Saturday, 24th January 2026, at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra, was heavy for me—but in the best possible way.

As the Bii-Kunuto Education Fund was officially launched under the theme “Building Gonjaland’s Next Generation of Professionals,” I stood before His Royal Majesty, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, and a distinguished gathering of ministers, traditional leaders, development partners, CEOs, heads of institutions, professionals, students, and sons and daughters of Gonjaland.

In that moment, as Coordinator of the Fund, I felt more responsibility than celebration.

My years of working with vulnerable students have taught me one hard truth: talent is everywhere; opportunity is not. I have seen brilliant young people pause or abandon their education—not because they lacked discipline or ambition, but because school fees, accommodation, or basic upkeep became impossible to sustain. Those experiences stay with you. They shape you. And they explain why the Bii-Kunuto Education Fund matters deeply to me.

What began as a vision of His Royal Majesty has now become a public commitment. Since 2023, the Fund has supported over 60 students across public universities and nursing training colleges in Ghana. In addition, we are supporting three students from Gonjaland currently studying medicine and dentistry in China.

These are not just numbers.
They are futures being protected, families being relieved, and communities being prepared.

The launch on 24th January 2026 also reaffirmed a belief I hold strongly: education without identity is incomplete. The decline in the teaching and examination of the Gonja language in some parts of Gonjaland is real and deeply concerning. A people who lose their language weaken their roots. Supporting trained Gonja language teachers back into classrooms is not charity—it is preservation. It is responsibility.

I was particularly encouraged by the remarks of the Deputy Minister of Education, who represented the Minister. He commended the vision and impact of the Bii-Kunuto Education Fund, noting that its focus on financially disadvantaged but academically capable students aligns with national education priorities. In response to our appeal regarding the 25 trained and qualified Gonja language teachers currently not on the Ghana Education Service (GES) payroll but supported by the Fund, he indicated that the Ministry would work collaboratively with the Fund and its Board to facilitate the necessary processes toward their absorption into the GES payroll system.

What gives me hope is this: the Fund is not chasing quick wins. We are building deliberately—through mentorship, career grooming, STEM education, guidance and counselling, cultural and language preservation, support for critical professions, and long-term engagement that follows students from school into professional life. This is slow work, but it is serious work. And it is work that lasts.

I am sincerely grateful to everyone who made time to be present.
Special thanks to those who donated—your presence was not ceremonial; it was a clear statement of belief in education and in the future of Gonjaland.

This Fund does not belong to one individual or institution. It belongs to the community. Supporting it is not an act of charity; it is an investment in people, culture, and the next generation of professionals who will serve Gonjaland and Ghana.

The launch is done.
The responsibility remains.

ASANKUSHUN.