Quashie, Agnes

Birth and Early Life

Agnes Quashie, popularly known as Madam Quashie, was born on May 16, 1948 to the late Police Sergeant R. N. Quashie and the late Obaapain Adwoa Boadiwaa both in Ashanti region of Ghana. Quashie was named after the aunt of her father and thus was called Yaa Tima. The mother had seven children and Agnes was the second of them all. Quashie did not stay at one place in her childhood due to the many transfers her father had as a policeman in the Gold Coast (now Ghana). She spent her early years in places like Kumasi, Tamale and Yendi which are all cities in Ghana.

She had her basic education at the Roman Catholic School at Nsuta Jansa in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Later, her uncle, J. K. Omane, took her to Takoradi where she continued her schooling. After a successful entrance examination, Quashie entered Saint Louis Training College, Kumasi in the year 1965 and completed in 1969. Her first post as a teacher was at Akrowa near Kodie, then to Agona L/A Primary School in 1971. Later, she was posted to SDA Unit in 1983/84 academic year also in Agona. Madam Quashie, as she was affectionately called, taught and headed many schools in Agona of the Ashanti region of Ghana. Her last station as teacher was at Bipoa SDA Junior High School also in the Ashanti region, where she retired in 2008. She affected the lives of the many pupils she taught and excelled in any school she was posted to. Her hard work and excellent services as a teacher were recognized by the Ghana Education Service and in the year 2004 reocgnized her as the best teacher in her district.

As a Mother

Auntie Aggie, as she was called by her children, started motherhood at the tender age of fifteen with her first son, Osei Kofi, in 1963. At Agona she met her lifetime husband Mr. Osei Kwadwo and got married on December 1973. Quashie and her husband were blessed with three children, Yaw Boadi (Lecturer, Valley View University, Techiman Campus), Yaa Gyamfua, Osei Owusu and Akua Hemaa Appiah. Quashie was a real, generous, peaceful, mother who was not vindictive nor showed favoritism. She took care of all manner of children to the detriment of her own comfort. She was selfless and took care of others. She adopted many children in addition to her biological children and took good care of them all without biases. Quashie was gentle and accommodating. She avoided quarrels as much as possible. Though a professional teacher, she worked also as a farmer and produced most of the food items the family ate. She was a baker and a specialized in tea-bread production for sale. She received all her customers and visitors to her home with love and kindness. She wholeheartedly supported her husband who was an author. She read and corrected his written scripts. Her support helped him to publish eight books. Quashie was a problem solver, advisor, prayer warrior, and role model. Her children saw her as a God-given gift to them. She was God fearing, truthful, disciplined, industrious, as well as being an initiator and an educator. She never failed to instill these values in her children.

Her Baptism and Her Church Role

Quashie was baptized by Pastor G. E. Apau into the SDA church at Agona on December 12, 1981. She was a staunch Adventist, took leadership roles in the church and did a lot for the church. She worked as a church secretary, Sabbath school superintendent, women’s ministry and Dorcas society leader. As a leader of the education committee of her church, she encouraged the youth to take their education very seriously. Her advice on education was recognized and accepted by her church. She was a woman of humility and dignity. Quashie was selfless and open to all who came her way. Her Christ-like attitude and character won over many of the people who stayed with her and they joined the Seventh-day Adventist church.

After a short illness, Quashie gave up the ghost on December 12, 2014 at the age of sixty-six. Family and friends prayed for her healing, but God’s will prevailed. Quashie a philanthropic and selfless Christian mother, laid her life down for her children, and adopted children and pupils. Her faithful to her husband for forty-one years in marriage, her smile and warm welcome to her visitors at her home deserves applause. The husband, children, in-laws and her church saw her as irreplaceable. This charitable and bighearted woman will forever be remembered.

Kenneth Oppong

Notes

Program for burial, memorial and thanksgiving service for the late Madam Agnes Quashie. Held on Thursday, February 5, Agona Ashanti Newtown SDA Church. The author attended the funeral service.

Mr. Yaw Boadu, Son. Interview by author, December 21, 2016, at Valley View University, Techiman Campus at his home on Wednesday, December 21, 2016.

This article, submitted in December 2016, was researched and written by Kenneth Oppong, a Teaching Assistant and an Assistant Chaplain at Valley View University, Techiman Campus, under the supervision of Assoc. Professor Abiodun A. Adesegun, Ph.D while a Masters student (in Biblical and Theological Studies–Church History) at Adventist University of Africa, Kenya.