

One
person who has contributed immensely to the development of basic
education in Ghana is the late
TORGBUI KWAKU AMENYODU
I, known in private life as Mr. Raphael Addoayi-Dowetin.
The late Raphael Addoayi-Dowetin (alias Torgbui Kwaku Amenyodu
I), was born on October 20, 1933 in Agbozume. He started school
at the age of 4 at the St. Peter and Paul Primary Schools at
Anehor in the Republic of Togo and continued at Ngleshie J.S.S.
at Adzide. He completed his secondary education at the St. Joseph’s
Secondary School (Lome) in 1950, after which he did Secretarial
courses in addition to courses Administration, and Office Management.
He returned to Ghana and secured employment with CFAO, High
Street, Accra under the Management of Monsieur Pierre Desparbes.
He left two years later to teach French at Achimota School but
resigned after a short period to joined SCOA Motors, as Secretary
to the General Manager.
He had to resign after four years due to ill health. Upon recovery,
he was taken back at SCOA and loaned to Total Oil Product (Ghana
Ltd.) when the company was about to build a refinery at Tema.
He was with this company when he was called to Flagstaff House
to work under the late Cecil Forde and Mr. J. Y. Eduful as a
translator.
In 1960, Mr. Addoayi-Dowetin was transferred to the French Section
of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). In June 12, 1962, while
still at GBC, he started Datus in an improvised classroom on
a piece of land near Accra Academy with only twelve pupils (four
girls and eight boys). He engaged the services of two teachers.
One handled English while the other handled French.
In 1963 he accompanied the first president of Ghana, the late
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as an Interpreter to Addis Ababa
for the inauguration of the OAU Charter.
Mr. Raphael Addoayi-Dowetin was arrested and detained for 3
days during the 1966 Coup D’etat. Upon his release, he went
back to GBC to continue working whilst at the same time seeing
to the steady growth of his school. He finally said good-bye
to GBC in 1969 to steer the affairs of his school.
For 20 years, he was Chairman of Ghana National Association
of Private Schools (1969 to 1989). He was presented with an
illuminated citation by the National Executive Committee at
the end of his term of office in August 11, 1989.
He passed away in 1994 after haven ensured the growth of his
school to three big branches, Bubiashie, Tema and Dansoman.