Dutch out. That’s ouch!

Healing the Healer: Ethics, Resilience, and Professionalism in Modern Medical Practice

Incorruptible Leadership is Possible

Of Ranks and Respect, Titles and Towels, Military and Medicine

To be in military service—Army (land), Air Force (sky), Navy (sea)—is no small thing. Of whatever nation. And to progress in rank is not a given. I know this for a fact as a young military enthusiast who began his medical career as a Civilian Employee of Ghana’s Ministry of Defence at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra. In my third year there, I would end up with an unforeseen honorary rank as Captain after a special duties course to be able to serve as the lead physician at the United Nations Level II Hospital in Bouaké that the Ghana Armed Forces was responsible for as part of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire. Those were the dark days of the Ivorian civil war, in the mid 2000s.

At this time of unfortunate military malfunction—understandably resulting in all sorts of aspersions and conspiracy theories—it is worth putting on record that while the Ghana Armed Forces may not be the most powerful or most sophisticated military globally, they are highly regarded for their professionalism, discipline, and contributions to regional and global peacekeeping, especially United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Anyone who knows me well can testify that I’m not so much into titles but very much into towels (humble service, servant leadership). However, I have witnessed photos and reports of Ghana’s trending tragic eight-person helicopter deaths by civilians who don’t joke with their Prof/Dr/Rev/Alhaji/Ing etc. titles yet totally disregarding the hard-earned ranks of the three departed members of our Ghana Armed Forces. I want to believe it is out of sheer ignorance or carelessness and not intentional spite, for most people—I’ve come to believe in life—will do better when they know better. So here’s to doing better:

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS RANKS

First of all, all military folk are either commissioned officers (with their ranks on top of their shoulders) or non-commissioned (with their ranks—jokingly called ‘chicken legs’—on the sides of their biceps). The usual parlance that distinguishes the two categories is “Officers and Men” or “Officers and Other Ranks” although in the strictest sense both categories are officers, one commissioned and the latter non-commissioned.

The said Wednesday August 6, 2025 helicopter disaster involved two Commissioned Officers (Squadron Leader Peter Anala and Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu) plus one Other Rank (Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah). With the Other Ranks, on passing out from the Training Centre the recruit starts as a Private in the Army (or Aircraftsman I and Aircraftsman II in the Airforce). 

Progression from Private (Aircraftsman) is to Lance-Corporal (Leading Aircraftsman) then Corporal (same in Airforce) to Sergeant (also same) and then Staff Sergeant (Flight Sergeant) before finally Warrant Officer Class Two (same) and Warrant Officer Class One (same). Beyond that may be Senior Warrant Officer II, Senior Warrant Officer I, Master [Air] Warrant Officer and Chief Warrant Officer. This implies that the Sergeant level was the late Sgt. Ernest Addo Mensah’s fourth rank (or even fifth, if you consider that the Airforce has two levels of the Private rank) since enlisting in the Ghana Armed Forces. He was actually a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer at that rank. Respect!, throw a salute!

Military Ranks of Non-Commissioned Officers (‘Other Ranks’’) of the Ghana Armed Forces

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS RANKS

As for the Officers, the inadvertent rank disrespect I’ve witnessed by these ‘idle civilians’ (as soldiers tongue-in-cheek call non-military citizens) tends to be the case because the Air Force ranks are less commonly known to the ordinary man and apparently don’t carry the same level of gravitas as their army equivalent. In today’s parlance, they’re not as ‘sexy.’ In my opinion, quite frankly the Navy Officers’ ranks are even worse. 

I still keep my captain shoulder straps or epaulets in my carry-on luggage for sentimental reasons 

On commission, after meeting all the requirements over a period of study, the trainee (Officer Cadet) becomes a Second-Lieutenant in the Army, or the equivalent of Pilot Officer in the Air Force or Acting Sub-Lieutenant in the Navy. So here’s what we’ll do: let’s list the Commissioned Army Officers levels along with their Air Force equivalent in brackets: Second Lieutenant (Pilot Officer) to Lieutenant (Flying Officer) then Captain (Flight Lieutenant) to Major (Squadron Leader) and then Lieutenant Colonel (Wing Commander) before Colonel (Group Captain) and finally Brigadier-General, One Star (Air Commodore) to Major-General, Two-Star (Air Vice-Marshal) to Lieutenant-General, Three-Star (Air Marshal) to General-of-the-Army, Four-Star (Air Chief Marshal) and finally Field Marshal.

Infographic on Ghana Armed Forces Ranks Structure Source in the ‘Daily Graphic’ 

What this means is that the late Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu was a junior Commissioned Officer and Squadron Leader Peter Anala a senior one. This was Ampadu’s second rank since his commissioning and was one step away from Flight Lieutenant (or Captain equivalent, in the Army). Anala on the other hand was a Senior Officer on his fourth pedestal (Major equivalent in the Army), a step ahead of Flight Lieutenant/Captain. After Captain/Flight Lieutenant, the officer moves into the Senior officer zone after promotional examinations taken along the line for advancement or otherwise. According to Brigadier-General (Rtd.) Dan Frimpong, “Subject to passing Promotion Examinations, it takes six years to become a Captain, and an additional five years to become a Major (eleven years in all).” For perspective, he adds, “It took me twenty-six (26) years to become a Colonel.” 

Military Ranks of Commissioned Officers of the Ghana Armed Forces

THE MEDICAL & MILITARY IRONY OF HON. BOAMAH AND MYSELF

Interestingly, Hon. Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Ghana’s deceased Minister of Defence who was on the fatal flight, and I both did our medical housemanship at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra. We had been mates at the University of Ghana Medical School since our admission in 1999 and shared some adventures together which I’ll bring forth in a different write-up. 

When I got news that he had been nominated by H.E. President John Dramani Mahama as Ghana’s new Minister of Defence (later to be approved by Parliament on January 30), I sent him a January 22 WhatsApp message to which he cheerfully responded as follows:

Me: Defence!! Congratulations
Omane: Thanks Yaw
Me: Back to 37
Omane: Yes oooo… How life throws you back sometimes but in a different way.

The once-upon-a-time Civilian Employee of the Ministry of Defence had returned to lead the entire ministry. In my books, leading means being response-able, influencing and serving people towards a shared, noble purpose. Who would’ve thought that Dr. Boamah’s figurative “how life throws you…sometimes but in a different way” comment about his return to serve our military was also prophetic as the Z9 military helicopter he would be travelling barely 6-7 months later would literally throw him, down into a hellish death. May my brother, classmate, adventure partner in politics and publishing, medical colleague, fellow Civilian Employee, friend and Minister of Defence rest in peace together with the serving military officers and leading civilians he was en route with.

CONCLUSION

I started off this article as a purely educational one for those who needed a better appreciation of the world of military ranks. It has inadvertently ended in a tribute to the fallen, especially to my medico-military mate. No matter one’s station in life or rank in their profession, note that what makes us is not titles but service, including what good contributions to humanity we make with titles when they’re bestowed on us. Real leaders are not so much into titles as they are into towels (humble service and influence, servant leadership), be they civilians or servicemen, officers or other ranks, juniors or seniors, medic or military mates. 

Leadership is service, leadership is sacrifice; sometimes, the ultimate sacrifice (death). May the untimely, ultimate sacrifice of the eight fallen remind us that true leadership is not about us but for others, including some we might never see like generations unborn. May their dedication inspire us to lead with passionate vision, courage and selflessness.

REFERENCES

Frimpong, Dan. ‘The Ghana Military Rank Structure.’ Daily Graphic of July 2, 2023 https://www.graphic.com.gh/features/opinion/the-military-rank-structure.html 

Naadi, Thomas, Danai Nesta Kupemba & Khanyisile Ngcobo. “Ghana investigators find ‘black boxes’ of helicopter that crashed and killed two ministers.” BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq68911m1d5o  

Wikipedia. Ghana Air Force.’ Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana_Air_Force 

Wikipedia. Ghana Air Force.’ Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana_Army 

When Magic Happens in Strategic Management

“I had the incredible honor of being in the room where the magic happened: the Department of Child Health 2 day retreat held at the West Africa Genetic Medicine Centre, Legon (12-13 June 2025) powered by Perbi Executive Leadership Education (PELE).” That is how Dr. Adwoa Afrane (neè Darko), senior lecturer and senior specialist paediatrician at the University of Ghana Medical School and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital respectively, began her powerful testimonial on LinkedIn. Everyone experienced the magic that happened but not everyone has the gift of lingua to capture it the way the good doc did.

