minded individuals like you to help our country restore its greatness. Varying views should only reinforce others to learn of new stuffs by debating.

Amanfoo, Life is short, let's do some good!!!!!

Hello Albert, You've raised an interesting issue with regard to making sure funds end up where they're supposed to. Do you want to suggest some practical checks and balances we can implement and/ or the nature of the assurances people need, so we can all work on it. It will be great if you and maybe a few others can take the initiative on that and make it happen.

Totally supportive of that. Life is short, let's do some good.

Sorry, I just had to do this. I hope to post a more serious note on this matter tomorrow..

Hello Amanfoo, The Ministry of Education has ordered Mr. Twumasi Amponsah to immediately hand over his duties to the Assistant Headmaster pending the arrival of a new Headmaster to Sofo Line. He has also been given 14 days to vacate the school premises. Nobody knows what prompted the Education Authorities to finally come to this much-needed decision.

I've read the 'Okyeame-like' discussion on the situation in our dear school. It enabled me to hear from people I've not seen for over a decade. I hope amanfuo will use the same zeal to contribute both in cash and towards the Golden Jubillee.

News Flash: The Ministry of Education has asked Mr Twumasi Amponsah to hand over to the Assistant Headmaster pending the arrival of a new Headmaster.

I don't know the reasons for the transfer. I hope to be in Kumasi this weekend. So expect detailed 'apo' on the situation at Prempeh College next week.

Amanfoo: This is the first time that I am expressing my opinion on any of the issues which have been discussed at this forum. I have followed the discussion of the last couple of weeks regarding the alleged misdeeds by the headmaster of our old school, and, also, the statements made by a number of individuals on the subject of free speech. Needless to say, I was very disturb about the allegations which were levelled and only hoped that they were not true.

If those allegations were true and the Ministry of education is basing its decision to terminate the headmaster's tenure on the Ministry's independent findings of truth in the allegations, then this is a very well needed action. On the other hand, if the Ministry of Education is basing its actions on mere allegations reported on the internet and if firing the headmaster simply to appease Amanfoo, then a great injustice has been committed!

There were exchanges between Amanfoo on the net with conflicting statements on the allegations, and I would hope that we can get some sort of statement from the Ministry of Education to the effect that the allegations were investigated and found to be true.

I am an ardent believer in the priciples of free speech. Yet I must caution Amanfoo that freedom of speech can be a double-edged sword sometimes, and our right to free speech ought to be exercised with responsibility. In the fray of publicly traded accusations and attacks, it is possible for judgement to be passed on any subject and action taken against a person when he has done no wrong. I hope it is not such a case that we are witnessing with respect to the headmaster of Prempeh College.

It can be incredibly romantic to have a past student head his or her Alma Mater. Personally, I would certainly love to see an old Amanfoo get back into the commander's seat at Prempeh College. However, I would like to underline the fact that our dear Prempeh College is a public institution, and for that reason we cannot insist that only old students can be best suited for the role of headmaster. "Only the best is good enough for Prempeh", and sometimes, the best can come from outside of the house. The best can come in any shade of colour, be from any tribe and of any creed. I can think of many great American universities which currently have non-old student presidents. The most dynamic president ever of the business school which I attended here in the US is a non-old student and even has an African background, and I think we can all learn from that.

Amanfoo, please let us all maintain some open-mindedness in our communication and actions! Let us not reduce the value of this medium of communication between Amanfoo by firing forth e-mails any time we are only thinking aloud on a subject. Let us learn to respect one another without regard for our level of education or financial and social status. Prempeh College produced us all, and together we can work to make the school continue to be the greatest it can ever be! You may think this is mere Utopia, but, you know, we can try!

Amanfoo, Now that the storm has abated, I can immagine some amanfoo getting ready to fire missiles at each other. That won`t be necessary and I propose a time out and a reflection over events that occured during the last few weeks.

I will however like to say that probably the best thing that ever happened to our "club" since its "inwention" is the Harold Ofori website and we should do everything to maintain it and use it usefully. To begin with, I suggest we ponder over what some three authors in the persons of: Helen Dyrbye, Steven Harris, and Thomas Golzen in their book of 1997 and titled "The Xenophobe´s Guide to the Danes" postulates as what makes the Danes a united family. I quote:

" 1. You must believe everybody is somebody.
2. You must believe everyone is as important as everyone else.
3. You may be cleverer, but that does not make you a better person.
4. You must believe everyone is as good as you.
5. You must belief everyone knows something worth knowing.
6. You must think of everyone as your equal.
7. You must believe everyone can do something good.
8. You must not laugh at others.
9. You must think everyone is equally worth caring about.
10.You can learn something from everyone"

With this as our maxim, probably we can achieve more. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL