The Department of English, University of Cape Coast (UCC), has honoured Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang and three other distinguished scholars for their dedication and commitment to the teaching, research and dissemination of knowledge in language and literary studies.
The honour was also in recognition of their exemplary leadership and unbridled contributions to the Department, Faculty of Arts and the College of Humanities and Legal Studies.
Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang is the first female Vice-Chancellor of UCC, and former Minister of Education, and the two other honourees were Prof. Lawrence K. Owusu-Ansah and Prof. Kwadwo Opoku-Agyemang.
They were given the recognition at a conference organised by the Department on the theme: “Language and Literature: Tradition and Transformation.”
Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang expressed gratitude to the Department for the honour, and recounted how her students were afraid to choose her course because she was not magnanimous with marks, saying she wanted “the best in her students to come out “.
“…As I kept telling them at the end of the class, if you can make an A, I think you should make it. You shouldn’t be happy with the B+. And it is those students who I thought were just happy with the middle grades that were always my target. If students are not stretching themselves as much as I know they are capable of…That’s where sometimes the disagreement comes”, she explained.
Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang paid glowing tribute to Prof. Atta Britwum for his mentorship, adding, “If there is ever anything I have written, whether it is an article, a review, a book, he has always been part of this journey”.
Prof. Lawrence Owusu Ansah indicated he had not regretted joining the University of Cape Coast, and thanked the Department for the recognition and promised to continue to impact positively the younger generation.
Prof. Owusu Ansah, who served the University for 38 years, added that education was still the best legacy both parents and teachers could help imbibe in the Ghanaian child, particularly in sharpening their skills and analytical abilities.
Prof. Kwadwo Opoku-Agyemang expressed gratitude to the Department of English for the honour done them.
He entreated the Faculty to treat students with love and care, saying, “the University exists because of the students”.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who first piloted the Communication Skills course in UCC, eulogiseed Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang for her motherly care towards her children, describing her as “an ideal woman”.
The Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Kwame Osei Kwarteng, hailed the honourees for their outstanding contributions to the Department.