You see, the daring Department of Child Health leaders from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the University of Ghana Medical School had a basketful of desired outcomes from our two days together. The final of them was “enhanced ownership and team cohesion.” Ours at Perbi Executive Leadership Education – PELÉ was to identify the approaches that would transform these brilliant individuals into a formidable team, and then transcend all the goodness of a team to the point of becoming a real transformative community.

Do you see a specialist doctor tightly hugging a specialist nurse (in the picture above)? Could anyone miss the palpable elation of the Professor of Paediatrics and Head of Department in the photo? By the end of our time together, needless to say, the desired outcome had been ‘blown out of the water!’ Again, here’s how Dr. Afrane captured that moment in a WhatsApp group for all the leaders in this Strategic Management process: “In these moments of spontaneous joy, we witness something profound: the transformation of individual achievement into collective momentum. The enthusiasm and pride displayed by teammates creates an upward spiral of motivation, where success breeds more success and each person’s growth contributes to the team’s overall strength and resilience.”

Speaking of each person’s growth, the following are seven “personal treasures” the good children’s doctor herself mined from the retreat, all of which she shared in her June 18, 2025 LinkedIn post, and all of which I can immediately tell which aspects of our PELÉ facilitation process sparked::

1. 💭 Vision isn’t what your eyes see—it’s what your heart believes is possible. While others see obstacles, visionaries see the path forward. Your mind’s eye is your greatest asset—nurture it, trust it, dream with it.
2. 🌙 Your moonshot isn’t just a goal—it’s your dare to the universe. What dream keeps you awake at night? What vision makes your heart race? That’s not just ambition—that’s your calling knocking at the door.
3. ⚡ The right question can change everything—that moment when the perfect question unlocks the door you didn’t even know existed? That’s where breakthroughs live.
4. 💪 Involvement feels safe. Commitment feels terrifying—and that’s exactly why it matters. When you’re truly committed, failure isn’t an option—it’s just feedback. The magic happens when you decide there’s no turning back and create your own path forward.
5. 💔 Integrity isn’t just a value—it’s the foundation of who you are. Every broken promise chips away at your soul. Every kept commitment builds the person you’re meant to become. Your word isn’t just your bond—it’s your legacy.
6. 🎉 Individual achievement becomes collective momentum for a team. When teammates celebrate each other’s wins, something beautiful happens—success becomes contagious. Each person’s growth lifts the entire team, creating an unstoppable upward spiral where excellence multiplies.
7. 🙏 When you serve something bigger than yourself, you discover who you truly are. The most fulfilling moments in life come when we pour ourselves out for others. Purpose isn’t found—it’s lived through service.

Perbi Executive is thankful for the opportunity to come alongside this powerful group of dare-dreamers led by their Darer-in-Chief and Head of Department, Prof. Catherine Segbefia and ably catalyzed by the Committee Chair for this Strategic Management process, Dr. William Obeng. Our hope is that the strengthened relationships and collective ownership of the department’s future direction, and continually improved dialogue and participatory decision-making will inure to the ultimate benefit of every child who comes their way. After all, their newly-minted Vision Statement from the two-day Strategic Management retreat is, “A world-class health centre where every child smiles.”

Off to a Great Start: The Ignition by PELÉ at Nexans KabelMetal Ghana

Entrepreneurship is a mighty force to unlock prosperity for #nations but let’s face it: it isn’t the the majority of any population that will be entrepreneurs, let alone very successful entrepreneurs at that. However, everyone can—and must—be entrepreneurial!

If African companies are going to unleash the full potential of their workforce then a new paradigm of serious intrapreneurship characterised by employee responsibility, risk-taking, ownership and innovation must be the new normal. After all, those qualities are the essence of an entrepreneurial mindset, attitude and work ethic and so it is with intrapreneurs—they are employees who think and act like entrepreneurs.

That’s how The IGNITION went down at Nexans Ghana KabelMetal Ltd. in the industrial city of Tema of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana last Monday, June 9, 2025. The Ignition is a highly commendable innovative, positive mindset-shifting series the new CEO of this multinational company, Alex Quarcoopome, with the able support of his HR team is rolling out this year, powered by Perbi Executive Leadership Education (PELÉ).

It was mutually agreed that PELÈ focuses this first instalment on intrapreneurship. The back-and-forth planning for six months between both companies finally resulted in Q2 action, after the untimely demise of a key staff at Nexans in Q1 threw our initial plan out of gear. At the first workshop in the series, by the time Management and Staff alike had had their behaviours unraveled through a deep mining into undergirding values, beliefs and worldviews, everyone was ready to have a new metaperformance software installed in their lives and leadership. And boy did they download it all!
It was heartwarming to hear the concluding “I WILL…” take away statements by various staff and leadership before we parted ways. Those powerful conclusions and resolutions really proved this has been the workshop we had anticipated, not the usual talkshop.

We are convinced of Alex and his team mean real business because this is not a one-off to tick the box. This is designed as a year-long process with such quarterly town hall type ignitions quarterly as well as small group engagements in between.

Prior to The IGNITION, our PELÉ Business Development Manager and our CEO took a tour of the Nexans plant and boy are they making some serious input in Ghana and Africa’s industrialisation agenda! Impressive! We are über hopeful that shutting down the entire plant for all 120 staff to show up and be rewired and reignited will prove a most worthy investment!

“WANTED: INTRAPRENEURS” is one of PELÈ’s most impactful flagship workshops for entire Management and Staff of organisations. Progressive companies like Telecel Ghana and others have been spurred on by it. You and yours may sign up too. The country and continent can be changed and prosper through this paradigm-shifting, attitude-altering workshop; one company at a time.

Reindorf Baah Perbi | Professionalism and Integrity Exemplified

INTRODUCTION

This instalment in the 50 Inspiring Living Leaders series had to be completed by the end of April 2025 to coincide with the seventy-fifth birthday of an African colossus in the finance world, Reindorf Kofi Baah Perbi. In the interest of full disclosure, this retired deputy Senior Partner of one of the ‘big four’ global accounting firms in Ghana, KPMG, is my own biological father. If it is true that “Success is having people who know you best, love and respect you the most,” then I dare say this is a success story. 

‘RBP’ or ‘Uncle Perbs’, as he is affectionately called, is a Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants globally as well as a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana locally. Because of the integrity with which Reindorf Perbi has lived and led as a finance professional with significant impact in several spheres of life over the last seven decades, his progenies have been honoured to put the name “Perbi” on their family charity (Perbi Family Foundation), executive leadership education consultancy (Perbi Executive Leadership Education–PELÉ), media company (Perbi Paradigms) and on their education technology establishment that has served nearly 20,000 children across the length and breadth of Ghana, Perbi Cubs.

GROWTH

Born Aloft

In the year 1950 in the Gold Coast—as colonial Ghana was called—when the shriek of a baby boy pierced the quiet, dew-saturated and cold morning in April atop the Akuapem mountains of the eastern regions of this British territory, little did the indigenes of Mampong know what sort of Ɔdehye (royal) had been born. It was a Friday, and he was appropriately called “Kofi,” the Akan name given to such Friday-born boys, like Kofi Annan, the late United Nations Secretary-General, who was also an April-born; only a dozen years earlier and in the Asante capital of Kumasi. 

Kofi would later be formally christened Reindorf Baah Perbi by his Methodist goldsmith and bar-owner father, Robert Kofi Perbi, and his farmer-mother Florence Asamoabea. ‘Baah’ because he was named after his paternal grandfather who bore that name. His given German name, Reindorf, is said to have been taken from a certain ‘Doctor Reindorf’ whose name (and maybe deeds?) the baby’s father apparently fancied a lot. He was the third of eight children, all from the same pair of biological parents except for the eldest who was of a different mother.

Early Education

Reindorf Baah Perbi attended the local Presbyterian primary school until he qualified for Adisadel College in Cape Coast, an all-boys secondary school established by the Anglicans in 1910, four clear decades before the young Perbi was born. In those days, that was quite a trek from the Eastern to the Central Region of newly-liberated Ghana.

