Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa honors late Professor Jason Arday in London

Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, joined members of the Ghanaian community and international dignitaries in London to pay his final respects to the late Professor Jason Atta Kwei Arday. The funeral service, held in Southwark, celebrated the life and career of a man who made history as the youngest Black professor ever appointed at the University of Cambridge. Professor Arday, a prominent academic of Ghanaian descent, was widely recognized for his advocacy for social equality and educational reform.

The service brought together a diverse group of mourners, including Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, various British Members of Parliament, and academic colleagues. This gathering highlighted the profound impact Professor Arday had across both British and Ghanaian society. During the ceremony, speakers reflected on the professor’s rapid ascent in the academic world and his unwavering dedication to breaking down barriers for underrepresented groups in higher education.

In his address, Minister Okudzeto Ablakwa emphasized the Government of Ghana’s commitment to its citizens in the diaspora. He praised Professor Arday’s vision for a more compassionate and equitable society, describing his life’s work as a beacon of hope and an inspiration for future generations of Ghanaians, both at home and abroad. The Minister noted that the late professor’s achievements were a source of great national pride and a testament to the excellence within the global Ghanaian community.

As the ceremony concluded, Minister Ablakwa extended his deepest condolences to the Arday family on behalf of the Ghanaian government. He underscored that although the professor’s life was cut short, his legacy would endure through the many students he mentored and the institutional changes he championed. The event served not only as a farewell but as a formal recognition of a scholar who used his platform to advocate for justice and inclusivity.