Amanfoo year began on February 6th, 1999 with a Durbar of Amanfoo Chiefs, which featured many of the Chiefs and Kings from several Regions of Ghana. The Amanfoo
Nananom included King Kuntunkununku II of Akyem, Prof. Agyewobin Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Acheresuahene; Daasebre Nana Ofori Agyeman II, Adansihene; Daasebre Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area;
Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyempeimhene of Asante; Nana Oduro Nimepaw, Essumagyahene; Bariama Asumadu Sakyi, Kumawuhene; Bariama Danso Koroko, Akyempemhene of Akyem;
Nana Osei-Bonsu II, Mamponghene; Nana Nyarko, Presdent of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs; and many more.
In March 1999, Amanfoo lost one of the key players in the founding of our alma mater and former Patron, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II.
Among the mourners of the late King was the Akyempemhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku, the 1967/68 Prempeh College Assistant Senior Prefect.
Within 2 weeks later, the Akyem King, Kuntunkununku II, Prempeh Class of '61 also turned his toes to the daisies.
Mamponghene, Dasebre Osei Bonsu II, himself a Prempeh College Oldboy became acting Asantehene until a new King, Osei Tutu II was enstooled.
Also in March 1999, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Bank of Ghana's Governor, was honoured as "Man of the Year" by the Independent . He
was nominated by a majority of the Ghanaian population (both home and abroad) as the Man of
the Year 1998.
The reasons given by most readers of The Independent who endorsed the Governor of the
Bank of Ghana were varied but the theme which kept running through almost all the
responses was that, he has been able to stabilise the cedi, reduce inflation from alarming
proportions and mopped excess liquidity in the economy. He has been able to transfer all
Government accounts from the commercial banks to the Central Bank for effective
monitoring and control.
We lost two other Amanfoo during the course of the year: Seniors Isaac Fordjour (G'berg '75) and Safo Kusi Isaac (Fusijaamus, Butler '89).
The new Asantehene, His Majesty Osei Tutu II, who attended Prempeh College for one day before being transferred to another school in another Region, gave Prempeh College
10 million cedis as his contribution toward the construction of the new house bearing the name of his predecessor, Opoku Ware II.
Dr. Francis Achampong's book on workplace sexual harassment law was published Greenwood Publishing Group. The book is currently on sale at Barnes & Noble.
Dr. Achampong is a Professor Business Law & Insurance, Norfolk State
University, Norfolk, Virginia, one of about 300 business schools accredited
by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
A member of the New York and Virginia Bar Associations, he is also an Of Council of Law Firm of Shelton & Malone, Norfolk, Virginia,
and an Insurance Consultant and Expert Witness doing Business As Francis Achampong Consulting.
David Gyimah of Aggrey Class of '82 awarded was honoured by This is London magazine as one the black role models in the UK in their program, YOUNG, GIFTED & BLACK.
Bryan Gee, left, musician, Diran Adebayo (brother of Dotun), novelist, and David Gyimah, TV journalist
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Chairman of the Ghana Heart Foundation, relaunched the Ghana Heart Campaign to raise funds for Cardiovascular Medicine in Ghana.
Mr. Felix Amoah became Chairman ad int of Ghana's Convention Party
We now have 4 Amanfoo Headmasters in Ghana, including the current Headmaster of Prempeh College, Mr. E.A. Sekyere, Mr. Amo Dako of Ofori Panin Secondary School and Mr. Mensah of Kumasi High School.
Osagyefuo Kuntunkununku II was laid to rest by the Prempeh College Old Boys Association in August 1999.
The Kwahu Omanhene,
Daasebre Akuamoah
Boateng II, who graduated
from Prempeh College with
Kuntunkununku II in 1961,
led a large delegation of
chiefs from the Eastern
region to mourn with
Okyeman over the death of
their Omanhene who was
the immediate past
president of the House for
two consecutive terms
between 1992 and 1998.
Prempeh College Class of '58, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, presidential candidate of the
New Patriotic Party (NPP), led a delegation of the party that included its national chairman,
Mr S.A. Odoi-Sykes.
Another Prempeh College mate, Mr Felix Amoah, Chairman of The Convention Party (CP),
led the party's delegation.
Amanfoo-USA organized a special Golden Jubilee Celebration/Pearson-Osae Appreciation Lecture II in Washington, DC on September 4th, 1999.