Neat, orderly and principled, Reindorf won the affection of his friends and teachers alike. It was at Adisadel that Reindorf sat for both his Ordinary and Advanced Level certificate examinations. He became Head Prefect in 1969. The Chapel Prefect in that leadership cohort, Sir Sam Jonah, would later become a lifelong friend and CEO of Ashanti Goldfields, listing it on the New York Stock Exchange.

Reindorf’s maternal uncle took particular notice of his potential and would invite him to spend his vacations with him wherever he was stationed in the country as a bookshop manager of the Methodist Book Depot. R.B. got admitted to study Mathematics in Sixth Form and at the University of Ghana, Legon, a move that took him off his innate desire to pursue Medicine. He had also developed a passion to be a teacher, and he surmised any degree would qualify him. Later, he would get to vicariously live the doctor dream through his firstborn son, Dr. Yaw Perbi.

Due to unforeseen difficulties with the Mathematics course at Legon, Reindorf later had to backpedal from that and head to the School of Administration to pursue accounting. That would turn out to be his true calling—for the rest of his life.

Cementing the Calling

After graduating from the University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Admin., R.B. would later deepen his professional credentials by qualifying as a chartered accountant (ACCA) and put the icing of a number of certificates and diplomas: Post-graduate Diploma in Industrial Management (Finance) from the Research Institute for Management Science, Delft, in the Netherlands; Accounting Software Systems (Notely Cahill Systems, Ireland); Management Development (Centre for Management Development, Lagos Nigeria); Leadership Training (Haggai Institute for Advanced Leadership Training, Singapore); Plant Based Nutrition (T. Colin Campbell Foundation, Cornell University, USA); KPMG Partners Development Program (Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa); and a Regional Course on US Government Auditing.

Spiritual Formation and Fervency

Although the Akuapem region is dominated by the Presbyterians—thanks to the Basel missionaries incredible work of evangelizing the mountains and settling there due to the coolness of the weather and minimal mosquito presence that the high altitude blessed it with—this particular Perbi family in Mampong was Methodist in persuasion. So here was Reindorf, born Methodist, elementary-schooled Presbyterian and secondary-schooled Anglican. How ecumenical!

Reindorf’s father was an active member of the local Methodist church, and especially active in the Singing Band. He was a nominal Christian though as evidenced in his running a brisk beer bar  business (drinking spot). During his secondary school days, Kofi Baah trekked all the way to Tamale in Northern Ghana as a 15-year old to a Scripture Union vacation camp where he had a special spiritual encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ that would change his life forever. With evangelistic fervor, he would begin to challenge and change things in his family and later marry a lady who had had a similar high school spiritual encounter through the same ministry of Scripture Union. R.B. would later become the President of the University Christian Fellowship with his would-be wife as President of the fellowship’s branch in her campus hostel of residence, Volta Hall.

Cutting His Teeth in the World of Work

Reindorf’s first job out of university was his National Service at the Accra Polytechnic from 1973 to 1974 where he undertook teaching and researching for a Technical Education Books Project. Then for the next three years (1974-1977), he worked in accounting at Peat Marwick Cassleton Elliot & Co. (what would later evolve into KPMG) as a Trainee Accountant responsible for performing audits and internal control reviews for several client firms.

From those humble beginnings, R.B. rose to become Chief Accountant at the Social Security Bank Ltd. (now Societé Generale) from 1977 to 1985, with accounting and treasury functions, financial administration of the bank involving managing the production of periodic reports for management information, as well as for the Board and annually for shareholders, serving on Finance and House Committees. He was  directly in charge of the Accounts Department, Stores and Warehouse and Procurement; assisting in evaluating applications for medium and long term financing. This would land him in the most epic of professional and national crises.

SUCCESS

A Test of Tests in Integrity

Speaking of RBP as ‘Integrity Exemplified’ always takes one back to a Social Security Bank (SSB) experience where as Chief Accountant some of his staff misconducted themselves, including forging his signature on several payment vouchers to defraud the bank. One of the conspirators was a businessman. When the truth finally surfaced, they were convicted and sentenced to death by a Tribunal. Shortly after, they were killed by firing squad in 1985.

Integrity pays, even to the extent of saving one from the jaws of death itself! In appreciation of Dad’s exemplary integrity about eight years ago, I penned and published the following around Father’s Day 2017: 

“If there ever was a man of integrity I could vouch for it is my father: Reindorf Kofi Baah Perbi. In fact, even way back in the 1980s during his days as Chief Accountant at the then Social Security Bank (now SG-SSB), when his signature was forged and monies stolen it was his integrity that saved him. Everyone vouched for him: “Chief would never do such a thing,” they convincingly told the authorities.

“Those were the heady days of revolution and military rule in Ghana so he had even received a pre-judicial slap or two already when he was picked up by soldiers and sent to Gondar Barracks. After several weeks of tribunal hearings (and I remember us going to fetch him from tribunal hearings after we had been picked up from Ridge Church School), eventually, the perpetrators were found, tried and shot via firing squad. It was no joke. One of them, I believe, is still on the run—he must be still running now or dead from running.”

Illustrious Career at KPMG

Reindorf Perbi rose to become Deputy Senior Partner of KPMG Ghana, having been admitted as a partner in 1988. Previously Head of Audit for many years during which he was Engagement Partner for a number of KPMG clients (some of which will soon be listed) but in his last years he was in charge of Quality & Risk Management, and HR & Training. 

In 2003, he was appointed Head of Assurance for KPMG West Africa cluster and represented the region in many KPMG Africa meetings. In a previous capacity as Partner in charge of Advisory Services with KPMG Ghana, he was involved in a number of assignments in the parastatal sector, including:

• Conducting financial information study for Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (funded by the World Bank),
• Team member in charge of finance for USAID funded Government of Ghana Primary Education Project (PREP) which was to grant funding as well as to assess capacity of the Ministry of Education in managing funds,
• Assisting in organisational restructuring and design of accounting manual and management information systems,
• Advising, as Liaison Partner, on the design, development, selection and implementation of a computer-based mortgage accounting system.

Diverse Industries, Same Integrity

A survey of RB’s consulting and auditing experience reveals a wide range of industries—petroleum, mining, financial, manufacturing, service, construction, transportation (including shipping), telecommunications—touching on public and private sectors alike. Taking Government, for example, he was the Co-ordinating financial consultant for Stabex 1991, Urban II & III, and Small Holder Rehabilitation Project (IFAD funded) for the Ministry of Agriculture as well as Finance consultant for USAID-funded Ministry of Education Primary Education Project (PREP). He was responsible for providing overall quality, reviewing of financial statements and management letters and authorising the release of the audit report of the Local Government Development Project (Urban III). Then there was the financial audit of the Urban Transport Project. Also a key Ministry of Health project.

Regarding the private sector, Reindorf was the Engagement Partner for Shell Ghana Limited, Total Petroleum Ghana Limited and previously Mobil Oil Ghana Limited. In fact, for thirteen years (1994-2007) he led the strategy, planning and supervising of field work plus preparation, supervision and review of financial statements and reports. This was for the separate companies till their merger in October 2006. RB also served for three (3) years as Energy & Natural Resources liaison partner for KPMG West Africa in the Africa region. He audited companies involved in the provision of mining services as well as gold prospecting. 

Reindorf Perbi’s audits of financial institutions have included big names like Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited, Ghana Venture Capital Fund Limited, CAL Bank, State Insurance Company, GT Bank Ghana, and Bank of Ghana. Regarding the latter, this was an eight-year period (2001-2009) of being the Engagement Partner for the audit of the Central Bank of Ghana, checking the checker. RB’s audit of other miscellaneous companies included those in the manufacture and sale of cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, and hardware, various companies in telecommunication and shipping and private-public ventures including audit of a company involved in Ghana’s National Electrification Project.

Global Trust, Local Thrust

Of particular intrigue is the fact that a significant number of projects of global funding partners like USAID, International Development Agency, the European Union and the World Bank being implemented locally would have Reindorf Perbi as the lead engagement partner. And by local I mean in Ghana or even within the West African sub-region. Some of RB’s financial audits of the European Union, European Development Fund and European Economic Commission have been CSSVD Phase 1 of Stabex, Ministry of Health support programme (CHIM Project no. 8 ACP GH03, 2003), Ghana Audit Service (Project no. 8 ACP GH02 in 1998 and 8 ACP TPS in 2003), setting the strategy, planning and supervising field work, preparation and review of reports.

