David Nii Addy

Biography

David Nii Addy was born on 8th January 1937 at Aburi in the Eastern Region of Ghana to Mr. Abraham Antiaye Addy and Mrs. Juliana Addy (née Opong), both of blessed memory. David was one of ten siblings. He was baptised into the Anglican Christian faith from infancy.

David began his education at a Presbyterian school in Akyem-Tafo where he studied till standard four. He continued his middle school education at Aburi Methodist School (Kemp) and then went on to attend St. John’s Secondary School in Sekondi, where his father worked as the superintendent officer of Ghana Railways Corporation at Takoradi. After completing St. John’s, he enrolled at Kwadaso Agric. College in 1960 for a 3-year certificate course in General Agriculture and was posted to Damongo Agric Station for his third year field training. A year later, in February 1963, David was appointed Agric Assistant. He was one of the few officers selected to start the newly established 1-year Farm Institute Programme in Asuansi.

David approached his work with dedication, professionalism, and a commitment to excellence. He was selected in September 1971, to attend a 6-month Netherlands Fellowship Programme for Technical Co-operation where he studied poultry production. Through years of hard work and faithful service, he was promoted to Senior Technical Officer in April 1977.

Later on, he went on a 1-month Agric extension programme in Switzerland in 1988. His continued dedication earned him further promotion in December of that year to Chief Technical Officer in the Training and Manpower Division of Agriculture by the Public Services Commission. In this role, he contributed to the development and training of agric personnel and farmers.

In 1994, he was posted to Cape Coast briefly and subsequently appointed Regional Training Officer in the Western Region in September 1994. He served in this capacity until his retirement on 5th January 1999.

Beyond his formal duties in the Ministry of Agriculture, he had a profound love for the education and development of young people. He believed that every child deserved an opportunity to be well educated and guided through life. He championed after-school programmes where he helped young students with their homework and other academic skills. He was a firm but gentle disciplinarian. David settled in Kitase, near Aburi with his brother Mike (Kutu). There, he supervised his brother’s farm and continued his lifelong passion for agriculture, cultivating maize, keeping rabbits, turkeys and chickens.

One of the most cherished chapters of David’s life began when he met Irene in Wenchi. Their relationship blossomed and the two married in 1985, and by the grace of God, were blessed with four children – a girl and three boys. He was a devoted husband and a proud father. His love for his children was deep, distinctive, and personal. He had inside jokes with each of them and even created unique whistles to call each child. He took great pride in his children’s lives and achievements.

He encouraged them to work diligently, to speak the truth, and to conduct themselves with integrity. He believed that success was built on discipline and perseverance, and he worked hard to instil these values in his children.

He maintained good relationships with his brothers and sisters and shared a particularly close bond with his late brother Patrick. “Kutu ka kyerɛ ɔsen sɛ ne ho yɛ tum”, translating to “the pot calling the kettle black”, simply shortened to “Kutu” was a nickname he used with his brothers.

David was a man of strong character and firm principles. He believed in fairness, honesty, self-respect, and standing up for what is right. One memorable incident from his time in Wenchi illustrated his courage. During a period of military rule and food shortages, essential items were being rationed. David went to a store to buy sugar but was told that a soldier had demanded it and that none was available for him. He regarded this as an abuse of power and an injustice. When he confronted the soldier, the encounter escalated, and the soldier slapped him. Refusing to be cowed by the abuse of authority, he slapped the soldier back. Realising he couldn’t bully David into submission, the soldier threatened severe punishment. Witnesses of the incident were pleased that someone had finally found the courage to challenge the soldier’s conduct and there were no further consequences. This made him very popular in Wenchi.

He was a die-hard supporter of Accra Hearts of Oak and would try to watch their games whenever he was in Accra. He subscribed to the team’s newspapers; Rainbow Sports and Hearts News, to keep up with his beloved team, and on weekends, he was glued to his radio for local football commentary. He also channelled this passion into the development of young people and was a coach for some youth teams during his time in Wenchi. He loved music, he had stacks of cassettes and vinyls of James Brown, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Paapa Yankson and others. I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown was one of his favourites. In recent years, he even started listening to enough of Shatta Wale’s music to become a fan. He also enjoyed cooking and keeping journals. He was a man who preserved his thoughts, and took an interest in recording the details of his life. The foundation for this biography was written by him.

Although David was baptised into the Anglican faith, circumstances during his working life meant that he was sometimes posted to places where there was no Anglican church. Because his mother had been a Methodist, he joined the Methodist Church. His Christian faith remained an important part of his life and following retirement, he continued his church involvement and was a founding member of the Gyankama Methodist Church Men’s Fellowship.

Many people will remember David for his full head of grey hair, one of his distinctive features. David had a wonderful sense of humour and was known to tease. He was a gentleman: dignified, principled, and self-assured. He touched everyone around him with his humour, kindness and positive energy.

He passed away at the age of 89 after a brief period of ill health. May his soul rest in eternal peace and his memory comfort those who cherish him.

Yaa wɔ jogbaŋŋ.

A Tribute To My Beloved Husband

I met David in the middle of 1980 when I was posted to Wenchi Farm Institute. His hardworking nature and passion for agriculture, especially taking care of animals, caught my eye immediately. Love your neighbour as yourself was his guiding principle. David was a charming, calm and jovial man with a great sense of humour. He was easygoing and always made people feel welcome.

Our relationship bloomed and we got married in 1985 and our marriage was blessed with four children. Although we had our ups and downs, our union was sustained by firm commitment and we persevered by God’s grace.

By faith and trust in God’s unfailing compassion and guidance we overcame obstacles and raised our children to be responsible young adults. We were later transferred to Asuansi Farm Institute where we lived till retirement.

