The late Ghanaian theologian, Kwame Bediako, was an amazing person, and a total force of nature. When he left the shores of Ghana in 1969 to go do his doctorate in existential literature at the University of Bordeaux in France, he was an avowed atheist.
However, in August 1970, he had a “Saul-Paul moment” in the shower, converted to Christianity, and went on to become one of the most influential theologians the African continent has produced. Over the next decades, until his death in 2008, his work “sought to reposition Africa — its languages, cultures, and religious heritage — as a legitimate and rich source of Christian theological reflection, rather than merely a recipient of Western missionary Christianity”. It is said that what Luther and Calvin are for evangelical Christians globally, Kwame Bediako is for many African evangelicals. He also founded and led the Akrofi-Christaller Institute.
Years before all that, he was an Mfantsipim boy. The Old Boys who shared his story describe him as a brilliant student, with a rebellious streak, absolutely fearless, and the consummate leader. It is said that the staff admired him greatly. Due to the much darker hue of his complexion, his nickname was “Joe Noir”.
In 1963-64 or so, he became the headboy. At that time, Mfantsipim had a renowned Math teacher, Mr. Snell. He was the author of the Maths book the school used. He was also elderly then.
One Sunday, Mr. Snell did the preaching during evening service, and during his sermon, the boys made some “unwelcome noise”, as Botwe boys are wont to do during evening service sometimes.
Kwame Bediako found that disrespectful to the venerable teacher and decided to punish the entire student body.
It has been a custom at Mfantsipim for as long as anyone can remember that the boys are allowed to go into Cape Coast town after morning inspection on Saturdays. The next Saturday after the evening service incident, Kwame assembled the whole student body at the academic site and kept them there all morning. No one got to go to town. And that was the punishment he meted out for their disrespecting Mr. Snell. And no one dared to disobey him! Not even the other prefects!
The lessons inherent in that story are many, and they all feed into the excellence that is preached and practiced on the hill. It is a story that teaches respect for authority and the elderly, as well as discipline, leadership, bravery, and conviction.