Now praise we great and famous men,
The fathers, named in story;
And praise the Lord who now as then
Reveals in man His glory.
Praise we the wise and brave and strong,
Who graced their generation;
Who helped the right, and fought the wrong,
And made our folk a nation.
(MHB 896: 1, 2)
It was with great sorrow and surprise that I heard about the passing away of Very Rev Prof Joshua Narteh Kudadjie; very surprised, because I should have heard about it earlier from other specific sources, and rather sad also, because he was one of the very few Reverend Ministers from Ada Foah. We have lost a gem.
We had maintained a casual relationship for some time until we became colleagues at Methodist University College Ghana, where we served as part of the foundation staff. As Chaplain, Rev Kudadjie managed to establish a credible religious tone at the institution and also preached at short notice whenever necessary. As Vice Principal, he performed undaunted roles in the establishment of Methodist University College as we know it today. We need to recognize his role in the service of the Institution.
Generally, I have known Rev. Kudadjie as a hard-working and committed individual, who performed his assignments very creditably. The Trinity Theological Seminary and the University of Ghana, where he had worked earlier as lecturer also bear testimony to his devotion to duty. He applied his initiative whenever he deemed it necessary. His services in the Methodist Church as a whole were exemplary. The joy with which he performed his assignments demonstrated his appreciation to God for endowing him with the talent he possessed. His whole attitude to work needs to be emulated by others. His many congregations will sing Methodist Hymn 896 in recognition of his commitment.
One cannot forget his humility and concern for others. Prof Kudadjie listened attentively to what others had to say and then responded appropriately. He appreciated the views of others and showed respect as appropriate. His tone of voice and calm speech exemplified the character of the person we are describing. He was also always ready to assist others whenever he was able to. I appreciated his honesty and concern for doing the right thing.
I have forever lost a dependable colleague and friend. I therefore wish to conclude this short testimony with this borrowed quotation:
Blest be the tie that binds our heart in christian love
The fellowship of kindred minds like that above;
When we asunder part; It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart and hope to meet again.
Wa nyɛmi Sɔfo kɛ huɛ kpakpa, Mo ya wɔ saminya.