Remembering Late James Davis Quakyi : sweat and toil

Below is a write-up in memory of one of the most accomplished sons of Ghana, on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of his home calling (James Davis Quakyi Esq. 1915- 2007).

James Davis Quakyi was a statesman, Educationist, Politician, Agriculturist, and Industrialist par excellence.

He was born at Saltpond on August, 15 1915 to Nana Paul Quakyi, a royal of the Akyim Swedru Paramountcy and Madam Esi Baawa of the royal Tetteh fie Nsona Ebusua of Saltpond and Moree. At birth he was named Kwesi Akrasi. For the most part however, he was known as Kwesi Kakraba. He acquired his basic education at the Saltpond Catholic mixed school between 1925 and 1935.In 1936, young Davis Quakyi entered St. Augustine’s College Cape Coast to train as a Teacher. He graduated in 1939 and was posted to his Alma mater. He was result oriented and people in his standard seven classes performed extraordinary well. The Gold Coast Education Department Bulletin reference number148066 of 14th February, 1946 mentioned him in dispatches as one of the most outstanding Teachers of his time. In 1944, he married Juliana Ekua Acquah, a fellow teacher and graduate of Wesley College, Kumasi. Teacher Quakyi as he was popularly called found time outside the classroom to organize social activities and sporting activities in the community. He was secretary of the Saltpond cricket club and choirmaster of the Catholic Church choir. He was referee for the saltpond football Association and Librarian cum reporter of the Saltpond literary and social club. An early pioneer of mass education in the Gold Coast, he published a pamphlet “an approach to mass education” cited in the 1947 Gold Coast Bulletin as well as FA ME YE mass education series. Teacher Quakyi also became involved in the Burgeoning Nationalist Movement. Between 1942 and 1945 he served as Assistant Secretary in the Gold Coast Youth Movement which was closely associated with J.B. Danquah of blessed memory. About the same time he served as member of Saltpond Town and District Improvement Association.

In 1946 teacher Quakyi was promoted school master and moved to Assin Fosu to head the Catholic Schools. A year later in 1947, he was transferred to Prestea to head the local Catholic school. In 1948 he gave up classroom teaching to take up a new challenge. He enrolled at the school of social welfare in Accra. After graduation he was appointed welfare officer and superintendent of remand and probation homes in Accra. In 1950 he served as the acting headmaster of the Boys’ Industrial School at Agona Swedru before moving to set up the Junior Boys Industrial School at Essipon, near Sekondi.

In 1952, Davis Quakyi resigned his post in the department of social welfare and took a giant step into private business. First, He was a sand and stone contractor, then he branched off into farming. He acquired a parcel of land on a hill near the fishing village of Ngyresia, Sekondi, there he built a small farmhouse and started what would soon become one the most successful farming ventures of that era. By early 1960’s Mount Pleasant Farms which he founded had become a symbol of private sector ingenuity. Not only was the farm big in size, its operations were modern and automated. The farm had its own hatchery and special feed for the over 40,000 birds which came from the then Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Quality produce from the farm was in high demand everywhere. In addition to poultry farming, Davis Quakyi went into large scale Citrus and coconut plantation. He soon added a coffee plantation in the Central Region and a cattle ranch at Tarkwa in the Western Region. By the late 1960, He had added yet another commercial rice production to his vast agricultural estate. He created Mount Pleasant Residential Estate in Sekondi in addition to other property holdings in Sekondi Takoradi. Davis Quakyi never forgot his roots and his Palm Beach Hotel here in his hometown of Saltpond is a symbol of his determination to help change the fortunes of Salpond and Mfanteman. He saw the huge tourism potential in the area in particular and the region in general.

He had Saltpond at heart. He was convinced of the industrial potential of the vast clay deposits in the area. It is to his credit that the German firm, Agrob came to establish Saltpond Ceramics. Unfortunately, the once viable company has become one of Ghana’s endangered species. Between 1969 and 1972 i.e. the period of the 2nd Republic, Davis Quakyi served as Member of Parliament for Mfantseman Asebu. He was chairman of the Parliamentary select committee on agriculture, land, and natural resources.

As MP, he was instrumental in the construction of artery roads between Mankesim and Yamoransa junction, from Afrangua junction through Egyaa number 2, Ayeldo, Aboase, New Adonase, and Abura Dunkwa. He was also instrumental in providing pipe borne water to the people of Moree Eguase.

