We arrived at his residence in Tema at midday . It was a day after Accra Mall was officially inaugurated. In a white short sleeved shirt and a matching pair of shorts and trainers, he welcomed me and my Mrs. The house was full of activity : in the courtyard was a man making the barbecue, at the verandah sat his business partners( Accountants, Architects, Surveyors and Land Economists). And in the kitchen were women cooking and tidying up. After a warm embrace, my wife (who happened to be his niece) introduced me to him as her husband. In keeping with our tradition, he asked me (among other things) what I did for a living and when I introduced myself as a graduate Land Economist, he shouted out and called one of his partners. He held my hand and in Twi introduced me to this partner who was himself a Land Economist with a firm in South Africa. If only I was ready to stay home, I would have been working with one of the top firms in South Africa. Such was the sense of generosity and magnanimity of the man behind the eidfice that has since become one of the top tourist destinations in Ghana. Mr Joseph Owusu-Akyaw spent more than half of his life brooding over the this project which was once perceived by many including even the former President Kuffuor as a little over-ambitious. According to one of his daughters, there were times when the family went without food because “daddy” was broke in the pursuit of this project. In his inaugural speech, he said and I qoute “In the process of bringing this project to fruition, we undoubtedly faced many challenges and difficulties. And endured many disappointments.” But the sense of determination, tenacity of purpose and focus in Mr Akyaw saw no barriers. And when his dream ship finally docked, he told the whole world that “...it has been a satisfying endeavour, and, in the end, a profoundly self-fulfilling enterprise for me personally and for many others. The completion of the project is therefore a just and fitting end to a journey for which we must give thanks and praise to God who made all things happen”.

For me, Mr Akyaw epitomises determination and a true sense of purpose. How many of us haven’t started projects and abandoned them midway because we have encountered obstacles? How many of us haven’t started projects only to abandon them midway because we have been told that our plans are exaggerated and over-ambitious? When you have people like a sitting president being sceptical about a project because of its huge initial financial outlay, many would have abandoned the idea and bury it in the doldrums. That tells us that the greatest legacy bequesthed to you and I by this humble Ghanaian enterpreneur lies not in the edifice in Accra Mall, but in the spiriit of remaining focussed and determined even in the face of adversity. In his own words, Accra Mall is a glowing testimony to a spirit of self-belief and persistence.

At a time when our collective efforts as a nation are geared towards creating a favourable business and investment climate, Mr Akyaw can say in no uncertain terms that he has personally contributed his widow’s mite towards that drive. With a potential to create 5,000 jobs and taxes amounting to $60million dollars from the two anchor tenants over a ten year period, Mr Akyaw will lie in his grave knowing that he has (in his own small way) contributed towards making Ghana what it is today. And from what I gathered from him, Kumasi was to become the next to benefit from his vision until death laid its icy hands on him on Wednesday 3 February, 2010.

It is something to celebrate about. So as the family sits to mourn the death of this visionary, I write to celebrate his life in that I saw a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction in him when I sat with him in his sitting room at his residence. He told me to come home as there are opportunities at home. He told me to remain focused and resolute in the pursuit of any targets I may have set myself in life. And above all he embraced me (as his child) even though that was his first encounter with me. As he lies in his final resting place at the Yasore Royal Cemetary . I am confident that his legacy, more than anything else, will stand the test of time .

Rest In Peace Mr Akyaw.

Adams-Sheriff Yakubu