The Ghana Living Standards Survey 4 was a joint European Commission-World Bank Project (No. 7 ACP Gh 035-35, 2001) that Reindorf Perbi was financial auditor of as KPMG’s engagement partner. R.B. was the concurrent partner who ensured that all matters relating to reporting consideration were taken into account regarding the financial audit of Pan-African Institute for Development (PAID).  He reviewed the working papers and reports submitted by the field staff, ensured that all quality control considerations were met and led discussions and presentations of our reports. This was a project in Burkina Faso, financed by the Netherlands Government, which involved checking compliance of project expenditures with approved budget, accounting of all revenues and reporting on the same.

Family Matters

With all these gargantuan projects under his watch, RB managed to form a flourishing family. In fact, he had strategized with his wife for her to take a seasonal and less time-demanding professional route in order that they might fend well for the children.

R.B. married the first child of the celebrated ethnomusicologist Emeritus Professor J.H. Kwabena Nketia, Akosua Adoma, at the University of Ghana in 1977. She would end up as a professor of history at the same University and between them have four (4) children–two boys and two girls: Dr. Yaw Perbi (The HuD Group, Kwiverr, Lausanne Movement), Mrs. Amma Eleblu (PriceWaterhouseCoopers), Adwoa Konadu Perbi (Gates Foundation) and Nana Nketia Perbi (Stanbic Bank Ghana). At the time of writing, R.B. and Akosua had 11 grandchildren.

SIGNIFICANCE

On Saving a Nation

All of Reindorf Perbi’s professional gravitas would come to bear on saving his nation Ghana from political mayhem when the Supreme Court hearing the 2012 election petition challenging the legitimacy of declaring President John Dramani Mahama as President settled on KPMG “as referees in counting pink sheets exhibits produced before the court as evidence of alleged irregularities in the December 2012 presidential elections.” The court, presided over by Justice William Atuguba on May 9, 2013, “took the decision after the exact number of pink sheets exhibits had become a dispute between the petitioners and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a respondent in the case.” The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, and the Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey had alleged that gross and widespread irregularities took place on the face of the pink sheets from 11,842 polling stations.

The hearing of the substantive petition began on April 17, 2013 and had been muddied by inconsistency of the vital electoral documents that are signed on the ground, at polling stations, by representatives of the various political parties. This was a serious and sensitive matter that some had even described as a “Pink Sheet “War.”” As deputy senior partner of KPMG at the time many like me had no doubt that the nation as a whole and the process itself was in safe hands knowing the calibre of a professional Mr. Perbi was and the depth of character he and the KPMG brand he had helped grow from the late 1970s and then the mid 1980s possessed. And we were not disappointed.

Led by the senior partner, Mr. Joe Winful, KPMG presented 15 copies of their final report to the registrar of the Supreme Court by 9am on June 24, 2013. As Mr. Winful intimated on behalf of KPMG, “We worked thoroughly and tirelessly, including weekends and sometimes up to 2 a.m., in order to finish the work on time.” He emphasized how “We have done our professional work diligently and are prepared to defend our work when called to testify in the case.” The character, competence and care of RB and co. no doubt contributed to the salvation of the nation.

Education as Bedrock

Reindorf Perbi is not only the proud product of solid education but a prime promoter of it, from sponsoring his own external family to broader initiatives in his hometown of Mampong, Akuapem. This belief in education has seen him volunteer to serve on the boards of significant educational establishments in Ghana like Achimota School and Akosombo International School as well as a five-year tenure on the University of Ghana Council. There are times when he has stepped in the classroom himself, whether in teaching Leadership and Management at Haggai Institute or as a former part-time tutor in accountancy at the University of Professional Studies and Government Accountancy School, Asylum Down, Accra.

Awards

Mr. Reindorf Baah Perbi’s illustrious work has not gone unnoticed. He has been the recipient of several awards, spanning his school days to this post-retirement era. As a budding leader myself, I remember being so inspired by the citation in the book cover of a copy of Spiritual Leadership that I chanced upon in his vast library. That citation acknowledged his excellence in leadership of the University Christian Fellowship of the Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students (GHAFES) as its president in the early 1970s. He has also had the privilege of being a former honorary auditor of Scripture Union Ghana.

Not too long ago, the International Needs Ghana board presented the Ray Harrison Distinguished Service Award to Reindorf. He was board chair in 1988 during those crucial days when International Needs ventured into the Trokosi system to rescue young women from the claws of a system of shrine slavery. You may read more about that here. This campaign gained attention all over the world.

Also, many who didn’t know that the farming genes from his parents weren’t as suppressed as they thought were caught by surprise when in 2009 RB won the Best Cattle Farmer in Wetsonya, Eastern Region of Ghana at the National Farmers Day awards. He is a Lifelong Fellow of the Oxford Club, USA.

Membership of Boards

The following are some boards and councils that Mr. Perbi has served on, and in some cases chaired:

• Institute for Christian Impact (chair of the board until recently)
• Guaranty Trust Bank (Ghana) Limited board  (2017-to August 2018)
• University of Ghana Council (2017 – 2021)
• KPMG West Africa board (2005-2007)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana) ICA(G) council
• Ghana-Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (GNCBB)
• International Needs (Ghana) board (1985 – 2000), board chair
• International Needs Network (New Zealand) (2006 – 2012), as External International Board member and Treasurer
• Adisadel College Endowment Fund (Vice-chairman)
• Legon Interdenominational Church (LIC), Council of Elders
• Haggai Institute Alumni Association of Ghana (board chair)
• Senior Advisory Committee for Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students (GHAFES), Chair
• Nketia Music Foundation, Chair
• Genius Youth Club, Patron

Publications and Presentations

Reindorf is a powerful presenter and prolific writer in both his personal and professional capacity. This can be traced back to his student days in both the second and third cycles. In the first dozen years of his work life, one of his moments of shining was as a Rapporteur-General during the Association of Accountancy Bodies of West Africa (ABWA) maiden conference in Abeokuta Nigeria (1986). He still prides in his “The Accountant and the Control of Corruption” article in The Professional Accountant, a magazine of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG) two decades ago (2005). To two key audiences–Ghana’s Minister of Finance as well as the Council of ICAG–he presented a key paper that year after on “The Need for Change in Government of Ghana Financial Year.” That same year was his lecture on “The Professional Accountant and the Public Interest” to the Joint Professional Bodies Association Continuing Professional Development.

RB has presented umpteen times as a member faculty for Leadership & Management workshops and training of Haggai Institute Alumni Association of Ghana and is a contributor to the LIC Magazine, the publication of the Legon Interdenominational Church (at the University of Ghana) where he’s been worshipping for the last thirty plus years. He on occasion preaches there, and in other churches, as well.

Twice, Mr. Perbi has been a speaker at the HORASIS Global Conference (2018 and 2019). RB has visited/attended meetings and conferences/ training in 39 countries in Africa, Europe, U.S.A, Canada, South America, Asia and the Middle East.

Retirement? Not Really.

After a cumulative thirty-two (32) years at KPMG (1974-1977; 1986-2015) Reindorf Kofi Baah Perbi retired as Deputy Senior Partner of KPMG Ghana in April 2015, where he had provided direct  assistance in managing the Ghana Practice, as well as been the Partner in charge of Quality and Risk Management, Ethics & Independence, and Human Resource. He had earlier been leading Management Consulting, Audit, Receivership & Liquidations and Special Engagements. RBP served as a member of KPMG’s Executive Board for West Africa also, a key role that would take him to various countries in the sub-region like Sierra leone, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, 

At his retirement, it was humbling to hear how many of his Accounting, Management Consulting, and Audit colleagues honoured him for this one thing: integrity. I sat at those banquets (yes, there was more than one! Lol!) soliloquising, “I want that. When all is said and done, that’s the kind of man I want to be!” Mr. Perbi is in what I would call “active retirement” as he, among other things, serves as a very involved Executive Chairman of CEDARS Investments Ltd., which he founded in ? and is a recent director of the Adansi Rural Bank Plc. He often travels out of Accra on various adventures within the country.

