Naa Morkor Busia Is Dead

Naa Morkor Busia, widow of the former Prime Minister of the Second Republic of Ghana, Dr Kofi Abrefia Busia, is dead. This was revealed when the Busia and Yagbonwura families conferred with former President John Agyekum Kufuor yesterday, January 19, 2010 to officially announce the passing away of the late Naa Morkor Busia, and Yagbnwura Bawa Doshie. Madam Ama Busia, sister of the former Prime Minister and former Council of State member who led the delegation, expressed gratitude to the former President for his support for the children, family and Naa Morkor Busia over the years. Madam Busia, in tears, recalled how her late mother was thrown out from her home after the death of her father, noting that but for the intervention of former President Kufuor to restore the family when he assumed office in 2001; they could not get place to sleep. �We thank you for all that you have done for the family, especially when our mother was sick. You did not disgrace us,� she narrated. Consoling the family, former President Kufuor said the former Prime Minister served the country with determination until Ghana gained independence, adding that the late prime Minister, though he was in exile, did not relent on his efforts to work for Ghana. �In fact, he played a big role in civic education,� he noted. Describing him as the first Ghanaian Gold Coast professor, Mr Kufuor said Naa Morkor Busia had also been supportive and followed the good deeds of her husband. He pledged to do his utmost best to assist the family to give her a befitting burial. The delegation also called on former vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama at his residence. Mrs Busia, 85, passed away on Sunday, January 17. Her one week celebration would take place at her home at Busia Junction in Accra on Sunday, January 24 at 7am. Details of the funeral would be announced later. Later, the delegation of the Gonja Chief presented pieces of cola nut to officially inform and invite former President to mourn with them on Friday, January 22 at Damango. Ex-president Kufuor described Yagbonwura Bawa Doshie 1, the Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, as a man who invested a lot to ensure peace in Gonjaland and the country. �The Yagbonwura is a father to me long before he became the Yagbonwura,� he stressed. Recalling 2002/2003 when the Yendi crisis started, he said he did not know where to turn to; therefore, he set up the Commission of Inquiry under Justice Wuaku to investigate the matter to bring the perpetrators to book. According to him, looking at the traditional importance of Yendi, he again decided to unleash the ancient wisdom of traditional leaders by setting up a committee of eminent chiefs, led by Asantehene Otumfuor Osei Tutu 11, to manage the seeming void. Continuing, he said because of the quality the late king possessed, even when he was selected to serve on the Otumfuo Committee at a very old age, no eyebrow was raised to challenge that decision, adding, �We owe him a great debt of gratitude. The king, who was a member of the Otumfuo Committee, passed away on January 1, 2010 and was interred on January 3, 2010, in line with Gonja tradition. He died at the age of 120.