Residents of Koforidua give Mills special funeral rites

from Isaac Akwetey

Even though it was the wish of the former president John Evans Atta Mills to live a long life to bring to a desirable conclusion his government’s better Ghana agenda, his wishes were not enough to see him through, as he has joined his ancestors.
His final funeral rites to give him a befitting burial and final resting rest place, which started last week Wednesday and ended on Friday, 10 August, 2012, changed the entire atmosphere of the country, including the Eastern Regional capital, Koforidua.
Residents of the region, like any other region, gave the late President special funeral rites, as they closed all shops, stores, with the commercial transport sector going on holiday.
On Wednesday, the first day of journey reduced Koforidua and other parts of the region into a cemetery, as shops were closed, and hardly would one see a resident in town during the early hours of the day to about 7:00 p.m., when people start showing up.
Those who could afford to travel to the national capital, Accra, specifically the State House, left early in the morning.
The situation was not different on Thursday, as the various shops were virtually on holiday, as well as vehicular and human traffic.
Life finally came to normal after the first two days, with riders taking centre stage to put their skills on motorbikes to public display.
The regional capital, however, became relatively lively on Friday night, as the Regional Coordinating Council, in collaboration with the Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), organised a vigil night for the late Head of State.
Earlier in the day, the various Municipal and District Assemblies in the region organised various funeral rites at their respective venues in honour of the late President, whose peaceful demeanor earned him the name (Asomdweehen) – King of Peace.
Characteristically, as a Ghanaian culture, the traditional black and red cloths dominated during the funeral, with some who could afford the funeral cloth dressed in red or black clothes.
At Ayensuano in the newly-created Kraboa-Coaltar District, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Ayensuano Constituency, Mr. Michael S.D Kodua, in a tribute read on behalf of the party, said Ghana had lost a huge asset.
He continued that the party takes consolation from the Scripture that says, “None of the us lives for himself, and none of us dies for himself; if we live, we live for the Lord; so when we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
To the Ayensuano candidate, life is rightly measured by the amount of work one had done, adding that the late Head of State did exactly that.
“Prof did not relent on his efforts of productivity, knowing well that life awaits no man,” Mr. Kodua stressed.
He further mentioned that “the fact of longevity is of little consequence, if it is only the story of its spent years. What does it matter if a man lives for 90 years and it is all a story of idleness and wasted opportunities?”

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