My dear David, I know you are in a better place now, away from sickness and pain. May God keep you safe till we meet again.

Farewell my beloved.

A Tribute To Our Father

We write this with tear-filled eyes and heavy hearts, but the Lord comforts us daily with thoughts of the life you lived, a life worthy of emulation. We believe above all things that you are in the Lord’s bosom.

Daddy, you were a gentle, loving, caring and peaceful man who believed in living a simple life. You were reserved, humble and content with life’s little blessings. We are proud that we were given the opportunity to call you our father. You loved us deeply and worked hard to take care of us. You were the first to celebrate our milestones. You brought us up in the way of the Lord. You were always willing to lend a helping hand; a father, a friend. You were and are our role model. We believed you could do anything you set your mind to, well, except avoid death.

Dada was a strict disciplinarian. As children, whenever one misbehaved you would hear him say “if you play the fool, mɛ bɔ wo cane denneeeenen”; and that was the cue to stay in line. You made sure that we woke up early and were always on time for school. Before we left for school, you told us to always be the best or with the best. When you visited in school, you made sure to extend your loving discipline to anyone you encountered; pulling up the sagging shorts of other students and making sure their shirts were buttoned. You also made sure we did all our assignments and even invited our friends over to study. To this day, our friends fondly remember the intense drills and spelling sessions you took them through when they came to the house for guava and tangerines.

Only after studies could we play. And without fail we all had to make sure that we had bathed by 6:00 pm.

We couldn’t imagine you getting older; for us you’ve always had a head full of grey hair and you just stayed the same. It was very difficult to see you get sick and age so quickly towards the end. You joked about how weak you were getting and we saw you still determined to show yourself strong. You were strong, Daa, and you kept fighting till the end.

Though death has taken you away from our sight, it can never take away the memories we shared or the lessons you instilled in us. Your love, discipline, and laughter will continue to live on in us.

And so Daa, as you used to say to us after a long day’s work, sufficient unto the day, is the evil thereof. Till we meet again, we love you.

Rest peacefully, Daddy.

A Tribute To Our Grandfather

Dear Grandpa,

We miss you dearly every day. We will always remember the beautiful moments we shared together every time we visited you in Kitase.

We miss the dance sessions, the games we played; football, cards and ludo. We always tried to win but you won every time. You taught us many skills and how to pass the ball. We will miss the biscuits and toffees you shared with us.

Grandpa, you are special, we love you. We thank you for everything you have done for us and we will cherish the memories.

We love you and miss you so much. Grandpa, rest in perfect peace.

Tribute from the Men’s Fellowship, Bethel Society, Gyankama

Words alone would not be enough to express how broken our hearts are to lose a brother and a father. We know that there is a time to be born and a time to die, but only God knows why our brother had to leave us at a time like this when we needed his advice most.

Our late Brother David Nii Addy was among the founding members of the Men’s Fellowship at Bethel Methodist Church, Gyankama. He was among the members who were inaugurated in November, 2022, when the Fellowship came into being. Our Brother’s age and experience made him to be inducted as an Ex-Officio member of the Executives of the Fellowship. He never missed fellowship meetings on Sundays after church service. He contributed meaningfully during deliberations and we will miss his advice. Additionally, he contributed financially whenever there was the need, to the Fellowship.

He devoted his time and energy to the growth of the Fellowship. It is however sad to note that he could not live to witness the 4th Anniversary celebration of the Organization. We, the members of the Fellowship will miss you, Brother David Nii Addy.

May your soul rest in perfect peace.

Brother, For Christ, we live!

Tribute in honour of the late Mr. David Nii Addy by the Bethel Methodist Church, Gyankama

The Bethel Methodist Church family, with profound sorrow yet with unwavering faith in the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ, pays this glowing tribute to our beloved father, brother and fellow labourer in the vineyard, the late Mr. David Nii Addy, who has been called to eternal rest.

Brother Addy joined this Society in 2011, upon his retirement from Civil Service, from Nyamedom Society in the Abakrampa Circuit of the Cape Coast Diocese. From the very day he walked into Bethel, he did not come as a retiree looking for a place to rest; he came as a soldier reporting for duty in another battalion of the Lord’s army.

For over fifteen years of fellowship with us, he proved what it means to serve God without reservation. He was a founding member of the Men’s Fellowship as he stood among the few faithful men who laid the foundation and remained a strong backbone until he could no longer be active due to ill health.

Despite his advanced age, Brother Addy was remarkably active. He was present at all church services – Sunday Divine Service, Weekday activities, and reading Bible lessons at Divine Services. It was upon these services that he was appointed a Leader in the church in 2012. He never used age as an excuse. When many would have stayed at home, he would be seen walking into the chapel premises, Bible in hand, with a smile that encouraged all of us.

He was:
Faithful in Worship - Always punctual and reverent.
Committed to Giving - Faithful in his tithes, dues and contributions.
A Source of Wisdom - His years of experience in Methodism, especially from Nyamedom, enriched our society.
A Father to All - Approachable, humble and ever ready to share a word of encouragement.

To have served the Methodist Church from Nyamedom to Bethel, from active service to retirement, is a testimony of unbroken loyalty to the Methodist heritage. He understood what it means to be a Methodist – to be present and to serve. The history of Bethel Methodist Church for the last 15 years cannot be written without the name – Mr. Addy. His seat may now be vacant, but his footprints of faithfulness remain indelible on the sands of time in this Church.

To the bereaved family, we say – your father lived well. He has left you a good name, a legacy of service, and the sure hope of eternal life. The Church stands with you in this moment.

May the soul of our dear Brother Addy and the souls of all faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in perfect peace. Amen.