Celebrating Anthony Cobba-Biney... A life well lived

Pictures by Edmund Smith-Asante. All Rights Reserved ©

On Friday, March 31, 2023, a funeral service was held for the late Anthony Cobba-Biney, 90, who had gone to be with the Lord, at the Holy Spirit Cathedral,  Adabraka in Accra.

At the service to celebrate a life well lived were family members, friends and colleagues including staff of the Graphic Communications Group Limited and New Times Corporation, as well as parishioners of the Catholic Church, who were also there to commiserate with the Deputy Night Editor of the Daily Graphic, Augustine Cobba-Biney and his siblings. 

#Edmages was there and captured some scenes. 

#canonshots #funeral #anthonycobbabiney #holyspiritcathedral

Tagoe Sisters sing for mothers

Pictures by Edmund Smith-Asante. All Rights Reserved ©

For almost 20 minutes Gospel Music duo, the Tagoe Sisters, spotting a unique hairdo and attired in a Felicia fabric, dished out well known music from their repertoire, as congregants responded in equal measure singing alongside and dancing to the popular tunes of yesteryears in praise to God for His goodness.

These were "Fa bibiara ma no", "Osombo" and "Watua maka" among others.

It was Sunday, May 14, 2023, a day set aside to celebrate mothers worldwide, which also coincided with the 10th anniversary of the women's ministry of the Holy Ghost Temple, International Central Gospel Church, Frafraha, Accra.

This year also marks 40 years of singing by the twin sisters and so joining the Precious Vessels of Virtue (PVV) of Holy Ghost Temple to celebrate their anniversary as well as honour the women was not out of place.

#Edmages captured few shots which it shares here. 

#Mothersday #canonshots #motherhood #tagoesisters@40 #churchthings #icgcholyghosttemple

Adieu Bendigo...Till we meet again

Pictures by Edmund Smith-Asante. All Rights Reserved ©

Jonathan Kojo Quarshie. aka Bendigo, aka Digo, was seen off to meet his maker on May 10, 2023 by family, friends, work colleagues and school mates, at the Calvary Temple of the International Central Gospel Church at Sakumono in Accra.

He was gathered to his ancestors on April 2, 2023 after being taken ill.

The 1983 Year Group of Mfantsipim School (MOBA) and other past students attended in their numbers to bid farewell to a brother who had accomplished the work His creator assigned to him on this earth.

For all the saints who from their labors rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!

In the sweet by and by we shall meet on that beautiful shore. 

Fare Thee Well Bendigo, Rest in Perfect Peace!

#Edmages #canonshots #Bendigo #funeral #moba83 #kwabotwe

My Encounter with King of the United Kingdom

 Pictures by Edmund Smith-Asante. All Rights Reserved ©

My first time seeing the King of the United Kingdom, King Charles III, in the flesh was on November 3, 2018 at Jamestown in Accra, when I covered his visit to the community on a very hot day.

Five years ago, the then Prince of Wales referred to as Prince Charles was accompanied by his wife, now Queen Camilla, who was then the Duchess of Cornwall.

Time has not only flown, but levels have also changed with Prince Charles (heir apparent), being crowned as the King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms.

His coronation at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday, May 6, 2023, makes him the oldest monarch to be crowned in British history, and first King after the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI and mother Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years.

One can also state that he has been the only heir apparent in the British Monarchy to have waited this long, having been only three years old when his mother acceded to the throne in 1952.

An elated then 10-year-old sensation, DJ Switch aka Erica Armah Bra-Bulu Tandoh, couldn’t have put it better when she described her meeting with the Prince thus: “I am short of words. In fact, I feel very happy speaking with the Prince and playing for the prince. One thing that got me surprised was that every Prince is somehow young; and I was surprised that he is old and a prince. That is when I realised that Queen Elizabeth has been a queen for a long time.”

Visit

Well during his visit in 2018 and my encounter with him, King Charles who wore a grey suit and Queen Camilla in a cream attire, came prepared for the harsh weather as they both spotted their sun shades when the sun got unfriendly.

The Queen had in addition an umbrella and a kente-designed fan, with which she would occasionally fanned herself to cool the blazing rays of the sun on her skin.

The royal couple who were accompanied by the wife of Ghana’s Vice-President, Samira Bawumia, began their tour at the ArchiAfrika gallery, which displayed a mixture of architecture art, intriguing designs and photography. Some of the splendid art works were that of late global icons, former South African President Nelson Mandela and boxing legend, Mohammed Ali.

As if that was to usher them to the citadel of Ghanaian boxing, then Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla also watched some boxing exhibitions that were supervised by no other than Ghana, Africa and global boxing great, Azumah Nelson, affectionately called the Boxing Professor among other endearing accolades.

Also on hand to receive the august guests was the then World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Super Bantamweight Champion, Isaac Dogboe.

They were also entertained with some football joggling skills by some youth. While the couple watched in admiration and amazement they would occasionally shout “not here” when the football strayed in their direction. That always drew laughter from the people around.

Let’s reminisce the King’s last visit to Ghana through the lens of #Edmages

#Royalty #canonshots #Kingcharles #coronation #Unitedkingdom #British #buckinghampalace