Reverend Sidney pearson, the first Headmaster of Prempeh College (1949-52) was the Guest of Honour. The current Headmaster, Mr. E.A Sekyere, Class of '63, Osei Tutu House, was also
present. The headmaster answered Amanfoo's questions during the event.
The main theme of Rev. Pearson's message was: "Amanfoo, if you are looking for a landmark, look around you. As Snr Kwaku Darkwa put it, " at some point it appeared that the headmaster was at a stand at one
of those tribunals. But that wasn't the case. People were just hungry for news and wanted to know what they could do to help and how far their help
will go."
Do you know that Rev. Pearson speaks Twi better than most Ghanaians? Yes, he does. Amanfoo challenged him to speak it. And guess what? He said the Lord's prayer in Twi.
Rev. Pearson went as far away as Kintampo looking for land to build Prempeh? Imagine if our school was located in Kintampo! Otumfuo Prempeh II gave 350, 000 from his own pocket for the school to be built. It was the King's own cash that built the school. He paid Rev. Pearson an annual salary of 300 pounds, also from his own pocket.
The first Headmaster also disabused the myth that Serwah House was built for housing girls hence its name and location. He said it was named after Dwabenhemaa Nana Ama Serwah because of the role she played in Asante at that time. Rev. Pearson also brought with him a book of the school records from the old days. Among the documents was the February 8, 1949
edition of the newspaper - The Pioneer, which highlighted the founding of Asante's first Boys boarding School.
Acting at the behest of the Asantehene Osei Tutu II, one of the many Prempeh College Kings, Adansihene Nana Ofori Agyemang launched the official Asante Regional website in Kumasi.
The Prempeh College Old Boys of the United Kingdom also held their Golden Jubilee Celebrations on November 6, 1999.
Dr. K.A.B. Akosah was elected President of the Ghana Medical Association.
The Akyempemhene of Asante, Oheneba Adusei Poku, the 1967/68 Prempeh College Assistant Senior Prefect was featured in the PBS televison program
Wonders of the African Continent. The Prince was interviewed from the Manhyia Palace in the PBS television series.
Nine Prempeh College Old Boys were nominated for eleven MILLENIUM EXCELLENCE
AWARDS. GhanaClassifieds has established an award program in Ghana called "Millenium
Excelence Awards," in which the general public WORLDWIDE is to vote for nominated Ghanaians
and Ghanaian institutions to be awarded prices for their work and influence in the Ghanaian society. NO OTHER SCHOOL IN GHANA HAS PRODUCED THAT MANY NOMINEES!!! That is,
9 Prempeh College Old Boys have been nominated for 11 of Ghana's most Prestigious award.
Another feather in the cap of the Kings' College....the same College, which, according to the
University of Ghana Registrar, has produced in its 50 years of existence more physicians than any
other school in the country!
For the CULTURAL/TRADITIONAL DEVELOPMENT award, Fritz Baffour and Oswald
Gyimah Kesse (Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, Mamponghene) have been nominated.
For the FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE award, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Governor of the Bank of
Ghana, and Mr. Yeboa Amoah, Chief Executive of the Ghana Stock Exchange, have been
nominated.
For the PERSONALITY PROMOTING GHANA INTERNATIONALLY award, Mr. Kwesi
Ahwoi, CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotions Council and, again, Mr. Yeboa Amoah,
Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange have been nominated.
For the INFORMATION INNOVATIONS TECHNOLOGY award, BLUE CHIPS
COMPUTERS, operated and managed by Dominic Owusu-Sekyere (Serwah '75), the Amanfoo
who donated 2 million cedis to Prempeh College during last years fund raising dinner, has been
nominated.
For the PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR award, Daasebre Oti-Boateng, New Juabenhene and
Deputy Director General of the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge, England, has been
nominated. He's also a former Chairman of the United Nations Statistical Commission (1987 to
1988) and the first African to occupy that post; past Vice President of the International Statistical
Institute, a worldwide professional body of eminent Statisticians established over a century ago.
He's also the first African to be elected to Chairmanship of the International Conference of labor
Statisticians since it was established in 1923.
And he successfully conducted the 1984 Population
Census of Ghana during a period of severe economic difficulties.
For the SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PRINT & PUBLISHING
AWARENESS, the PIONEER Newspaper, operated by Baffour Attakora Gyimah, has been
nominated.
For BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, Senior Amoah's Ghana Stock Exchange has been nominated.
Our own father, His Majesty King Prempeh I, has been nominated for PERSONALITY OF THE
CENTURY.
