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Rev. Prof. Dorothy BEA Akoto, first female Vice President of Trinity Theological Seminary
Reverend Professor Dorothy BEA Akoto and her husband Reverend Dr. Johnny Yao Akoto.
After over its 80 years of existence, the Trinity Theological Seminary ((TTS) located in Legon in the Greater Accra Region, had its first female Vice President from 2020- 23.
It was a typical example of women breaking the glass ceiling all over the world with Reverend Professor Dorothy BEA Akoto adding up to the number of trailblazers globally. She served for three years in this enviable yet challenging position.
Interestingly, this is a lady who was touted a ‘failure’ and was shunned by many until her rise to the rank of Professor, in TTS, Legon.
Born at Akuse in the Eastern Region to a former Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG), Very Reverend Andrew Kwami Abutiate and Mrs Josephine Afi Wosordoe Adonu Attipoe Abutiate both of blessed memory from Avatime, Biakpa and Anyarko/ Asadame respectively, both in the Volta Region , she has always been determined to make a difference wherever she finds herself with faith in the Lord.
Speaking to The Spectator, Rev. Prof. Akoto the Immediate Past Vice President for the TTS said, it is always good to be the first to do something.
Rev. Prof. Akoto was also the first female Professor Reverend Minister of the EPCG and also the first female to operate a Massey Fergusson Tractor in Ghana in 1973-1975 while she was a student of the Mawuli School, Ho from 1969-1977 – a feat that was featured in Student World Magazine at the time and interviewed on Radio Ghana and on national television.
She is currently a Lecturer in Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) Biblical Hebrew Language and Gender Studies at the TTS. She is also the District Pastor of the Adenta District of the EPCG.
She recalled her journey had not been an easy one but ‘with God on my side, through prayer and family’s encouragement’, she has become a woman many are proud of.
One of her challenges was when she practically became an object of disappointment when she married at the age of 22 and had a son after the Upper Sixth form at a time when many classmates, family members, teachers, friends and well-wishers expected her to attend university especially having been on national television and excelling academically.
“Some condemned and labelled me a drop-out. When my son was seven months, my husband and I agreed that I entered the university and after that, I became an English teacher and at a point was national trainer of teachers in Primary, Middle, JSS, Secondary school and Teacher Training College in Ghana,” she disclosed.
Determined to achieve greater heights, she continued schooling and had three other children within the period.
The Reverend Minister described that period of her life as a time of fulfilment as “many who saw me as a failure, often advise their own daughters to follow my example.”
She had her basic education in various E.P Primary Schools in various places due to the nature of her father’s itinerant Pastoral Ministry and her mother, a Home Economics Teacher namely with E.P Primary School in Akpafu, Todzi.
She also went to the Ho International School, SNAPS Kindergarten School in Accra, John F. K Memorial Preparatory School, Accra, St. John’s Preparatory School on Mile Seven, Nsawam Road.
She proceeded to the Mawuli School, in the Volta Region for the General Certificate Examination- GCE ‘O’ Level and GCE ‘A’ Level and then to the Cape Coast University Institute of Education ATTC, Winneba, where she graduated with a Diploma in English.
The Immediate Past Vice President for the TTS also attended the Johnson C. Smith Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Center (JCSS of ITC), USA and graduated with a Dual Degree, Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE), and to the Emory University Candler School of Theology (EU, CST) for a Master of Theology (ThM).
She further went to the Union-Presbyterian School of Christian Education (UNION-PSCE), also in the USA where she graduated with a Master of Theology (ThM).
Determined to add more value to herself, she proceeded to the Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS), and graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Hebrew Bible, Culture and Hermeneutics.
She is married to Reverend Dr. Johnny Yao Akoto, a retired Reverend Minister of the E.P Church, Ghana and Retired Reverend Minister of the Norvisi-Friendship Presbyterian Church in the USA.
They have four biological children, several other children and four grandchildren.
She advises the youth to make the fear of God their priority, always read the Bible and pray in order to make their ways pure.
“They should also eschew pride, envy, animosity, dishonesty, get-rich-quick syndrome, emigration for greener pastures, laziness and peer pressure to commit immoral acts.”
