Frederick William Faber’s famous Methodist Hymn 651, Hark, Hark, My Soul lyrics go like this;
1. Hark, hark, my soul! Angelic songs are swelling
O’er earth’s green fields and ocean’s wave-beat shore,
How sweet the truth those blessed strains are telling,
Of that new life when sin shall be no more.
REFRAIN:
Angels of Jesus, Angels of light,
Singing to welcome the pilgrims of the night.
2. Onward we go, for still we hear them singing
“Come weary souls, for Jesus bids you come,”
And through the dark, its echoes sweetly ringing,
The music of the gospel leads us home. (REFRAIN)
The Holy Bible specifically states in Psalm 90:10 that the typical lifespan of humans is 70 years or 80 if we are strong. This verse acknowledges that while some individuals may live longer, 70 years is generally the length of a human life. It also emphasises that even a long life is relatively short, filled with toil and trouble. The psalmist is therefore encouraging people to appreciate the time they have on this earth and live with wisdom, recognising the brevity of life. If one traverses beyond what the scripture has ordained, it means the good Lord, in his wisdom, has allowed it to happen and wants to use that person for a specific purpose.
That was exactly the case of our brother, friend and colleague of the inky fraternity, Kobina Ebo Quansah, whom the Almighty God extended his lifespan to 76 years and has used him for a particular purpose and on completion of that task, he has been called to eternity to render an account of his stewardship on this earth.
Thursday, June 26, 2025, was one of my busiest days. Around 10 am, I sat behind my laptop, ready to compose one of my news commentaries to be aired by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) radio news bulletin, when suddenly my mobile phone alerted me of a WhatsApp message. Who could that be at this time when I am busy working? I asked? I decided to suspend what I was doing briefly to check the content of the message and the sender. Lo and behold, it was my colleague journalist, Madam Tina Aforo, who had sent me a message that saddened my heart and left me confused. The message read, “Charles, Ebo is also gone? May his soul rest in perfect peace.” Feeling restless and bemused, I responded with an inquisitive mindset. “You mean our Ebo Quansah? Tina’s counter response was, “Go to your platform”, apparently the platform we have created for retiree workers of the New Times Corporation (NTC). Still not convinced, I switched to our platform to verify the authenticity of the bad news forwarded to me by Tina. There and then, I saw the content posted on the platform by another senior colleague and friend, Francis Assuah, indicating that Ebo Quansah has indeed passed on.
I murmured to myself in bewilderment, so perplexed at that stage, asking myself questions about what was happening to the inky fraternity this year, more so when another senior journalist, Ackah Anthony, formerly with the Graphic Communications Group, had died four days earlier before Ebo Quansah. Ebo and Ackah were the best of friends, with vast knowledge and experience in sports journalism in this country. This year alone, several senior journalists and media practitioners, including Justice Mingle, Grand Master Godwin Avenorgbor and Mike Eghan, have all died.
Ebo Quansah’s death was so shocking and devastating to me because, little did I know, that he was sick to the extent of losing his life. He was always cheerful, energetic and, therefore, his death came as a surprise to some of us. Even at age 76. Ebo looked very strong and continued to push the pen. A prolific and stalwart sports writer and controversial journalist, his articles were something one could not miss because his style of writing was superb and laced with all the ingredients of the journalism profession. I was his deputy when he became editor of the defunct Evening News newspaper published by the New Times Corporation (NTC), and I can confidently say that I learnt a lot from him. He was so friendly, kind, humble, compassionate, supportive, a free giver, approachable, a teacher, hardworking, caring, a mentor, among other positive attributes. My colleague, brother, and good friend, Mr. Ackom Asante, can bear testimony to the kind of good person Ebo Quansah was when we were at the NTC. He was ready to share with colleagues and subordinates the little solidarity he received from friends. I owe him a lot of gratitude for shaping me to be the journalist I am today. His contemporaries, some of whom are frail, include Ken Bediako, Joe Aggrey, Oheneba Charles, Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, Francis Assuah, Abigail Acquaye, Adwoa Asiedu, Cynthia Tackie, Abi-George, Wendy Asiama and a host of others will be missing him dearly.
Born an Ahmadi Muslim, called Azan for the faithful to gather for worship, Ebo had a stint in a fetish priest household while growing up and later converted to Christianity in adult life. He was raised in a rural setting and became a cosmopolitan, once spending 13 and a half years in the United Kingdom. He once served as the President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) from 2001 to 2007, and until his death, he was a patron of the association, contributing to influencing and supporting the growth of sports journalism in the country. I join the inky fraternity to wish my good friend and brother a peaceful rest as he prepares to journey to the land of the unknown. May his soul and that of the other departed colleagues rest in the bosom of the Almighty God until we meet again. Ebo, da yie! Ebo, yaawo odzogban! To his son Paa Kow and other family members left behind, I pray that the good Lord will grant them the strength and fortitude to accommodate and withstand the pain and suffering from his demise.
The writer is former Deputy Editor of the Evening News and Editor of The Ghanaian Times
BY CHARLES NEEQUAYE