He was detained for a year following the overthrow of the Busia regime in 1969. Upon his release from protective custody in 1973 he decided to concentrate on his business which had suffered during his period of incarceration. By this time the poultry industry in Ghana was going through a very difficult phase. Without import license to import poultry feed and with yellow maize meant for poultry being diverted for human consumption, Davis Quakyi decided it was time he close down the Farm to concentrate on managing his properties and the remaining farming ventures. The politician in him could however not be suppressed forever, Davis Quakyi had a passion for politics. He believed in the ideals of freedom and private enterprise. He was always outspoken and had been in the bad books of the CPP government.

In 1977 he heard the cry of a nation in turmoil and joined hands with late Professor Adu Boahen, Dr. Sarfo Adu and others of the Movement of Freedom and Justice as well as Front for the prevention of dictatorship to oppose the UNIGOV idea of the erstwhile Supreme Military Council. Davis Quakyi openly and actively canvassed for a no vote at the UNIGOV referendum in 1978. His son, Totobi, was at the time spearheading the student led nation wide agitation against policies of the SMC regime. Shortly after the disputed result of the UNIGOV referendum was announced, Davis Quakyi was arrested. For the second time in his life, he was placed in protective custody. He remained at the Ho prison where he was detained until General Kutu Acheampong was ousted in a palace coup. When the ban on political parties was lifted in 1979 after Kutu Acheampong’s exist, Davis Quakyi contested once more for the Mfantseman Asebu parliamentary seat on the ticket of the Popular Front Party (PFP) led by the late Victor Owusu. Davis Quakyi lost to the candidate of the Action Congress Party (ACP) in an election that saw the later party winning practically all seats in the Central Region. That notwithstanding, Davis Quakyi served Ghana in several capacities. Between 1966 and 1968 he was a member of the steering committee of the Western Regional Administration. He was adviser to the Bank of Ghana on domestic agricultural credit from 1966 to 1970. He was president of the national registered seed growers association and member of the advisory board on farm mechanization under the council for scientific and industrial research from 1966 to 1971. Between 1968 and 1971 he served on the board of directors of the grain development board. He was selected as one of Ghana’s representatives to the Royal agricultural show in Britain in 1969. He represented Ghana again at the international agricultural show held in Nicosia, Cyprus. The following year he also served on an FAO committee of agriculturists from developing countries. He was chairman of the committee of enquiry into Mim Timbers which was aborted following an attempt on the life of the counsel for the committee in 1971. His public service continued through the mid 1980’s and 1990’s. He served as chairman of the Western region agriculture policy and implementation committee. Between 1985 and 1987 he was the chairman, Central Region Tourism Council and later became chairman of the Western Region Tourism Planning Council. Until recently, he was chairman of the Western Region Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit (ITTU) He held that position from 1995 to 2002. Davis Quakyi was one time chairman Central Region Hoteliers Association and member of the national executive committee. He was a member of the Royal Agricultural Society (UK). Visiting member of the tropical products institutes (London) and fellow of the British Psychological Institute (FBPI). Davis Quakyi remained a faithful Catholic throughout his life. He was patron of the church choirs of the St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sekondi and the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Saltpond. In 2001, he was honored for his contribution to the Catholic Church in Ghana. Uncle Quakyi was Obaatan of the Anona Ebusua of Saltpond and Moree. He gave the family his all and never asked for anything in return.

Papa Quakyi, as the Akyem Swedru royal lineage called him, was their life blood. He had commenced the rehabilitation of the Ahenfie which was gutted by fire when the icy hands of death took him away. Davis Quakyi belonged to a generation that measured men by their honesty and courage. He gave his country his all and often received nothing in return He was one person who deserved national recognition for all his contribution to society but it was never to be. He was a visionary, and a very resourceful person who knew how to create wealth out of nothing.

He had a passion for hard work. All what he achieved was a result of his own sweat and toil. He stood tall among his peers and the Tetteh Fie royal family of Saltpond and Moree is very proud of him.

On behalf of a grateful family and a nation, we bid farewell to Uncle, Papa Quakyi, Kwesi Kakraba. We thank the almighty God for his life even as we bid him farewell. DAMIRIFA. DAMIRIFA DUE DUE!!