Governor-in-Chief and Advisor-in-Chief

‘Chief’ is a nickname his contemporaries from Adisadel College have for RB (we’ll save that story for another day). With all the amazing life and leadership experiences underneath his belt, including equipped with in-depth knowledge in Governance, Petroleum, Mining, Manufacturing, Financial and Construction sectors, it is no wonder that a year after retirement, Guaranty Trust Bank (Ghana) appointed him to their board as Independent Non-Executive Director, describing him as “a seasoned accountant and investment consultant.” Reindorf’s five-year membership of the ACCA Global Forum, for Risk & Governance, spanned his pre and post-retirement periods  (2012 – to 2017).

RB has served as Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana) and on several governance and advisory boards. As Consultant/Head Reviewer of the Quality Assurance and Monitoring Unit, Mr. Reindorf B. Perbi ended his consultancy tenure with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana as lead reviewer in 2021, after a fruitful three-year period spanning December 2018 to December 2021. RB has served as a member of the University of Ghana Council, sometimes presiding over and dissolving the sessions of the Congregation/Graduation, sitting in for the Chancellor Kofi Annan (2008-2018) or Mary Chinery-Hesse (2018-present).

PELÉ

Mr. Reindorf Baah Perbi serves as an audit and governance consultant at PELÉ where authentic and customised relationships and resources are offered to C-level executives to grow personally, succeed professionally, and become significant societally. We just could not resist  leveraging his immense experience and expertise to help many others to be and do the same–and more.

CONCLUSION

Here is an inspiring global leader who represents many unsung heroes. Whether as a Chartered Accountant or Management Consultant, Reindorf Kofi Baah Perbi has been and/or orchestrated the financial and managerial backbone of many companies to ensure shareholder value without fanfare and with hardly any online presence. RB has led a quiet and peaceable life, retained faithfully his wife and family and as in his corporate life, has been the trellis that has held up all sorts of vines to flourish.

Reindorf has wealth that we know is earned and a name that is even better than riches, giving his descendants the pride to carry the name and the courage to place it on various commercial as well as social ventures. The name has opened many doors. If integrity had a face, it would be that of R.B. Perbi, an African colossus in finance and a poster child of integrity. And we who know him best, love and respect him most. That, is success. 

Post Script: At his seventy-fifth birthday dinner in Accra on 28th April 2025, RBP was pleasantly surprised by the dual launch of the Perbi Family Foundation (finally formalising the immense philanthropy of the family locally and globally) and of his full autobiography project to be published by the end of 2025, DV.

ENDNOTES

1. John C. Maxwell 
2. Yaw Perbi. “I Don’t Care How Good You Are–If You’re Not a ‘Walkie Talkiie’. www.yawperbi.com https://yawperbi.com/dont-care-good-2if-youre-not-walkie-talkie/
3.  Ibid.
4.  Ivy Benson. “Ghana: Supreme Court Contracts KPMG.“ All Africa. 10 May 2013. https://allafrica.com/stories/201305101597.html
5.  Ibid
6. Samuel K. Obour. “KPMG report ready.” Graphic Online. June 24, 2013. https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/kpmg-report-ready.html
7. My Joy Online. “KPMG done auditing pink sheets.” MyJoyOnline.Com. June 1, 2013. https://www.myjoyonline.com/kpmg-done-auditing-pink-sheets/
8. Samuel K. Obour. “KPMG report ready.” Graphic Online. June 24, 2013. https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/kpmg-report-ready.html
9. Ibid.
10. Ghana. International Needs. https://ineeds.org.uk/countries/ghana/
11.  Yaw Perbi. “I Don’t Care How Good You Are–If You’re Not a ‘Walkie Talkiie’. www.yawperbi.com https://yawperbi.com/dont-care-good-2if-youre-not-walkie-talkie/
12. Ben Ackah-Mensah and GTBank. “GTBank Appoints a New Director to its Board.” 31 August 2017.
13. https://www.gtbghana.com/media-centre/press-releases/gtbank-appoints-a-new-director-to-its-board
14.  University of Ghana, Legon. “UG Holds July 2018 Congregation Ceremonies.” 23 July, 2018. https://old1.ug.edu.gh/news/ug-holds-july-2018-congregation-ceremonies
15. https://old1.ug.edu.gh/pad/sites/pad/files/u6/paddocs/NOVEMBER%20CONGREGATION%20COLLEGE%20OF%20HUMANITIES%20UNDERGRADUATE%20PROGRAMME-min_0.pdf

Medical History is One of Health Leadership

Doctors Perbi and Biaye exploring the Dakar campus of Cheikh Anta Diop University,
including the frontage of the original medical school block built over 100 years ago.

It’s not for nothing that the Ghana Medical Association (GMA),  in a January 2024 press release following a November 2023 Annual General Meeting, asked all medical  doctors to thenceforth express their titles as ‘Dr. (Med)’ and ‘Dr. (Dent.)’ for dentists/dental surgeons. While they had their own valid reasons, including patient safety, personally it has coincided with a season where I keep meeting people who have always assumed my ‘DR’ title is because I’m a ‘book doctor.’ While I’m currently struggling to keep afloat in the middle of one such doctoral programme, of the latter kind, I’ve been a ‘body doctor’ since 2005.

In Dakar, Senegal on the Monday after St. Valentine’s Day, I experienced a rush of all sorts of memories—good and ugly, and even plain bad—when I took a pilgrimage to one of Africa’s oldest medical schools. My guide, an alumna of the said medical school, Dr. Rebecca Biaye, did a phenomenal job. Seriously, she could moonlight as a successful, paid tour guide but then again, until she’s done with her Dermatology residency her nights aren’t quite hers—she’s often on night duties at the hospital.

Back to medical history. Of course, Africans had medical doctors even before Hippocrates (the so-called ‘father of Medicine’) but in modern history the oldest medical school in Africa would be the faculty of medicine at Cairo University in Egypt, founded in 1827. From northeast we move deep south, where University of Cape Town in South Africa takes the silver medal (1912), and then out way west with bronze going to Cheikh Anta Diop University (formerly University of Dakar) where in 1916, the French created the “École Africaine de Médecine” (African Medical School). The University of the Witwatersrand (1919), also in South Africa, is a close fourth. 

If anyone has cause to believe this order above is not accurate (for example a university may have started, yeah, but its med school came up much later or did start on paper but the first actual intake was several years down the line) do assist me to rectify the above narrative. My own med school, the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), missed the top five mention on the continent having been first planned way back in 1919, but only taking its first students in 1962, a whole 14 years after the main University of Ghana itself had been established.

Apparently, the most recent medical school in Africa was founded in 2023, according to an article in the British Medical Journal, with more than half of all Africa’s medical schools—public and private alike—opening since 2004. Incidentally, just a day before the said Dakar pilgrimage, I bumped into the co-founder of the private Accra College of Medicine (founded in 2013), Rev. Professor Adukwei Hesse, an Internal Medicine professor of mine. His co-founding wife, Prof. Afua Hesse, also taught me Paediatric Surgery. Ghana’s other private med school, Family Health Medical School, was also founded by my Obstetrics & Gynaecology lecturer, Prof. Yao Kwawukume, and his wife Dr. Susu B. Kwawukume. I’m proud to have lectured in both medical schools on non-medical topics which medical students badly need to be more rounded and holistic in their formation for higher, wider and deeper impact, especially leadership and entrepreneurship! (Oh, don’t get me started!) These kinds of thoughts and (mis)deeds for which I’m better known may be why the uninitiated assume I’m a ‘book doctor’ rather than a ‘body’ one.

A 100-year old baobab tree in front of the Cheikh Anta Diop University’s original medical school block

Health Leadership in general, and Doctor Leadership in particular, is vital yet often taken for granted. The last time I made a presentation on the importance of leadership and coaching to the Ghanaian medical fraternity during the Ghana College of Physicians’ & Surgeons’ annual Medical Fiesta (in 2022), I cringed and cringed when a former dean of my alma mater opined that medical students had too much of a course load to ‘add’ studying leadership. For ‘A Leadership Primer,’ literally the title of Dr. Robert Grossman’s incisive article, I highly recommend  Dr. Robert Grossman’s incisive article on Doctor Leadership here. His introduction alone resonates with the title of this article, “Lessons from Medical History for Today’s Health Leaders.” Indeed, all of history is but a record of the rise and fall of leaders and leadership. Hear Grossman: “We know from history, and sometimes from personal experience, that the importance of leadership cannot be overstated. Whether in politics, business, sports, or academia, the person at the helm can alter the course of history. Yet to date, there is a sentiment that medicine (and radiology in particular) has failed to produce its share of leaders.”