She also advised women who marry early to continue to pursue their dreams.
Reverend Professor Akoto is also an author and some of her books include, ‘Lord, Teach Us to Pray,’ ‘Proverbs and the African Tree of Life,’ ‘Grafting Proverbs 25-29 onto Ewe Proverbs,’ and ‘African Theology/ies.’
She also published numerous articles in Books, Journals and Academic Resources in various parts of Africa, Asia, USA and Europe.
A few of her articles are “The Mother and First Born Daughter of the Ewe People as a Good Shepherd,” “Women and Health and the Trokosi Practice,” “An Issue of Women’s and Children’s Health” and “Marriage in the Bible and the Traditional Kusakorkor Marriage Ceremony among the Avatime People of Central Volta.”
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
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Cervical Cancer alert: Avoid sex at early age
The Programmes Manager of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Mary Efua Commeh, has advised young girls to avoid sex at an early age.
This, she explained, will give the cervix the opportunity to mature before they become sexually active.
“You need to delay what we call the first sexual intercourse as much as possible to give the cervix the opportunity to mature before the person becomes sexually active,” she said.
Dr Commeh stated this in an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Tuesday as a part of the Cervical Cancer awareness month.
According to her, cervical cancer was the second leading female cancer in Ghana with a total of about 3,072 cases annually, and out of that, 1,815 deaths are recorded, representing more than 50 per cent.
She indicated that “If young girls are going to be sexually active, then you need to talk to your parents about being vaccinated.”
She explained that vaccinating young girls against human papillomavirus (HPV) has been found to be a very effective way of preventing cervical cancer.
“There are countries that started HPV vaccination years ago and they are not seeing any cervical cancers now because they would have eliminated most of the high-risk HPVs in their women. So if the high-risk HPV is not there, then obviously the results on cervical cancers are going to go down,” she added.
Dr Commmey said the HPV vaccination is recommended for young girls aged nine to 14 years, adding that it had been found to be highly effective, not just for cervical cancers but for other HPV-related cancers, such as anal cancers, cancers of the vagina, genital warts, amongst others.
She further elaborated that the idea is to put up a barrier before the HPV comes in and that once a young female encounters it, she is already protected.
She also mentioned that for cervical cancers, the main cause is called HPV infection, saying generally, all sexually active women acquire HPV at some point in their lives.
However, the Programmes Manager of NCDs at the GHS mentioned that the body has a way of clearing the HPV, explaining that it is a natural mechanism that goes on, unfortunately, there are a few women whose HPV persists.
Moreover, she noted that the numbers for Cervical Cancer tend to be much higher because at times, clients would wait, and try all sorts of medications before they finally report to the health facility saying “we actually lose some women before they get to the hospitals with over 75 per cent of the cases coming in its third and fourth stages.”
Dr Commey, therefore, called for public awareness while ensuring the availability of information for prevention and control.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Maxi Sway teams up with Kweku Darlington on ‘Efie Bayie’
One of Ghana’s fastest-growing musicians, Maxi Sway known in private life as Alex Bonsu, has teamed up with music sensation, Kweku Darlington on ‘Efie Bayie’.
The song is off his new External Play (EP) dubbed, ‘Love and Life’ which is made up of five songs.
The EP written and performed by Maxi Sway, drew inspiration from real life situations.
According to Maxi Sway, ‘Efie Bayie’ was inspired by something unfortunate which happened in the life of his producer Ssnowbeatz.
He revealed that “some years back as it was almost close to the B.E.C.E examinations, Ssnowbeatz fell sick and had to write the exams at the hospital with a few Security Personnel around.”
“Ssnowbeatz told me it was a very difficult time because he was out of school for a while and had no time to even revise or prepare for the exams. He failed the papers because of his health and even didn’t go for the results,” he said.
According to him, after hearing the story of Ssnowbeatz, “It got me thinking and it inspired the song Efie Beyie.”
The video was directed and shot by Mista Morgan.
The songs on the EP include, Meganja, Efie Bayie, Wayo Love, Come Closer and Seke.
The songs making waves were produced by Klassic Beatz and Ssnowbeatz.
