Billy Bones alias Kwabena Andoh of Real AMASS, Kumasi passes away
We narrate in this article a short biography of a loving and long-time friend with whom we began life in our youth at Real Amass, Kumasi. That was around the year 1963 when I was about 13 years old.
And the last time when I met Robert Andoh, popularly called Billy bones, was about a couple of years back (2023) when I paid him a visit at his residence at Asawase near the Kumasi Central Mosque . He looked quite healthy and little aged. It therefore came to me as a shock when I learnt of his sudden and unexpected death from my friend and brother, Mr Ibrahim Lugman, engineer from VRA. As already stated in the above we met in 1963 at Real Amass after gaining admission into the school through the Common Entrance Examination. For the next five years we studied aggressively to enable us pass our ‘’O’’ level and gain admission to the sixth form.
The following are the names of some of our classmates with whom we all studied together: Billy Bones, Charles Darkoh (Akwaboa), Luqman Ibrahim, Charles Adjei (Anku), Saiid Taahir (School footballer), Abdul Latif Gbadebo, Khalid Ahmad (The Writer), just to mention a few. In age he was the oldest, hence the natural leader. Besides he was more matured in addition to being more gentlemanly, cool, level-headed and disciplined compared to others in the group. From form four and above the class divided into the science and arts groups.
The following are the names of those who opted to do science up to the ‘’O’’ level: Billy Bones, Opoku Ware, Charles Adjei, Abdul Latif Gbadebo, Luqman Ibrahim , Joseph Ofori, Khalid Ahmad (the writer), etc. The arts students included Charles Darkorh, Saiid Taahir etc. Mr T.A. Boateng, the then Asst. Headmaster who later became the headmaster, was in charge of the science and was very instrumental in making the school excel in the ‘’O’’ level results in science in 1968.
Nazir Ahmad, Chemistry master, was also one of the science teachers who made the school excel, not only in the science subjects, but in the arts as well the school excelled. Such names of masters who contributed to this include: Mr IBK Addo (the English master), Mr IK Gyasi (literature), Mr Saud (History), Abdul Haq (Arabic and Islamic R.K), Boakye Danquah (Economics) etc. The school which, in the time of Mr Abdul Latif, the Pakistani headmaster, was best known for its sporting activities joined the ranks of those schools with academic feats. Thereby marking its maturity as a school.
Thereafter (1968) we gained admission to the sixth form in science at Real Amass. Here as well some of the names include: Billy Bones, Charles Adjei, Joseph Ofori, Khalid Ahmad, etc just to mention some few. It may be remarked in passing that due to his sterling leadership and caring qualities Bones, who was the class prefect from form one to form six, became the school prefect when we entered the sixth form.
Robert Andoh was born in 1944 to Opanin Yaw Andoh (TUC cocoa merchant) and Madam Marry Okyere, a trader from Mankessim in the Central Region. He had his elementary school education at the St. Paul’s Basic School at New Amakom in Kumasi.
There he obtained his Middle School Leaving Certificate. From there he gained admission into the T.I Ahmadiyya Secondary School, Kumasi. After completing his sixth form Bones worked briefly at the Forestry Department and later gained admission for a degree course at the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, where he obtained a degree in planning.
After graduation he worked at the Town and Country Planning Department. From there he was posted to Tepa. Later he obtained a scholarship and left for Cameroon to study at the Pan African Institute for Development. On completion of the programme he was elected as the African students’ leader. He left for Liberia. After returning home he became a road contractor with the Department of Urban Roads. He was later elected as the Vice President of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (Ashanti Region).
Robert Andoh was married to his wife with whom he had four children – two sons and two daughters.
He was briefly admitted to the Okomfo Anokye Anokye Hospital where he passed away on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at the age of 80. Last but not the least Andoh was a devout Catholic and Christian. He was also devoted to Real Amass. We his classmates and old students cherish his good memory and may his soul rest in peace.
BY KHALID KOFI AHMAD