Working IN medicine (clinician) requires a wholly different mindset, process and skill set from working ON medicine (leader). To be fair to the “book doctor” describers of this prescriber, I haven’t practised clinical medicine in over 15 years. But I’m always quick to add, as I coach, train, and speak on leadership in over sixty countries that “once a doctor, always a doctor.” It’s only that I work more on the software now [the mind(set)/thinking], rather than just the hardware [body].” Frankly, though–if we all will be honest–it’s the software that really runs the show, even running the hardware. N’est-ce pas?

Postscript
As our contribution to stopping the gaping leadership deficits we find among entry level workers and even with some C-level leaders, Perbi Executive Leadership Education (PELÉ) is rolling out a slew of online leadership lecturers for personal digital learning and mastery. Come to think of it, all medics should be getting enrolled for free. After all, our lives are in their hands. They had better know what they are about!

MANSA MUSA–THE RICHEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED AND THE STOP MARKET (yes you read right, not ‘stock market’).

An artist’s impression of Mansa Musa with his hordes of soldiers. HISTORYNMOOR/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/CC BY-SA 4.0

In the fourteenth century Mansa Mūsā, emperor of the medieval Mali Empire of Africa, made a trip whose ripples were felt decades later. For the uninitiated, Ghana, Mali and Songhai were three of the greatest empires of the western part of Africa, south of the Sahara. Mūsā’s Mali empire spread 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) from the Atlantic Ocean to modern-day Niger. Some reports indicated it would take a year, at the time and with their means of transportation, to travel that breadth. The 14th-century traveller Ibn Battūtah noted that it took about four months to travel from the northern borders of the Mali empire to Niani, the Malian capital in the south. Mali formed a rich 24-city network of cities  

Mūsā the Man

Mansa, which means ‘sultan’ or ‘emperor’ in the Mandinka language of West Africa, was immensely wealthy, prodigiously generous and profoundly pious. The empire’s source of riches was the natural resources of two highly productive gold fields renowned for some of the purest and most prized gold in the world. Nations scrambled for pure gold, especially for the minting of national coins in which they took much pride.

Mansa Mūsā took a legendary trip to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, to perform the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage with an entourage of 60,000 people, including a personal retinue of 12,000 slaves, all clad in brocade and Persian silk. On this trip were countless court officials, soldiers, griots (singing poets) and 500 slaves ahead of him each carrying a gold-adorned staff as he himself rode on horseback. Included in this Malian caravan were 80 baggage camels, each carrying 300 pounds of gold.

Either the grandson or the grandnephew of Sundiata, the founder of his dynasty, Mansa Mūsā came to the throne in 1307 (some reports record 1312) and took the said Mecca trip in the 17th year of his reign.  His route from his kingdom’s capital of Niani (northeastern Guinea today) on the upper Niger River would take him first to Walata (Oualâta, Mauritania) and on to Tuat (now in Algeria) before making his way to Cairo.

Typically the journey to Mecca and back took a full year with long layovers in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. So en route, emperor Mansa Mūsā made a stop in Cairo to visit the Sultan. That stop… Well, the historian al-‘Umarī, who visited Cairo twelve years after the emperor’s visit, found the inhabitants of this Egyptian city, with a population estimated at one million, still singing the praises of Mansa Mūsā. 

The Stop Market

To quote al-‘Umari, “The man flooded Cairo with his benefactions. He left no court emir… no holder of a royal office without the gift of a load of gold. The Cairenes made incalculable profits out of him and his suite in buying and selling and giving and taking. They exchanged gold until they depressed its value in Egypt and caused its price to fall.” That stop, stopped the market.

Apparently, so lavish was the emperor in his spending (one writer put it as “handing out gold like it was candy”) that he flooded the Cairo market with gold, thereby causing such a decline in its value that a dozen years later the market had still not fully recovered. It is believed that this visit caused many Muslim kingdoms in North Africa and others of European countries to desire to come to Africa. The rest, as they say, is history.

An African Leadership

The year of this much-talked-about trip was 1324. What does your history tell you was happening in the region of the world you hail from at the time? Since many Africans have been compelled to learn European history for obvious (colonial) reasons, we know that the 1300s were pretty dark days in Europe, fuelled by religious craziness, unfettered superstition and taken to the nadir by the arrival of the bubonic plague. Also known as Black Death, this pandemic killed an estimated 50 million people in Europe alone. Meanwhile the Black sultan Mūsā and his sub-Saharan African peoples were flourishing in ‘unimaginable wealth.’

This detail is from Sheet 6 of the Catalan Atlas showing Mansa Musa crowned in gold. BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

An elaborate 14th-century map called the Catalan Atlas features a prominent illustration of Mansa Musa seated on a plush throne, crowned in gold, holding a sceptre in one hand and a large golden orb in the other (see photo above). So says the map’s description:  “This Moorish ruler is named Musse Melly [Mansa Musa], lord of the negroes of Guinea. This king is the richest and most distinguished ruler of this whole region on account of the great quantity of gold that is found in his lands.”

A Gold Bar for your Thoughts

This is no tall tale. Even today, evidence of Mansa Musa’s resplendent reign still stand, like the Djinguereber Mosque, in Timbuktu, Mali, which he commissioned to be built en route back from Mecca in 1327, paying the Granada (Spanish) architect Abū Ishā al-Sāhilī who had travelled back with him from Arabia 440 pounds (200 kilograms) of gold. 

Mansa Mūsā’s army general had captured Timbuktu as a side show during the long Mecca pilgrimage. Emperor Mūsā would choose to spend significant time there on his way back to his own capital, eventually growing Timbuktu into “a very important commercial city having caravan connections with Egypt and with all other important trade centres in North Africa. Side by side with the encouragement of trade and commerce, learning and the arts received royal patronage” (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Eventually, three madrassas, including the still-standing Djinguereber, composed the University of Timbuktu, inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1988. The famed Malian city of Timbuktu was home to one of the largest libraries in the medieval world.

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Under Mansa Mūsā (1307–32?), Mali rose to the apogee of its power.” From the look of things, Mansa Mūsā the Black emperor may have been the richest man to ever live. Sorry, Solomon. In fact, Celebrity Net Worth puts his net worth at $400 billion in today’s dollars, making Emperor Mūsā  nearly twice as rich as Jeff Bezos. Amazing.

When it comes to Mansa Mūsā the Malian Maestro, however, too many get stuck on the money, but de Graft-Johnson concurs there’s more to legacy than gold: “The organization and smooth administration of a purely African empire, the founding of the University of Sankore, the expansion of trade in Timbuktu, the architectural innovations in Gao, Timbuktu, and Niani and, indeed, throughout the whole of Mali and in the subsequent Songhai empire are all testimony to Mansa Mūsā’s superior administrative gifts. In addition, the moral and religious principles he had taught his subjects endured after his death.”

Wait a minute. Stop. Where is all of Africa’s gold today; and where are her leaders of the Mansa Mūsā stock—immensely wealthy, prodigiously generous, profoundly pious, grand legacy-leaving?

References

De Graft-Johnson, John Coleman. ‘Mūsā I of Mali.’ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Musa-I-of-Mali 

Galadima, Bulus and Sam George. 2024. Africans in Diaspora, Diasporas in Africa. Langham Global Library: Cambria, UK.

Roos, Dave. 2024. ‘African King Mansa Musa Was Even Richer Than Jeff Bezos, Some Say.’ https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/mansa-musa.htm

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf | A Beacon of Resilience, Determination and Leadership: Africa’s Premier Democratically Elected Female President

“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough. The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them.”— Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

INTRODUCTION

At a gender equality conference organised by the Kwara State Government in Nigeria, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf shared a poignant moment, stating, “I was jailed twice and sent on exile from my own country because I chose to be a resounding voice for the people.” ^[1]  Johnson Sirleaf, a Liberian politician and economist, holds a remarkable place in history as the first woman elected president of an African country, a feat the United States of America is still struggling to equal. Her leadership and resilience make her a fitting inclusion on Perbi Executive Leadership Education’s (PELÉ’s) list of 50 inspiring leaders, as her tenure redefined the role of women in African governance and global leadership. This essay delves into the extraordinary life of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, focusing on her personal growth, remarkable achievements, unwavering resilience, and lasting impact. The following paragraphs will explore how she rose to prominence, her significant contributions to leadership and gender equality, and the challenges she overcame in her journey to become Africa’s first elected female president.

