A Brief Personal Report on the Cape Coast Sessions of the Adisadel College Centenary Lecture Series: Adisadel College, Cape Coast, May 11-12, 2010   A. O. Ebo Richardson, PhD. Quaque House, 1965; Head Pru. 1967 Professor, & Coordinator of The Computer Engineering Program California State University, Chico May 25, 2010	Dr. Ebo  Richardson

I travelled to Cape Coast to present a lecture as part of Adisadel College’s Centenary Celebration Lecture Series. It was a two-day affair. Two lectures were presented each day. The Cape Coast Lecture Series was the second of two series, the first having taken place earlier in Accra during the month of March.

On the first day, Tuesday, May 11, two lectures were presented. That day’s session was chaired by Prof. Mrs. Naana Opoku-Agyeman, Vice Chancellor of Cape Coast University. The first lecture was by Dr. Sam Mensah, Executive Chairman, SEM Group Ltd., Ghana. His topic was: “The Challenge of Economic Governance in Ghana: Observations of a Santaclausian”. The second lecture was also by a Santaclausian, Mr. Donald Gwira, Communications Manager at Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd. It was entitled: “The Role of Advocacy - The Art of Persuasion”.

The second session, held on Wednesday, May 12, also entailed two lectures. The session was chaired by The Rt. Hon. Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, former Speaker of Parliament, Ghana. The first lecture was by Mr. Ebow Daniel. Its title was: “Adisadel On The Hill( The Contributors, Sung and Unsung; and the Future of our School)”. The second lecture was given by Dr. Albert Ebo Richardson ( author of this personal report). His topic was: “A Santaclausian’s Vivid Recollections of the Finest Examples of Ghanaian Excellence: Adisadel College’s Glory Years of the 1960s in Science, Mathematics, Music, Sports, and Leadership”. All three people, Chairman and the two presenters, are Santaclausians

The author found it a truly humbling experience to be in the company of Ghanaian dignitaries and former Adisadel successful Giants like the Former Speaker of Parliament, His Honorable Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, Former Univ. of Ghana Registrar, Mr. Ebow Daniel; Mr. Donald Gwira (Communications Manager, Guinness Ghana Ltd), as well as the very esteemed Vice-Chancellor of Cape Coast University, Prof. Mrs. Naana Opoku-Agyeman.

Holding the second lecture series in Cape Coast, at the Adisadel Campus had the advantage that it enabled participation by students  (including non-Adisadel students), in addition to Santaclausian Old Boys and many other non-Santaclausian professionals and personalities. Significant numbers of students from St. Augustine's, Holy Child, etc. attended. That made for a very lively exchange and presentation of broad perspectives from different angles.

Finally, as I had anticipated, it was impressive to observe Dr. Sam Mensah in his dual role and capacity as an accomplished economist/financial expert (as was indicated above, he was on the Lecturers' Panel) and celebrated Guitar virtuoso (The "Guitar Boy" of Adisadel Jazz Band of the 1960s, and of A.B. Crentsil fame ( Toronto By Night). It should be noted that Sam Mensah, Ricky Telfer, and John Djokoto were the recent donors of musical instruments and co-founders and Mentor/Teachers of the new Adisadel Jazz band. And as expected, Sam Mensah indeed did not disappoint. On the days of the Lectures, before the presentations began, and during intermissions, the Jazz Band entertained the audience with the kind of classic Jazz tunes that the Band made popular among students circles in Ghana in the 1960s.

And to think that, on the first day of the Cape Coast Lectures, after the two speakers, including Dr. Sam Mensah, had given their highly informative and thought-provoking lectures, the current student Lead Guitarist yielded his Guitar to good old "Guitar Boy", Sam himself, and what was even remarkable to me personally, the Adisadel Jazz Band Electronic Keyboardist, yielded the Keyboard to me (the "Old Cellist" of the Adisadel Orchestra of the 1960s), and created a situation in which Sam and I and the rest of the student musicians were "jamming" furiously. The playing of Legendary Nigerian Musician Sir Victor Uwaifo's “Joromi” and other great High Life oldies, much to the uncontrollable pleasure and ecstatic responses from some of the audience, students and Old Boys alike, was truly a Heaven-sent moment!

Sam Mensah indicated that he and a large contingent of Adisadel (old and current) musicians would be providing a musical extravaganza during the final Centenary week of July 12-18. The current Adisadel Music Master also indicated his readiness to showcase the Choral musical prowess of the Adisadel Choir. I heard a very short demo of the Centenary musical CD that Sam and Ricky Telfer and other great musicians are producing. The final version promises to be a much sought-after collectors’ item. Get ready to purchase your copy of the CD.

And oh, by the way, I obtained a copy of the excellent book that was written by Rev. Professor John S. Pobee, Emeritus Professor, University of Ghana, Legon, to tell the Story of Adisadel. The title of the book is : “ADISADEL ON THE HILL, THE STORY ( 1910-2010 )”, Published by Sam-Woode Ltd. It is a very fascinating book. As I was returning from having attended the Cape Coast lecture Series, during the 10 hour flight from Accra to New York, I was so engrossed in the book, felt so informed and entertained by the book that I read it ‘cover-to-cover’…TWICE. I just could not put the book down. It was full of inspirational and awe-inspiring memories of Adisco from 1910 to the present.

All the chapters of the book contain lots of useful information woven into captivating stories. Two of my favorite chapters of the book are… Chapter Seven: “God writes straight on crooked lines”; and Chapter Ten: “Two high water marks of the school”. Chapter Seven has several heart-warming stories to illustrate how the Adisadel Spirit impacts all who pass through the school so positively that some of the school’s most ardent benefactors of the school have been people whose student days at Adisadel involved some quite rocky relationship with The School’s Administration. Chapter Ten singles out the tenure of two former Headmasters of Adisadel , T.J. Drury (1959 - 1963) and R. T. Orleans-Pobee (1963 - 1974), and gives them the recognition they truly deserve. These two former Headmasters are arguably the most transformative of all Adisadel Headmasters of the past 60 years. Reading about their accomplishments makes one proud indeed of Adisco. And it doesn’t hurt that they were the custodians of Adisadel during the heady days of the 1960s, a period which the author of this report considers to be Adisadel’s glory years in science, mathematics, music, sports and leadership, the topic of this author’s Adisadel Centenary Lecture.

I can't wait to buy an extra copy of the book for my children and future grand-children for them to know the full story of Adisadel..

Three pictures have been provided here. The first shows, from foreground going inwards: Dr. Ebo Richardson, Mr. Ebow Daniel, The Rt. Hon Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, and Bishop D.S.A. Allotey (Anglican Bishop of Cape Coast). The picture shows them waiting to take their place at the stage to start the Wednesday May 12 session. The other two pictures show the current Adisadel College Jazz Band looking ‘professional’ and in absolute command of their instruments. I am told that a full, vivid, and comprehensive official report, with pictures, of the Centenary Celebrations, including the Lecture Series, is under preparation.