Akua Gyekye (Nee Sarpong)

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

- REVELATION 21:4

Akua Ampoma Sarpong Gyekye was born in London on 29th June 1966. She was the youngest of the children of Yaw Manu Sarpong and Comfort Adebi Sarpong, both from the Royal family of Nsuta.

Akua started her education at Bessemer Grange Primary School, and when her family moved to Porchester Terrace in Bayswater, she attended the co-educational Hallfield Primary School. In 1972, when the Sarpong family moved back to Ghana, Akua attended Morning Star International Schoolwhere, with her kind, affable nature and irrepressible sense of humour, she assimilated effortlessly and built life-long friendships. A bright and intelligent student, Akua excelled in the Common Entrance Examination and entered the prestigious Wesley Girls High School boarding school in 1977.

After completing her O’ Levels in 1982, Akua returned to the UK and continued her sixth form education at Hendon Schoolin North London. Entrusted into the guardianship of her father’s close friend, Dr Thomas Mensah, and his wife Mrs. Akosua Mensah, Akua swiftly became an integral part of the Mensah family, acquiring a second set of brothers and sisters.

With excellent A’ Level results, Akua was accepted into University College of London (UCL) to read Economics and Philosophy. After graduating, she went on to work for several high-profile institutions including ANZ Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, and JP Morgan.

In 2004, Akua met her beloved husband, Kwadwo Gyekye. In 2005 the couple married at St. Paul's United Reformed Church in South Croydon and their son Kwaku Antwi AdjeiGyekye was born the following year.

After a successful career in the UK, Akua returned with her family to Ghana, where Kwaku began his education. There, Akua brought her extensive professional experience combined with her entrepreneurial flair to work on a wide range of projects. Her expertise and counsel were highly sought after and she was appointed to advisory and Board roles for institutions including the Adebi Sarpong  Foundation, Nsutaman Rural Bank, and Zawardi.

Akua was a gregarious and entertaining woman who opened her heart and home to create a joyous, harmonious, and welcoming environment that brought everyone together. She took an interest in every one of her many nephews and nieces and embraced close friends as part of her extended family. People of all ages gravitated easily towards Akua. Her positive, loving nature allied with a smile that lit up every room she was in, made her irresistible.

In March 2020, Akua returned to London and after extensive medical tests was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of liver cancer. Over the next four years, she battled through a gruelling regime of punishing treatments, displaying a strength of will and determination that stunned her medical team. Akua possessed a strong faith in God and during her most challenging times, she always found comfort in prayer. Supported by the love of her husband, Kwadwo, and her son Kwaku, Akua participated in family and social events and lived life as fully as she could until her health deteriorated. As her illness progressed, Akua was cared for at home for several weeks before being admitted to St Christopher’s Hospice where she passed away peacefully on the night of 18th May.

Akua was a beautiful and irreplaceable soul who made a profound impact on everyone she met. The love and support of family and friends who flew to London from around the world during her final weeks was a testament to how special Akua was to so many people. Her bravery, tenacity, and faith in the face of a devastating illness in one so young was an inspiration to everyone who met her – from her doctors and healthcare staff to volunteers at the hospice who would seek her out simply to enjoy her company.

Akua’s loss leaves a vacuum that can never be filled, but her legacy of laughter, unforgettable courage, and unconditional love will remain with us always.