GROWTH

Early Years

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was born on October 29, 1938, in Monrovia (Liberia) to Jahmale Carney Johnson and Martha Cecelia Johnson (née Krueger).[^[2] Ellen enjoyed a peaceful childhood marked by a strong sense of community, where the extended family system meant that everyone looked out for one another.^[3] In an interview with the Academy of Achievement, she reflected: “During my childhood and up until the time when I was moving up professionally, the country was a great place to be. Everybody knew everybody. It’s a small country, small population. So it was easy to move around, easy to pursue what one wanted.” ^[4] This statement underscores the close-knit nature of Liberian society at the time, highlighting the social and political environment that shaped her formative years.

Ellen’s experiences during her childhood laid the foundation for her future leadership, illustrating how a supportive community can foster resilience and ambition. 

At age 17, Ellen married James Sirleaf, a young agronomist who had a degree from the University of Wisconsin.^[5] After having four sons in quick succession, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf embraced the role of homemaker while many of her peers pursued professional paths. ^[6] Her husband, James Sirleaf, worked for Liberia’s Department of Agriculture and to help support the family, Ellen took a job as a bookkeeper at an auto repair shop.^[7]  When James received the chance to study in the United States, the couple left their children with grandparents and travelled to America together.^[8] While James worked toward a graduate degree at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Agriculture, Ellen enrolled in accounting courses at Madison College of Business^[9]. Upon their return to Liberia in 1965, James resumed his position in the Agriculture Department and Ellen began working in the Treasury Department, which would later become the Ministry of Finance.

Education

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf received her early education at the College of West Africa in Monrovia, Liberia. Her academic journey continued in the United States, where she studied economics at the University of Colorado Boulder. ^[10] She furthered her education with a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 1971.^[11] This strong educational foundation played a crucial role in shaping her future as a leader and economist.

Public Service

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s journey as a prominent political voice in Liberia began with her impactful speech at her high school alma mater in 1971, where she boldly criticised the government.^[12] This marked the start of her advocacy for accountability and reform in her country. Prior to this, in 1965, she served in the Treasury Department, and by 1979, she had been appointed Minister of Finance. In this role, she implemented measures aimed at addressing the mismanagement of government finances, demonstrating her commitment to improving Liberia’s economic governance. [13]

Her personal financial integrity made her popular but not without clashes with the two heads of state of Liberia she served under during their respective tenures. [14] She served in various governmental roles and implemented fiscal reforms aimed at stabilising Liberia’s economy. Her tenure in these positions earned her both admiration and criticism, but her dedication to improving her country’s welfare never faltered. According to Archives of Women’s Political Communication of Iowa State University, Sirleaf became the president of the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) in 1980 but had to flee that same year to Kenya as a result of an increasingly suppressive military government.[15] 

In Kenya, she served as the vice president of Citicorp’s Africa Regional Office in Nairobi but later moved to Washington, D.C. where she became the senior loan officer at the World Bank and the vice president for Equator Bank.[16] 

From 1992 to 1997, Sirleaf was the director of the Regional Bureau for Africa of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). During these years, Liberia was plunged into civil war and Ellen ran for president in the 1997 election of Liberia but came second place.  “I felt I’d earned the stripes and I could compete as effectively as anybody else. I’d gone through all the trials and tribulations of political life and also had enough, I believe, international exposure, professionalism. And also, I didn’t think there was anybody who could be as competitive, given my experience, background in some things. I thought I was a formidable candidate, and I proved to be right.” Ellen gave this explanation when she was interviewed by the American Academy of Achievement.[17] 

SUCCESS

Presidency

Sirleaf’s path to the presidency was not easy. Liberia, a country marred by civil wars and economic instability, needed a leader who could steer it towards peace and prosperity. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won the 2005 presidential election and took office on 16 January 2006.[18] She was elected the 24th president of Liberia and the first elected female head of state in Africa. Gloriously, Ellen won re-election in November 2011. According to the Global Leadership Foundation (n.d.), Johnson Sirleaf (during her two terms as president) focused on rebuilding the country, attracting over $16 billion in foreign direct investment.[19]  She also attracted more than $5 million in private resources to rebuild schools, clinics and markets, and fund scholarships for capacity building. She successfully negotiated $4.6 billion in external debt forgiveness and the lifting of UN trade sanctions, which have allowed Liberia to once again access international markets.[20]  She increased the national budget from $80 million in 2006 to over $672 million in 2012, with an annual GDP growth rate of more than 7%. Her remarkable leadership and economic foresight not only revitalised the nation’s economy but also positioned Liberia as one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies during her tenure.[21]

Africa’s Iron Lady

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been a steadfast advocate for peace, justice, and democratic governance—values that carried profound significance in a nation plagued by dictatorship and civil war. Despite the inherent dangers of opposing undemocratic regimes, often backed by warlords or led by them directly, Ellen courageously criticised leaders whose actions she believed were harming Liberia.

Initially, she supported Charles Taylor’s efforts against the oppressive regime of Samuel Doe. However, as it became evident that Taylor’s motives were self-serving and centred on consolidating power and personal enrichment, Ellen distanced herself from him. Reflecting on this during an interview with the Academy of Achievement, she remarked: “His motives were selfish, and he was there to take power and to enrich himself… That’s when we started to distance ourselves from him.”[22]

No woman had become president in any African country at the time Ellen contested for the seat of the president in Liberia. Although she came second in her first attempt and was charged with treason by the Charles Taylor government,[23] propelling her to go into exile, Sirleaf returned to Liberia in 2003 to chair the Commission on Good Governance, which oversaw preparations for democratic elections after civil war had resumed in Liberia by 1999. While in exile (in Ivory Coast), she established a venture capital vehicle for African entrepreneurs and founded Measuagoon, a Liberian community development NGO.[24] 

In 2005, Ellen ran for president in Liberia where she came second in the first round of voting (after George Weah) and on November 8, 2005 she won the runoff election and was sworn in on January 16, 2006 as the 24th President of the Republic of Liberia, two years after the nation’s bloody civil war ended. 

Given this context, it is not surprising that Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is known in international circles as ‘Africa’s Iron Lady’.[25]  Reflecting her bold and ambitious outlook, she famously wrote in her memoir, This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa’s First Woman President, “If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough. The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them.”.[26] 

This statement encapsulates her philosophy on ambition, courage and pursuing goals that push boundaries and inspire growth.

SIGNIFICANCE

Sirleaf’s election as President of Liberia was a beacon of hope for Liberia, signalling a new era of stability and progress. During her presidency, Sirleaf focused on rebuilding Liberia’s infrastructure, revitalising the economy, and promoting reconciliation among its people. She implemented policies aimed at improving education, healthcare, and women’s rights. Under her leadership, Liberia made significant strides in recovering from the devastation of years of conflict, although challenges remained.

As president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as the chairperson of the Mano River Union, where she spearheaded initiatives aimed at fostering political stability and economic cooperation among Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire.[27] She was also a founding member of the International Institute for Women in Political Leadership.[28] In 1999, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) appointed her to a committee investigating the Rwandan genocide, showcasing her commitment to human rights and justice. Additionally, she chaired the commission for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue and was selected by UNIFEM as one of two individuals tasked with investigating the impact of conflict on women and their roles in peacebuilding efforts.[29]

In 2011, Sirleaf was re-elected for a second term in a run-off vote, achieving an overwhelming majority.[30] Her leadership and advocacy for women’s rights and regional cooperation have left a significant mark on both Liberia and the broader West African region.

Throughout her career, Sirleaf’s commitment to her country, Liberia, remained unwavering despite facing personal and political challenges. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, stands as a towering figure in African politics and global leadership. Her journey from an economist to becoming Africa’s first elected female head of state is not only a testament to her perseverance but also a symbol of hope and progress for gender equality and democracy worldwide.

