Shattered, devastated, speechless, shaken, traumatized, heartbroken, horrified, depressed, petrified — all these words fail to do justice to our current tribulation.
I ask, where is our omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient God?
We are told God’s ways are not our ways, but who will dare convince us that this is God’s way?
When we were asked to disregard the forces with power over the body and focus on our creator who has power over the soul — we were never really prepared for this day.
No human being deserves to die in this manner.
Certainly, our 8 martyrs — for all their exploits, kind deeds and good works for our dear country, definitely did not deserve to depart this world in such unspeakable circumstances.
The martyrs of August 6 — Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Samuel Aboagye, Sqadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Mane Twum Ampadu, Sgt. Ernest Addo Mensah — all these noble compatriots have not only come to represent the mystery of life, they now epitomize courageous patriots who will eternally be celebrated locally and internationally.
As Ghana’s Foreign Minister, I have been deeply moved by the overwhelming tributes from world leaders and international organizations of great repute. I am particularly touched by the painstaking efforts by these leaders to personally reach out to President John Mahama and the Foreign Ministry to convey their heartfelt condolences and high regard for our fallen heroes.
Indeed, a man’s worth is not to be measured by mere longevity but by the impact they had.
I dedicate this eulogy in honour of the memory of Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah — for our extraordinary relationship is no secret.
When I met Dr. Omane Boamah some 23 years ago, he was already a well respected and deeply admired student activist. His tenure as NUGS President was considered successful and consequential by many, regardless of their ideological persuasion.
In our passionate conversations those days, Dr. Omane Boamah will go on and on about how the legendary Ernesto Che Guevara inspires him.
He was the first to present to me books and manuals on revolution from Che.
Omane Boamah and Che Guevara had a lot in common — the rare phenomenon of medical students who made time for activism, medical doctors who believed revolutions heal better than medicine, frontline activists who sacrificed for a fair and just society until the very end.
And like Dr. Che Guevara, Dr. Omane Boamah died on the frontlines of active service — Che, fighting for political justice; Omane, fighting for environmental justice.
Fortuitously, they were both taken away in their prime — Che at 39, Omane at 49.
Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah was my big brother, comrade, confidante and ever-present political ally.
He was the only person to read my draft NUGS manifesto. He offered valuable inputs to make it the winning manifesto at that fiercely and closely contested 2005 NUGS presidential election where I won with a 6 vote margin.
He had served as NUGS President some three years prior to my election. He was an outstanding President.
His famous GETFund agitations as leader of NUGS, which he later chronicled in his first book titled: GETFund: A NUGS President’s account, helped preserve statutory allocations to the GETFund.
He ought to be credited for successfully stopping diversions and under-declarations from the GETFund as NUGS President. By that defining intervention, he contributed greatly in preserving the fund which is today a major source of President Mahama’s visionary educational policies, notably: the No Fees Stress initiative, GHS50million Research Fund and Free Sanitary Pads.
When I won the NUGS presidency, Dr. Omane Boamah became my chief advisor and strategist extraordinaire.
The impact of my tenure is a reflection of the treasure trove of perspectives and generous guidance he willingly offered.
Our relationship grew stronger, closer and deeper even beyond student activism and national politics.
I did not hesitate when Dr. Omane Boamah asked me to MC his wedding to beautiful, gracious, sharply intelligent and self-effacing Rita in 2006.
I was also deeply honoured when he asked me to accompany him to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on that joyous occasion when Akua — his first daughter, was born in 2007.
We were always there for each other to commemorate milestones.
He travelled to Wa with me for my own marriage ceremony.
When I decided to contest as MP in my beloved North Tongu, he was with me in every single village during my first primaries in 2012. He was a true and loyal brother.
When Uncle Ato Ahwoi set out to recruit me into the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) and the NDC on the instruction of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, it was Dr. Omane Boamah who facilitated the process — having by that time, honed his skills for political conspiracies of this nature. It is worth remembering that he was also recruited by Uncle Ato.
