Lydia turns 60

Pictures by Edmund Smith-Asante. All Rights Reserved ©

It is always a joy and an epoch worth celebrating when anyone turns a year older. 

Albeit, there are some landmark ages which cannot go without celebrating, such as attaining the age of 60. 

In many jurisdictions, 60 is also the age at which workers go on compulsory retirement from work.

On Sunday June 11, 2023, Mrs Lydia Adjei, a teacher by profession who has been blessed with 60 years on the earth, opted to celebrate the goodness of God at her church, the Emmanuel Congregation of the Presbyterian Church at Tebibiano in Accra.

Family, congregants and friends were at the church to celebrate with her. They danced, made merry and prayed with her.

#Edmages captured some moments of the service and celebration. #canonshots #birthday

Father's Day 2023

Pictures by Edmund Smith-Asante. All Rights Reserved ©

Father's Day is a holiday honouring one's father, or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

The origin of the day, however, is varied. One account says the celebration of the day dates back to 1908 when a church in West Virginia held a ceremony to honour 385 men who died in a coal mine explosion the previous year.

According to History.com, the following year a Washington state woman led a movement to establish a day to honour fathers similar to Mother's Day.

Another account says Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, is usually credited for originating Father’s Day. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day, which was emerging as a holiday.

U.S. President Calvin Coolidge gave his public support to Father’s Day in 1924, and legislation signed by U.S. President Richard Nixon established it as a national holiday in 1972.

This year, the Day fell on Sunday, June 18. It was a beautiful day at many churches which honoured fathers and preached on the duty and relevance of fathers in the home and society.

#Edmages captured some congregants of the Holy Ghost Temple of the International Central Gospel Church at Frafraha in Accra, after service and shares them here.

#Fathersday #icgcholyghosttemple #fatherhood #canonshots

Tears flow for Maxwell

Pictures by Edmund Smith-Asante. All Rights Reserved ©

What a sorrowful Saturday it was on May 27 when the Graphic Communications Group Limited saw off two staff who had gone to be with the Lord.

The late Maxwell Etse Yao Ocloo's funeral was the most sullen as he had passed at a prime age of 36 after a short illness.

Indeed the sombre gathering and the tears that were shed uncontrollably by colleagues, friends and family members at the Holy Ghost Temple of the International Central Gospel Church, Frafraha in Accra, said it all.

Why did such a young promising and affable man have to leave so early, many asked. But the answer rests with the giver of life - God, who no mortal can question. Rest in perfect peace Maxwell.

#Edmages was present to capture some of the sorrowful moments at the funeral.

#GCGL #funeral #maxwellgoeshome #icgcholyghosttemple

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