Abusuapanyin Kwabena Acheampong’s skin tone gives him away easily as a Whiteman; a typically unusual attribute of persons who serve in such highly-respected positions in the Ashanti kingdom.
But in his case, with a British father and mother who is a Kumawu royal, things have been slightly different in his life.
For instance, as he puts it in his own words, unlike other light-skinned people like him, he could manage himself well in situations where he would be bullied.
“At St Paul, they wanted about 500 people for the boarding house and I was the only White person among them… at the time, if you provoke me, I will also reply you. If you beat me, I would also beat you, because the mindset with everyone was that for a White person, his bones are weak, but in my case, I come from here and rather, anywhere else I go, that is when I am a stranger,” he told Oheneba1tv.
Speaking about his life and the journeys that have led him to this historic feat, Abusuapanyin Kwabena Acheampong explained that his father (the Britton) named him Henry Vague.
However, he said his mother gave him a local name, drawing inspiration from royalty, specifically naming him after Barima Etuo Acheampong, a revered chief of Kumawu.
“I was raised at the palace. I was named by my mother after the Kumawuhene called Barima Etuo Acheampong. He was enstooled upon his return from war by his uncle, Kwame Afram, who was a king at the time, succeeding him. Around the same time in 1950, I was born and so my mother decided to name me after him – Kwabena Acheampong. I learnt a lot of things from the palace since I was raised there,” he said.
When asked by the host why he chose to live his life in Ghana rather than in Scotland, a path many might take in pursuit of life, Abusuapanyin Kwabena Acheampong explained that living overseas would never give him the sense of belonging he feels in Ghana.
He added that he would feel like a stranger in a foreign land, unlike the comfort and connection he experiences in Ghana.
“This is where I hail from and I was raised as a child here, so, this is home. If I go abroad (Scotland or any other country), I’m a stranger because that’s not where I hail from. Even if the entire place is a bush, it’s still home. At one point, there was no water, and we had to travel long distances to fetch water but now thankfully, we have pipes. All these experiences strengthened me and made me who I am. As a child, I partook in all activities, including going to the farm, chasing after and catching animals in the bushes, learning how to fire a gun and all and so, I prefer staying here in Ghana than abroad because my soul and spirit lies here,” he added.
Watch the rest of his interview below:
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