A Tribute to Emeritus Prof. Samuel Otu Gyandoh, A Mentor, Friend and Brother
By Emeritus Prof. Abu Abarry Shardow, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
It is with great sense of sorrow and dismay that I write this tribute to memorialize Emeritus Prof. Samuel Otu Gyandoh, who passed away on February 2021 in Ghana.
My wife (Nana Qunsah Abarry) and I first met Prof. Gyandoh at the University of Ghana, Legon in the mid-sixties while we were undergraduate students, and he was then a senior lecturer at the law faculty whose dean he eventually became.
. As a dean at the University of Ghana Law School, and later Master of Mensah-Sarbah Hall of Residence, he was universally respected as a very brilliant, hard-working and compassionate professor. One of his enduring piece of legacy is his creation of “The Loggia”, a recreational spot adjoining Mensah Sabah Hall, which catered to the needs of faculty and staff.
But we came to know him, and later his family much better when we joined Temple University faculty in 1989 where he had already taken up an appointment as a professor of law. That marked the beginning of a very strong, loving and fulfilling relationship between our two families which progressed into the 21st century.
Together with some of the members of the Ghanain community we met here in Philadelphia, we formed an unofficial Ghanain community family, with “Prof”. (as he was affectionately called) serving as our father, elder and mentor. He offered his support and wise counsel to individuals and groups within the community who brought their issues to him. for solution. He was there for us in sorrowful and joyful times. Until his retirement to Ghana, he and his family hosted an annual Thanksgiving party, which attracted revelers from the neighboring states of Pennyslvania, New Jersey and New York. There we always had a good time, with sumptuous food and assorted drinks. Our cherished memories of those days will remain forever with us
Prof. Gyandoh offered an excellent service to Temple University through his teaching, research and public service. At the Beasley School of Law, he distinguished himself in his teaching and publications on various subjects, including International Law, Constitutional Law and Business Law..He helped to develop and direct Temple University’s Study Abroad programs in Athens, Tokyo and Tel Aviv. He was also instrumental in founding an exchange program between Legon and Beasley School of Law. Among the eminent beneficiaries of the program was the late Professor Atta-Mills, President of Ghana in the third republic.
Emeritus Professor Gyandoh lived a very fulfilling life as an academician, devoted husband, father, teacher and compatriot. He was a contributor to the writing of the 1979 Ghana Constitution, and a member of the national committee that negotiated for the return and subsequent re-internment of the remains of Ghana’s first president,Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, in Ghana.
I will forever cherish the memories of the occasional conferences and functions we attended together as he shared his post-retirement time between Ghana and Philadelphia. He affectionately called me “My brother Abu”, and of course I responded ” Yes, Prof.”. His endearing conclusion to our conversations was always with a warm ” bye-bye oo”.
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. Emeritus Professor Gyandoh’s death has struck us with pain and sorrow; but we are thankful that his legacy will remain with us, and serve to inspire and guide us as we continue our journey through life. He was generous, kind, affectionate and accessible irrespective of class, gender, ethnicity or race. It will be difficult to fill in the gap that his death has created in our hearts and minds. We will dearly miss him. Our prayers and condolences go to his dear wife Mrs. Louisa Gyandoh (Mamalu), children and family.
May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen