THE GHANAIAN community in the United Kingdom (UK) last Saturday held a mammoth funeral for the departed President John Evans Atta Mills at High Gate in London.
Organized by the Ghana High Commission in the UK, the funeral was attended largely by Ghanaians from different tribes and other foreign nationals who see Ghana as a friend.
The forecourt of the Ghana Embassy at High Gate, London, was filled with a sea of mourners dressed in red and black attires for the solemn event as at 2pm London time.
President Mills died in Accra on July 24, 2012, after he was rushed to hospital after he became ill.
The funeral at the High Gate saw the Ghanaian rich culture being displayed by the different ethnic groups in the country including the Asantes, Ewes, Gas, Fantes and Akyems.
Among the prominent Ghanaians that attended the event were K.B. Asante, a former diplomat, Francis Poku, former National Security Minister, Faustina Acheampong, wife of the late General Acheampong, the clergy and political party representatives from the NDC, NPP and CPP.
Addressing the gathering, minutes after reading the biography of President Mills, the Ghana High Commissioner to the UK, Prof. Kwaku Danso-Boafo, said the late president served his country well.
He bemoaned the fact that Ghanaians did not see the special qualities in President Mills whilst he was alive, stating that they only saw the qualities after he died.
Prof. Danso-Boafo lamented that President Mills was vilified by all manner of people unjustifiably but in the face of all those provocation, President Mills did not utter a word.
He said President Mills did not pay attention to the vilifications but rather channelled all his energy into the development of the country.
Prof. Boafo, who travelled to Ghana for the funeral of the president in Accra, said the large number of people that attended the funeral was an indication that Ghanaians loved the departed president.
He was however surprised that Ghanaians decided to display their immense love for President Mills after he had passed away, stating he was impressed about the large crowd that attended the president’s funeral back in Ghana.
Prof. Boafo said he saw people standing by the roadsides and shedding uncontrollable tears for President Mills, adding he was touched by the love shown to the president.
He described President Mills as a true loyal son of Ghana who inculcated in him the spirit of patriotism, saying, “He always told me to make Ghana come first in whatever that I do.”
The Ghana Community Band International was also present at the funeral grounds to entertain the crowd. Representatives of all the tribal groups in Ghana paid tribute to the late president.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., London
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