The Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Sam Jonah, has delivered a deeply personal tribute to Ghana’s Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, during the University’s inaugural Distinguished Fellow Award Ceremony.
Speaking at the event held on March 13, 2026, in Cape Coast, Sir Sam Jonah moved beyond the formality of a ceremonial speech to share his personal experience working with the Vice President during her tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University.
Addressing dignitaries, faculty, and students gathered for the occasion on March 13, the renowned businessman said his remarks were not just those of a university chancellor, but of a colleague who had witnessed her leadership up close.
“I speak today not only as Chancellor, but as one who had the distinct honour of working alongside her during her tenure as Vice-Chancellor of this University,” Sir Sam Jonah said.
“I witnessed her leadership at close range. I saw the rigour she brought to every decision, the grace she extended to every person, the courage she displayed in every challenge.”
The Distinguished Fellow Award is among the highest honours conferred by the University of Cape Coast, recognising individuals whose work has made significant contributions to education, leadership, and national development.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang holds a special place in the history of the University. She served as the first female Vice-Chancellor of the institution, a tenure widely credited with strengthening academic standards and expanding the University’s national and international profile.
Sir Sam Jonah told the audience that beyond her public achievements, the Vice President’s true character is reflected in her integrity, humility, and unwavering dedication to service.
Offering what he described as a rare glimpse into the private character of the leader, he insisted that the praise being shared at the ceremony was not mere formality.
“And I can tell you with the full authority of personal experience: what you will hear about Professor Opoku-Agyemang today is not ceremony, it is truth,” he declared.
The ceremony brought together government officials, members of academia, traditional authorities, and students to celebrate the Vice President’s decades-long contributions to education and public service.
For many in attendance, the moment symbolised a full-circle return for Professor Opoku-Agyemang an academic leader whose journey from the lecture halls of the University of Cape Coast to the country’s highest levels of leadership continues to inspire a new generation of scholars and public servants.
By Evelyn Tengmaa
