By Paul Awortwi-Mensah

Hundreds of Ghanaian Catholics and people from all walks of life gathered at the St. Joseph Church Hall in Bronx, New York for the funeral rites of the late Cecilia Betty Kersi Sekyiamah, former President of the Ghanaian Catholic Community at Christ the King Catholic Church, Bronx, New York.
The late Cecilia Sekyiamah was also the Financial Secretary of the Ghanaian Catholic Apostolates’ Laity Council of New Jersey, New York and New England. She died on July 5, 2015. She was 65 years.
In a tribute, Mr. Frank Sekyiamah compared her late wife to the proverbial “Obaa Sima Serwaa Akoto”, describing her as the embodiment of his life in caring for him and the family as well as trusting in his judgment.
Mr. Sekyiamah described her late wife as a strict but a firm woman whose firmness was a form of principle that she always lived by insisting to have things done the right way which sometimes made her enemies but her actions always yielded positive results.
The Ghanaian Catholic Apostolate at St. Joseph Parish in a tribute described the late Mrs. Sekyiamah affectionately called “Auntie Ceci” by most people, as a great leader who sought to move the Catholic Community forward through fervent prayer and hard work.
“Auntie Ceci, was a God-loving leader, she was firm yes, but mostly, she was simply a dear mother, a caring sister and a generous friend. She was a strong woman, a confident orator and a great teacher believed in getting everyone involved in building their God-loving Community with everyone embracing and using their God-given talents”, the tribute stated.
The tribute said the late Mrs. Sekyiamah was caring and generous, an inspirer and a disciplinarian whose guidance and advice manifested throughout the lives of all members of the Catholic Community as well as the various societies in the church, thus she became a source of reference by all.
According to the tribute, Auntie Ceci inculcated in her parishioners real value of fellow feeling which all her parishioners can attest to today, adding that “she saw the good side in everyone and taught us all the meaning of tolerance and forgiveness”.
There were other tributes from the children, the grandchildren, son in law, the St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Society, the St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Darkuman, Accra, as well as the Ambassadors for Christ, the Devine Leaders, the Marian Ambassadors, the Sunday School Infant Jesus and the Monday Group all of the St. Joseph Ghanaian Catholic Community, Bronx, New York.
Cecilia Sekyiamah was born at Akim Asafo in the Akim Abuakwa District of Ghana on August 28, 1950. She started her formal education at Agona Swedru Roman Catholic Primary School and continued at the St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School at Korle Gonno, Accra and then at Oda Secondary School where she became the Senior Girl’s Prefect.
She then pursued teacher training education at the Advanced Teacher Training College in Winneba, now University College of Education, where she graduated as a qualified teacher. After graduating from the Teachers Training College, she was posted to Obuasi where she met her husband, Mr. Frank Sekyiamah.
The late Aunrie Ceci taught at Orielly Secondary School, Accra and Taaba Seconday School near Port Harcourt, Nigeria. When the late Mrs. Sekyiamah returned to Ghana, she founded the St. Stephen’s Catholic School at Darkuman, Accra and became the first Principal of the school when the Catholic Education Unit took over the school.
The late Mrs. Sekyiamah was a strong member of the Catholic Church wherever, she went, especially at the St. Stephen’s Catholic Church at Darkuman-Nyamekye in Accra and the Christ the King Parish in Bronx, New York before Christ the King merged with St. Margaret Mary to become St. Joseph Parish of which she was a strong participant during the merger process.
She was survived by her husband, Mr. Frank Sekyiamah and four children, Mrs. Naana Ashong, Maame Efua Sekyiamah, Francis Abeeku Sekyiamah and Kwame Sekyiamah and seven adopted children and two grandchildren.