Another royal Prempeh College affiliate and current Patron, Asantehene, His Majesty Osei Tutu II,
who attended Prempeh College for a day before being transfered to another school in 1962, has
been nominated for the EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT award.
The votes will be calculated something at the end of this year and the awards handed to the winners sometime next year.
Prempeh College won the Asante Table Tennis Championship again! Prempeh placed second in the Athletics Competition.
Consistent with the Prempeh "Diplo" tradition, they were adjudged the
Most Well Behaved School of Sports Festival. Peter Kwarteng won the 400 meters with a time of 49.83 seconds....a wonderful time for a very young SSS boy! Agyemang won the discuss
with a distance of 36.77 meters while Innocent Akolatse won the long jump and tripple jump with 6.49 and 13.75 meters, respectively. Very surprisingly, the Sofoline boys
became runners-up in the Volleyball Champsionship. Prempeh College, who has never excelled in the game of volleyball, lost by a narrow margin to AMASS.
J. Agyekum Kufuor of the Prempeh Class of '58, NPP Presidential Candidate of the AD 2000 Elections toured Israel and North America.
J.A. Kufuor had an exciting interview with Chicago's Jerome McDonnell, WBEZ,
National Public Radio. The interview was a masterpiece. He was simply brilliant! It was aired on worldview at 12:30 Tuesday, 5th October
1999. He then met Amanfoo and Ghanaians online to answer a few questions on October 18, 1999. It was announced to the 350 million listening audience of the BBC World Service. 539 people showed up at the session, but only 50 posted messages/questions.
Amanfoo who showed up include Dr. Akwasi Amponsah, Dr. Yaw Asare-Aboagye, Senior Yaw Ahenkorah and many more.
From his New Jersey hotel room the following morning, Senior Kufuor gave his number to the webmaster to pass it to all other Amanfoo with questions for him, considering he could not finish the program because of an emergency he had to attend to. As he left by plane a few days later for London, he still answered people's questions on his lap top.
1999 Nobel Peace Prize Winners, Medicins Sans Frontieres, launched a Campaign, "Access to Essential Medicines," in November. David Gyimah of BBC's Reportage fame
produced and directed a three minute spot promo. MSF wanted a "hard edged pull no punches" video which they could show globally and to an audience of opinion formers.
MissDorothy.Com is a nine year old internet character developed by a well-known British television presenter, Sharon Doughty. David and Sharon share the same agent/manager.
And so in November 1999 David joined Sharon's company to help in the successful launch of Miss Dorothy, as well as make her trailer.
David Gyimah is currently preparing for a documentary on Prempeh - The Kings College. He has hinted that the documentary may be titled, THE STOOL - A SEAT OF EXCELLENCE.
Senior Lincoln Donkor of Serwah, CEO of Lizdon Fabrics & Garments Ltd., was awarded the EBONY OF STYLE '99 AWARD
FOR TEXTILE INNOVATION.
Lizdon is an Accra-based limited liability company which was incorporated in September of 1996, and
commenced business in June of 1997. They specialize in adding distinctive value to plain fabrics by way of
screen printing, as well as making exquisite garments.
The business started off in 1994 as a low-profile
family activity in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). No wonder, their prints and garments reflect the quality standards
and haute couture characteristic of Abidjan, the hub of fashion in Africa.
Lizdon is a member of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI); the Textiles & Garments Cluster under the
aegis of UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization); Ghana Designers’ Association; and a
beneficiary of USAID/Ghana Trade & Investment Programme through AMEX International Incorporated.
The Golden Jubilee Celebration & Speech and Prize Giving Day was held at Prempeh College on Saturday, December 4, 1999.
The President of Ghana was present at the event.
The Asantehene, His Majesty Osei Tutu II did not turn up owing to royal customs which require him to remain indoors until the funeral of his predecessor is held.
The Asantehene's uncle, Kumawuhene Barimah Asumadu Sakyi II, himself a product of Prempeh College, deputized for him.
Busts of Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II and Rev. S.N. Pearson were unveiled and dedicated to them. The new library was also commissioned that day. Rev. Pearson and Mr. JA Kufuor were among the personalities present.
The construction of the 9th House kicked off.
Also in December, a special book-signing session was held on the campus of Norfolk State University, where Dr. Francis Achampong (Freeman '73)
signed copies of his new book on Workplace Sexual Harassment Law.
Among the people who received autographed copies of the book from the renowned expert in sexual harassment law was Dr. Marie McDemmond,
President of Norfolk State University, who is shown in the photo on the right displaying her autographed copy of Dr. Achampong's book.
