Daasebre Boateng conferred as Vice-Chancellor

Story: Nana Sifa Twum, Cambridge - England

Daasebre Professor (Emeritus) Oti Boateng has been conferred as Vice-Chancellor of the World Academy of Letters.

The formal inauguration ceremony took place at a special Vice-Chancellor Commencement Ceremony within the Halls of St. John’s College, University of Cambridge. England, at the 2010 World Forum over the weekend.

The World Academy of Letters functions as a truly global setting to share knowledge and to memorialise breakthrough works and accomplishments. The Academy’s focus continues to honour intellectuals and achievers.

The Forum comprises intellectuals who have made remarkable accomplishments in their fields. The group meets annually to discuss who best to translate their academic work into real development. It also studies the backgrounds of individuals and admits them into the Forum annually.

Papers were presented by some members of the Forum at this year’s meeting at the University of Cambridge. Daasebre Oti Boateng’s paper was on “A root-based model for Disaster Management” which was well received by participants.

Daasebre Oti Boateng who is also the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area and President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs would hold the position for life-time tenure.

Among other things, the longest serving Government Statistician, would lead the group to unearth many more intellectuals and help transfer their academic work into developmental packages that will benefit global development.

As Vice-Chancellor of the World Academy of Letters, Daasebre Professor (Emeritus) Oti Boateng will be part of a tradition of hundreds of years of Academia. He is now entitled to use the “Vice-Chancellor” accreditation before or after his name.

This year’s World Forum, was organized jointly by the America Biographical Institute (ABI) and the International Biographical Center (IBC). The forum brought together about 150 academicians and achievers from over 40 countries around the globe for a splendid week of cultural and educational exchange aimed at fostering positive change and verifiable steps towards global solutions.

The crowning point of the ceremony saw the Resident Chancellor, Professor J. M. Evans, investing Daasebre with the Vice-Chancellor Sash of the Academy. A signing of a sealed Resolution, 11 by 14 inch Commencement Diploma and a personal seal embosser also formed part of the impressive ceremony attended by renowned members of the global academia.

A citation accompanied the induction read by the Chancellor Evans, noted that Daasebre’s selection for this honorable distinction was based not only on the respect he commands as an eminent ruler and leader in Ghana but also by his demonstrated unlimited dedication to expanding the frontiers of thought and intellect.

In response, Daasebre thanked the Academy for the great honour and trust reposed in him and gave a firm assurance that he will act with assiduity and zeal to preserve the Academy’s standards of extraordinary knowledge and accomplishment on the international level.

He urged the Forum to stand firm by the truth and place honour and virtue above the merely external advantages of rank and fortune. He also expressed the hope that many sons and daughters of Ghana and Africa would emulate his example to achieve higher laurels to assist both the country and continent to develop rapidly.

Present at the ceremony was, Ghana High Commissioner to the United, Kingdom Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo led a large number of Ghanaians who were clad in the traditional Kente outfits, to represent the government and the people of Ghana.

Later at a reception hosted for the Ghanaian delegation, Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo commended Daasebre for his immense contributions to the progress of the country and urged Ghanaians to consider his current appointment as a great honour to the whole nation. He called on the youth to take Daasebre as their role model to inspire them towards the future.

The High Commissioner announced that he was in the process of organizing one of the biggest gatherings of Ghanaians in the UK in October where various sustainable youth programmes will be launched to assist the youth and appealed to all Ghanaians to attend.