By Francis Prince Ankrah, Esq.
Ability will take you to the top, but it takes character to maintain you — Zig Ziglar
Mr. Peter Narh Sappor joined Ada College of Education on September 1, 2000, at a time when the institution was raising its standards to require first-degree holders on its staff. For twenty- two years, until his retirement on December 31, 2022, he served with distinction in the Department of Vocational & Technical Skills Education. His contributions went beyond professional duties; they were acts of devotion that transformed the college’s infrastructure, culture, and ethos.
Staff and students who knew him describe him in a chorus of admiration: empathetic, God- fearing, hardworking, down-to-earth, a team player, industrious, and a prolific writer. For Mr. Sappor, leadership was less about titles and more about responsibility, foresight, and impact. As Head of the Department of Vocational & Technical Skills from 2002 to 2011, he guided the department with vision and rigor, ensuring that technical education was not only taught but lived. His stewardship was marked by discipline, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.
In 2012, he took on the role of Deputy Coordinator for Supported Teaching in School, then known as Teaching Practice. Here, he reshaped the experience of student-teachers, making it not just a requirement but a transformative journey. When fate called him to succeed his late colleague, Mr. Eric Dunu, in 2016, he embraced the role of Substantive Coordinator with humility and dedication, serving until his retirement in 2022. Under his watch, teaching practice became a cornerstone of professional formation, instilling values of responsibility and leadership in every student.
As Patron of PENSA and the Christian Teachers Fellowship (CTF), he elevated the college’s spiritual and professional profile all over Ghana. His own car became the college’s vehicle for monitoring students on internship, a testament to his personal sacrifice. He believed in student leadership, in tutors as mentors, and in professionalism as the cornerstone of education. His mantra was clear: “Tutors are to build, not to destroy.”
Beyond the classroom, he carried the mantle of Project Officer for Housing and Physical Development, overseeing projects that gave the college a new face and a stronger foundation. His stewardship was holistic: he built people, systems, and structures. In every role, he left behind not just results but a legacy of integrity and vision. When those who knew him walk through the grounds of Ada College of Education, they do not merely see walls and buildings; they see the living testimony of Mr. Sappor’s vision and dedication. As Head of Department, he inspired technical students to begin construction of the college’s front-view wall, a project that symbolized both discipline and creativity. His leadership extended far beyond the classroom; he became the architect of progress. He spearheaded the construction of the Assembly Hall extension block, the Principal’s bungalow, the then Jerusalem Hall, the extension of the Redemption–Royals block, and the Odehe block.
Every structure he touched carried his imprint of dutifulness. The bungalows housing the Vice Principal and the Registrar, designed by his own hand, stand as a reminder that his talents were not confined to supervision but extended to artistry and design. A father to all, Mr. Sappor was a counsellor, disciplinarian, and mentor. He paid students’ fees when hardship struck. He supervised those on suspension not to punish, but to reform. He insisted on neatness, even ensuring students kept their beards shaved, teaching that discipline in appearance reflects discipline in character. His firmness was always tempered with compassion. His greatness lay not in the positions he held, but in the service he rendered. His voice still echoes in our halls, his values live in our systems, and his spirit endures in every student who dares to dream.
Today, we salute a man who embodied character, discipline, and faith. His legacy is not only in the structures he built, but in the lives he shaped. While we mourn his departure from this earthly plane, we celebrate the remarkable life and enduring legacy of a man whose name is etched into the very fabric of Ada College of Education. His philosophical quip – “It shall be well” – a phrase that captured his spirit of hope, encouragement, and fatherly care, gives us consolation now that all things work for good for those who love the Lord.
Rest well in the bosom of our Lord, thou good and faithful servant.