Post-Political Life

In March 2018, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf launched the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development which has been specifically designed with dedication to promoting women’s aspirations for development in Africa.[31] 

In May 2019, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) appointed Ellen as Goodwill Ambassador for the health workforce. The WHO explained Ellen’s appointment in the press release stating that, “following the Ebola epidemic in Liberia in 2015, she oversaw the expansion of Primary Health Care and the creation of more than 4,000 new health worker jobs as part of the post-Ebola response.”[32] 

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ellen stepped down from her role as Goodwill Ambassador for the WHO’s health workforce to serve as co-chair of the WHO’s Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR), alongside Helen Clark (former Prime Minister of New Zealand).[33] 

In 2020, she was also appointed to the Development Advisory Council of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) which counsels the DFC on approaches to enhancing development impact.[34] Ellen as well became a member of the High-Level Group of Personalities on Africa-Europe Relations from 2020 till date. 

She currently serves as a Member of the  Advisory Board of Brenthurst Foundation[35], and member of the Board of Directors of the Mastercard Foundation.[36]

Awards and Honours

In 2011, President Sirleaf was jointly awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace. This  generated a pre-election controversy wherein other Liberian presidential candidates complained that the Nobel Committee was interfering with Liberian politics by awarding the prize so close to the election. Ellen is also the recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom—the United States’ highest civilian award—for her personal courage, and unwavering commitment to expanding freedom and improving the lives of Africans.[37] 

Her many honours also include the Grand Croix of the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest public distinction, and being named one of Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women in the World.” She was one of six “Women of the Year” (Glamour, 2010), among the 10 best leaders in the world (Newsweek, 2010) and top 10 female leaders (TIME, 2010). In 2010, The Economist called her “the best President the country has ever had.”[38]

Sirleaf Johnson has been awarded honorary doctorates by more than 15 institutions, including: Tilburg University (Netherlands), the Nigerian Defence Academy, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Harvard University, Rutgers University, Yale University, Georgetown University, the University of Abeokuta (Nigeria), the University of Minnesota, Furman University of South Carolina, Brown University, Indiana University, Dartmouth College, Concordia University, Langston University, Spelman College and Marquette University.[39]

CONCLUSION

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s influence extends far beyond her presidency; she remains actively engaged in global initiatives that advocate for peace, development, and women’s empowerment. Her legacy as a trailblazer in African politics is profound, inspiring future generations of leaders, particularly women, around the world.

Sirleaf’s life and career are testaments to resilience, determination, and exceptional leadership. From her beginnings as an economist to becoming Liberia’s first female president and a Nobel laureate, her journey exemplifies the transformative power of dedicated public service. The impact she has made on Liberia and beyond highlights the crucial role of strong leadership in nurturing democracy, peace, and sustainable development.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is not merely a historical figure; she is a beacon of hope and inspiration for people everywhere, embodying the potential for positive change through unwavering commitment and vision.

References

1. Premium Times. (n.d.) “I was jailed, exiled for defending Liberians – Former President Johnson Sirleaf.” Available: ttps://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/418003-i-was-     jailed-exiled-for-defending-liberians-former-president-johnson-sirleaf.html?tztc=1.     Retrieved July 2, 2024.
2. My Heritage. (n.d.) Ellen Sirleaf (born Johnson) born 1983. Available: https://www.myheritage.com/names/ellen_sirleaf. Retrieved July 2 2024. 
3. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—All Achievers. (2008) .Available: https://achievement.org/achiever/ellen-  johnson-  sirleaf/#interview. Retrieved July 2 2024.
4. Ibid. 
5. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. (2024) “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf”. Encyclopedia         Britannica:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ellen-Johnson-Sirleaf. Retrieved July 2 2024. 
6. Bourlin, O. (2013). Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (1938-). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/johnson-sirleaf-ellen-1938/. Retrieved July 2 2024. 
7. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—All Achievers. (2008). Available: https://achievement.org/achiever/ellen-       johnson-        sirleaf/#interview. Retrieved July 2 2024.
8. Metzlar, M. (2021). Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Exile, Election, Exile, Election – a long way of becoming president. Available: https://raffia-magazine.com/2021/01/25/ellen-johnson-sirleaf-exile-election-exile-election-a-long-way-of-becoming-president/
9. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—All Achievers. (2008). Available: https://achievement.org/achiever/ellen-       johnson-        sirleaf/#interview Retrieved July 2 2024.
10. Amana A. (n.d.) Ellen Sirleaf: An Amazon’s Journey in Active Politics and Leadership. Available: https://www.amazonswatchmagazine.com/governance-in-heels/ellen-sirleaf-an-amazons-journey-in-active-politics-and-leadership/. Retrieved July 2 2024.
11. Archives of Women’s Political Communication. (n.d.) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.         https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/directory/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/. Retrieved July 2 2024. 
12. Ibid. 
13. Ibid. 
14. Britannica; The Editors of Encyclopaedia. (2024) “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf”. Encyclopedia         Britannica:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ellen-Johnson-Sirleaf. Retrieved July 2 2024. 
15. Ibid.
16. Gilpin, R., & Hsu, E. (2008). Is Liberia’s Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program a” necessary Intrusion?”. United States Institute of Peace.  Available: https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/PB-May2008-Is-Liberias-Governance.PDF. Retrieved July 2 2024.
17. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—All Achievers. (2008). Available: https://achievement.org/achiever/ellen-       johnson-        sirleaf/#interview Retrieved July 2 2024.
18. Ibid
19. 19. Global Leadership Foundation.(n.d.) “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf” President, Liberia 2006-2018:           https://www.g-l-f.org/who-we-are/members/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/ Retrieved July 2 2024.
20. 20. Ibid
21. United Nations (n.d.). First Female President of Liberia & Nobel Peace Laureate. Available: https://www.un.org/en/conf/migration/assets/pdf/Ellen-Sirleaf-Bio.pdf. Retrieved July 2 2024.
22. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—All Achievers. (2008) . Available: https://achievement.org/achiever/ellen-       johnson-        sirleaf/#interview Retrieved July 2 2024.
23. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024). “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf”. Encyclopedia         Britannica:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ellen-Johnson-Sirleaf. Retrieved July 2 2024. 
24. Ibid.
25. United Nations (n.d.). First Female President of Liberia & Nobel Peace Laureate. Available: https://www.un.org/en/conf/migration/assets/pdf/Ellen-Sirleaf-Bio.pdf. Retrieved July 2 2024.
26. Johnson, E. S. (2009). This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa’s First Woman President.
27. Columbia World Leader Forum. (2012). Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Available: https://worldleaders.columbia.edu/directory/ellen-johnson-sirleaf. Retrieved July 2 2024.
28. Mastercard Foundation. (n.d.) President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf:   https://mastercardfdn.org/people/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/. Retrieved July 2 2024.
29. Ibid
30. Metzlar, M. (2021). Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Exile, Election, Exile, Election – a long way of becoming president. Available: https://raffia-magazine.com/2021/01/25/ellen-johnson-sirleaf-exile-election-exile-election-a-long-way-of-becoming-president/
31. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (2024). Building a Legacy of Leadership and Knowledge in a Center of Excellence. Available: https://ejscenter.org/. Retrieved November  29 2024.
32. World Health Organization (2019). Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Workforce.  Available: https://web.archive.org/web/20200715054041/https://www.who.int/hrh/news/2019/EJS_good-will-ambassador-hwf/en/. Retrieved November  29 2024.
33. Miller J. (2020). Veteran female leaders to head WHO COVID-19 review amid anti-globalism barbs. Available: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-panel/veteran-female-leaders-to-head-who-covid-19-review-amid-anti-globalism-barbs-idUSKBN24A2U3/. Retrieved November  29 2024.
34. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (2024). Ellen Johnson Sirleaf joins the Development Advisory Council of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. Available: https://ejscenter.org/. Retrieved November  29 2024.
35. The Brenthurst Foundation (2024) Leaders Invested in the Economic Development of Africa. Available: https://www.thebrenthurstfoundation.org/people/. Retrieved November  29 2024.
36. The Mastercard Foundation (n.d.) Available: https://mastercardfdn.org/board-of-directors/. Retrieved November  29 2024.
37. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—All Achievers. (2008) . Available: https://achievement.org/achiever/ellen-       johnson-        sirleaf/#interview Retrieved July 2 2024.
38. United Nations (n.d.). First Female President of Liberia & Nobel Peace Laureate. Available: https://www.un.org/en/conf/migration/assets/pdf/Ellen-Sirleaf-Bio.pdf. Retrieved July 2 2024.
39. Ibid