"primarily to recognise his outstanding achievement in the realm of jurisprudence and to be inspired by his fascinating stories which enable us to once again relive extraordinary events in our rich fraternal history"     Dr. Francis Achampong

Achampong:I was born in Kumasi, where my dad was a pharmacist, and my mum was a midwife. I grew up at Asokwa Residential area, near the Kumasi Sports Stadium, where I went And saw many Kotoko matches. Before he became Nana Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, the late Asantehene, then Lawyer J.M. Poku, lived in the same area. I actually went and saw a few Kotoko games with his daughter, Leslie Pearl Poku, who loved football, and would never accept any color "alewa" from a vendor except a red one. We both attended the University of Science and Technology primary school.

prempeh.org: What about family?

Achampong:I am presently married to a beautiful lady from Trinidad and Tobago by the name of Nicole Victoria, and we have a four-month old daughter called Alexandra Danielle Ajoa.

prempeh.org: Please tell us about Prempeh College when you entered the school?

Achampong:I have many fond memories of Prempeh. I went to Prempeh when I was 11 years old, so adjusting to a boarding school was difficult for me. My mother was a midwife in Kumasi, and one of her patients was the wife of Mr. Osae, the headmaster. So, I boldly asked him if I could be a day student. He said my dad would still have to pay boarding fees, since only expatriates were allowed to be day students for dietary reasons. Without asking my dad first, I took him up on his offer. I had a bed in my dorm, a suitcase, and a "chopbox." But I could also go home whenever I wanted. The other students called me "the amphibian."

prempeh.org: What about the nickname "Sharpy?"?

Achampong:I got my nickname (Sharpy) from a house prefect called Senior Adu. It became so popular that many people didn't even know my real name. Later, a lot of juniors called me "senior Sharpy" without knowing my real name.

prempeh.org: What teachers, if any, inspired you?

Achampong:By far, my favorite teacher was my A-level history teacher, Mr. Asare-Kwaa, whom we nicknamed Al Fazari. He was articulate and impressive. At age 18, when I sat for the A-levels, I could regurgitate impressive historical analyses such as "The atrocities Sumanguru perpetrated against the Mandinkas alienated them very much and soon brought about his downfall." Naturally, I got an A in history. The Reverend Nyarko (Osofo) talked me into studying A-level French because I told him I wanted to become an international lawyer one day. Everyone said that French was too hard and that I would fail. I had good teachers, though, including Monsieur Courrent, a Frenchman from Toulouse. I picked up his accent, and managed to get a B in both written and oral French. The University of London administered the French A-level exams at that time.

prempeh.org: What makes you cherish the Prempeh experience?

Achampong: I remember morning worship, the hymns, and lower-sixth students reading the lessons. Prempeh not only fed our minds and stomachs, but also our souls. My faith in God began there, and up to this day, I still love the Lord Jesus, and actively serve at my local church. I couldn't have achieved much if the Lord hadn't blessed me with talent, opportunities, and sheer grace. If you consider the violence and other serious problems in public schools in the United States, where it is unconstitutional to teach the fear of God, it gives you a greater appreciation of the way we were trained at Prempeh.

prempeh.org: In what other ways did the school influence you?

Achampong: Prempeh gave me a solid, rigorous, and competitive education. It equipped me to compete successfully with many other people from other places in Ghana and the world. At Legon, the University of London, and Georgetown University, I did well because of the sound foundation my academic preparation was built upon. I was able to pass the New York and Virginia Bars the very first time I took them, even though I did not receive my primary legal education here. You may have heard that John F. Kennedy Jr. (God rest his soul), a Harvard Law School graduate, had to take the New York Bar three times before passing it. I had no idea that the three years of Latin I took at Prempeh would one day enhance my study of the law, where a lot of concepts and remedies have Latin names.

prempeh.org: Did you take part in any extra-curricular activities?

Achampong: I took piano lessons with Mr. Boama (Osukuni). I was always tempted to play pop music by ear, though, so I hardly practiced the notes I was supposed to learn. Once, Osukuni caught me playing a Beatles song. He exclaimed, "You're playing jazz?" Sometimes, I would take some of my Sixth-form mates to the basement in the assembly hall, and entertain them with pop music.

prempeh.org: Are there any interesting stories you could share with us that would make people relive some great moments in Prempeh history?

Achampong: I remember "mining" at Katanga. We used to compete to see who could outlast everybody.

prempeh.org: What were some of the cultural philosophies in those days that guided the Prempeh College experience and made it unique?

Achampong: I remember the early morning bell, how I had to do my chores as a "scavenger" at Freeman House picking up litter, and the mandatory siestas. The discipline we got from these routines, including bed inspections, definitely gave me an advantage in college and graduate school. I could always manage my time well. We learned respect from calling those ahead of us "senior," and carrying their cutlery to the dining hall. By the way, "kekee and beans" was my favorite food at Prempeh. If we knew we were going to have plantains and beans, we would even try to express our anticipation in Latin as we walked to the dining hall by telling our friends "Hodie, kekee et bansam habemus!"

prempeh.org: Do you have any other fond memories?

Achampong: One of my fondest memories is the excitement of the athletic competitions with the other schools in the Ashanti region at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. It was at one of the competitions that I saw a gorgeous sprinter from Saint Louis by the name of Elizabeth Edusei. Since I was a bookworm, and stayed "green" by choice, she was the first girl I ever kissed, even though I was already in Lower Sixth! We became friends for life.

prempeh.org: Who was your best friend on campus at that time?

Achampong: One of my best friends at Prempeh was Patrick Donkor (Pataku), who is now a Captain in the military. We were both in Freeman house in the same dorm room. By the way, when I started dating Elizabeth Edusei, the Saint Louis Athlete I mentioned earlier, her dad came to the campus to have a little chat with me. Of course, not knowing exactly what he had in mind, I was afraid to oblige. I sent Pataku instead to talk to him first to see if he was a nice guy. I eventually met him much later.