Ghanaians sympathise with Awoonor’s family

Details

Category: Uncategorised

Created on Monday, 23 September 2013 00:00

Ghanaians sympathise with Awoonor’s family

23 September 2013

Ghanaians are still in shock following the tragic death of the former Chairman of the Council of State, Professor Kofi Awoonor, which occurred in Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday September 21.

details 

Mourners and other sympathisers trooped to his North Legon residence in Accra yesterday to express their condolences to the bereaved family.

The mood in the house was sombre at the time the Daily Graphic visited around 12:30 p.m., with family members discussing the funeral arrangements of the late academic guru who was allegedly shot at close range during the shooting at the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi.

A family source told the Daily Graphic that Prof Awoonor was in Nairobi to address a conference this week and had been accompanied to the shopping mall by his son,Afetsi, who also sustained gunshot wounds.

Luckily, Afetsi survived and is currently in hospital.

The professor was said to have left the hotel with his son who drove him to the mall to have breakfast together when the fatal incident occurred.

A family friend, Prof Kofi Anyidoho, who is currently on post-retirement contract as Professor of Literature in the English Department at the University of Ghana, Legon, declined to speak when the Daily Graphic sought more information on the tragic incident, except to say, "The family is yet to formally meet to see the way forward but for now we cannot speak to the media."

He added that the family of the late Prof Awoonor was yet to be briefed on how it all happened, for which reason he appealed to the Daily Graphic to hold on until after the family had met.

Among the dignitaries who were at the residence were Mr Joe Gidisu, the immediate past Minister of Roads and Highways; Mr Dan Abodakpi, Ghana's High Commissioner to Malaysia; Mr Justice Amegashie, the former Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority; Captain Kojo Tsikata (retd) and General Arnold Quainoo (retd).

The body of the late Professor is expected back into the country later this week from Kenya, but Joy News sources say family members left Accra last night and are currently in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, making arrangements to get his remains back home for burial.

Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana