Tribute by Old Boys of St. John’s School, Sekondi
Like all gathered here, our hearts are filled with sorrow. Our hearts are filled with pain. We have, therefore, chosen, not to remind ourselves of the circumstances that led to how you breathed your last but to fill and mend our broken hearts with what you stood for when you walked among men.
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Again, we take consolation from the famous quote of the African American scholar and author, Joseph Campbell: thus “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” You laid down your life for your country.
Many wonder why a fine, calm, peace-loving gentleman like you will choose to enlist in the Army. They forget that for the purpose of peace, we go to war! A man of peace and great reasoning. Indeed form one (1) Saints who were hunted as preys by their seniors after lights-outs always found your corner as a refuge. O! How we missed you.
Our brother was genius at maths and he won our admiration right from form one (1), when he was awarded government scholarship for being the best student academically in his class. As a hobby, he always went with the school cadet corps to the Sekondi Naval Base to swim. He also loved sports so he was often times seen at the basketball court after school. His sense of duty and discipline, undoubtedly, made him excel in the St John’s school’s cadet and later in the Ghana Army. Conzi, are you gone? But what will happen to the dream, our long night talks and the beautiful ideas you shared during lights-out?
Just like a fine grain of wheat that falls to the earth, it dies to live a new multiplying itself and giving much better fruit.
The world wouldn’t see you again but your LEGACY lives on. The MaxMahama Scholarship Scheme that will soon be launched by Old Saints will give excellence awards to deserving students who were part of the school’s cadets.
It shall also collaborate with the Foundation that will be funded in your name, to continually remind today’s and successive governments and Ghanaians in general that in crusading against Galamsey (Illegal Mining), the innocent blood of a true saint was shed, hence, Galamsey must indeed be buried with you. Just like our Lord Jesus Christ, may the outpouring of his precious blood forever purge Ghana of Galamsey and mob justice (Lynching).
It is indeed, painful to think that our hopes for a fellow Old Saint who 10 years from the day his life was dastardly taken could have become a very senior officer, a General and possibly a member of the military high command to add to our pride and identity, has become a mere illusion.
Conzi, just like the way the American poet and educator, H.W. Longfellow puts it: “yours has been the suffering, the memory shall be ours”.
Although, you did not exit in peace, we pray that your gentle soul finds perfect rest in the bosom of our Father in Heaven and may He reward you bountifully according to all your works.
Live on, Old Saint Maj Maxwell Adam Mahama!