Among the mourners of the late King was the Akyempemhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku, the 1967/68 Prempeh College Assistant Senior Prefect.
Within 2 weeks later, the Akyem King, Kuntunkununku II, Prempeh Class of '61 also turned his toes to the daisies.
The new Asantehene, His Majesty Osei Tutu II, who attended Prempeh College for one day before being transferred to another school in another Region, gave Prempeh College
10 million cedis as his contribution toward the construction of the new house bearing the name of his predecessor, Opoku Ware II.
Mr. Felix Amoah became Chairman ad int of Ghana's Convention Party
Amanfoo-USA organized a special Golden Jubilee Celebration/Pearson-Osae Appreciation Lecture II in Washington, DC on September 4th, 1999.
Reverend Sidney pearson, the first Headmaster of Prempeh College (1949-52) was the Guest of Honour. The current Headmaster, Mr. E.A Sekyere, Class of '63, Osei Tutu House, was also
present. The headmaster answered Amanfoo's questions during the event.
The first Headmaster also disabused the myth that Serwah House was built for housing girls hence its name and location. He said it was named after Dwabenhemaa Nana Ama Serwah because of the role she played in Asante at that time. Rev. Pearson also brought with him a book of the school records from the old days. Among the documents was the February 8, 1949
edition of the newspaper - The Pioneer, which highlighted the founding of Asante's first Boys boarding School.
The Prempeh College Old Boys of the United Kingdom also held their Golden Jubilee Celebrations on November 6, 1999.
For the FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE award, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Governor of the Bank of
Ghana, and Mr. Yeboa Amoah, Chief Executive of the Ghana Stock Exchange, have been
nominated.
For the PERSONALITY PROMOTING GHANA INTERNATIONALLY award, Mr. Kwesi
Ahwoi, CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotions Council and, again, Mr. Yeboa Amoah,
Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange have been nominated.
For the PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR award, Daasebre Oti-Boateng, New Juabenhene and
Deputy Director General of the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge, England, has been
nominated. He's also a former Chairman of the United Nations Statistical Commission (1987 to
1988) and the first African to occupy that post; past Vice President of the International Statistical
Institute, a worldwide professional body of eminent Statisticians established over a century ago.
He's also the first African to be elected to Chairmanship of the International Conference of labor
Statisticians since it was established in 1923.
And he successfully conducted the 1984 Population
Census of Ghana during a period of severe economic difficulties. 
For BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, Senior Amoah's Ghana Stock Exchange has been nominated.
J. Agyekum Kufuor of the Prempeh Class of '58, NPP Presidential Candidate of the AD 2000 Elections toured Israel and North America.
J.A. Kufuor had an exciting interview with Chicago's Jerome McDonnell, WBEZ,
National Public Radio. The interview was a masterpiece. He was simply brilliant! It was aired on worldview at 12:30 Tuesday, 5th October
1999. He then met Amanfoo and Ghanaians online to answer a few questions on October 18, 1999. It was announced to the 350 million listening audience of the BBC World Service. 539 people showed up at the session, but only 50 posted messages/questions.
Amanfoo who showed up include Dr. Akwasi Amponsah, Dr. Yaw Asare-Aboagye, Senior Yaw Ahenkorah and many more.
MissDorothy.Com is a nine year old internet character developed by a well-known British television presenter, Sharon Doughty. David and Sharon share the same agent/manager.
And so in November 1999 David joined Sharon's company to help in the successful launch of Miss Dorothy, as well as make her trailer.
David Gyimah is currently preparing for a documentary on Prempeh - The Kings College. He has hinted that the documentary may be titled, THE STOOL - A SEAT OF EXCELLENCE.
Senior Lincoln Donkor of Serwah, CEO of Lizdon Fabrics & Garments Ltd., was awarded the EBONY OF STYLE '99 AWARD
FOR TEXTILE INNOVATION.
The business started off in 1994 as a low-profile
family activity in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). No wonder, their prints and garments reflect the quality standards
and haute couture characteristic of Abidjan, the hub of fashion in Africa.
Also in December, a special book-signing session was held on the campus of Norfolk State University, where Dr. Francis Achampong (Freeman '73)
signed copies of his new book on Workplace Sexual Harassment Law.
Among the people who received autographed copies of the book from the renowned expert in sexual harassment law was Dr. Marie McDemmond,
President of Norfolk State University, who is shown in the photo on the right displaying her autographed copy of Dr. Achampong's book.