As CJA activists, we were both privileged to learn at the feet of stalwarts such as Uncle Ato Ahwoi, Dr. Obed Asamoah, the late Dr. David Pessey, Comrade Kwasi Pratt Jnr, Comrade Kwasi Adu, Comrade Kyeretwie Opoku, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan and the late Danny Ofori-Atta.
Of course, His Excellency Prof. John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory and His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, our current President, were keen participants in CJA events across the country between 2006 and 2008 — we have always been immensely grateful for their mentorship.
Dr. Omane Boamah was a brave activist, despite police brutalities during CJA demonstrations, he never stopped organizing more. His mantra was: let’s organize not agonize. I know he would prefer we organize in helping President Mahama achieve his reset agenda for Ghana instead of agonizing over his painful loss — but that is not an easy ask.
I do recall the unwarranted machinations of misguided national security operatives in a chaotic attempt to scuttle a 2008 CJA demonstration in Tamale with helicopters. The choppers were made to stir up dust, Omane continued in the leadership of that eventful mammoth demonstration much against the strong advice from a few of us who knew he was asthmatic and therefore had to avoid such unfavorable conditions — he defied us. Omane survived the 2008 helicopters, he didn’t survive the 2025 helicopter.
Then there was that scary strange highway gun attack we suffered around Techiman on our way to organize a CJA demonstration. Those gun shots riddled through the commercial bus we had boarded with remarkable precision leaving passengers injured. Dr. Omane Boamah, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Captain Doudou and my good self have not stopped thanking God for that narrow escape.
Dr. Omane Boamah joined the NDC by choice and after sober ideological reflection following numerous engagements with Uncle Ato. He opted to become a member when the NDC was in opposition during the Kufuor presidency. Having been born in an NPP family and having been issued a party card by the NPP’s first National General Secretary, Mr. Joseph Agyenim Boateng — which he wasn’t afraid to show some of us — he could have chosen to easily align with the ruling NPP at the time after his NUGS presidency where the reward would have been immediate and bountiful — instead he chose his conscience and his conviction, not personal comfort. That is how he became a formidable leading member of the NDC.
Dr. Omane Boamah earned his appointment from President Mahama as Minister of Defence through years of hard work, loyalty, sweat, toil, deep thinking and sacrifice.
His extraordinary output as NDC Election Director where he formulated an impregnable strategy to protect the votes of the Ghanaian people, to famously activate body cameras, and to secure for the NDC the most emphatic electoral victory in history is no mean feat. It takes a very special comrade to achieve that.
Omane Boamah was not only an activist, thinker and political strategist, he was also a policy wonk. Many do not know that he was the brain behind Free Primary Healthcare and the Mahama Cares programme.
Dr. Omane Boamah was an exceptional father. We all admired him for how he made considerable time for his dear wife, Rita and children: Akua, Ama and Yaw. He was uncompromising about quality family time and family obligations.
The time he spent teaching his children at home made us question the fairness in making him pay the same school fees as other absentee daddies.
When he admonished us to always make time for family, I thought his deliberate planning, time-management and commitment for family was shaped exclusively by the tragic loss of his father when he was in medical school, it could never have occurred to me that like his own father’s early departure, there would be a sad recurrence, hence his remarkable fatherly role in laying a solid foundation for his children. And I can proudly confirm, having spent long hours with his amazing family, particularly in these difficult moments that he really did an excellent job.
Before his call to glory, Dr. Omane Boamah was working on two books — one to celebrate Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and the other about his political journey and proximity to President John Mahama. He was kind to share some of the scripts with me.
May I humbly appeal that we collectively ensure a posthumous publication of these two books as an enduring and befitting honour to his memory.
I am eternally grateful for all you did for me, bro — this is not how we planned it — but I know God is preserving your soul in a much better place.
Finally, may we sincerely resolve that the deaths of our 8 fallen heroes would not be in vain.
Let us all relentlessly and genuinely support President Mahama to achieve the environmental justice for which the 8 Martyrs made the ultimate sacrifice.
Rest well, all you martyrs of August 6.
Ghana and the world shall never ever forget your sacrifice.
ENDS
