Ghana’s Foreign Service has lost a gem - Ablakwa on death of Odoi-Sykes

On Friday October 15, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa received the family of His Excellency Samuel Arthur Odoi-Sykes, who was called to glory a couple of weeks ago.

The distinguished family representatives came to formally inform Mr Ablakwa and his colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the passing of the former respected diplomat.

In a post on X after the visit, Mr Ablakwa said that His Excellency Odoi-Sykes was an exceptional diplomat who served as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada from 2001 to 2006 with distinction and admiration.

He had much earlier served as Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1972.

"The departed statesman was also a former Minority Leader in the Third Republic and National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party. I conveyed my personal and the Ministry’s deepest condolences to the family and assured of the Foreign Ministry’s support in this sad period. Ghana’s Foreign Service has lost a gem. May his soul rest in peace."

Earlier, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin also mourned the passing of a founding father of the NPP.

The death of Odoi-Sykes was announced by the NPP in a statement signed by its General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong on Wednesday, October 8.

Reacting to the news, Dr Bawumia wrote on Facebook that "He holds an honoured place in our history, having led the Party to its first general election victory in the Fourth Republic in 2000.

"His service to Party and country will long be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones."

For his part, the Minority Leader said in a statement that "Chairman Odoi-Sykes belonged to that remarkable generation of patriots who understood that democracy must be built with extraordinary courage, defended with unshakable conviction and sustained through selfless sacrifice.

"At a defining moment in our nation’s political history, he helped lead the NPP to its historic electoral victory in 2000, contributing to a peaceful democratic transfer of power that strengthened Ghana’s Fourth Republic and affirmed the sovereign will of the Ghanaian people."

Although his tenure as Minority Leader was cut short by the military overthrow of Ghana’s Third Republic and the abolition of Parliament in 1981, the statement added, his commitment to parliamentary democracy endured. He understood that political leadership was not simply about winning power, but about building institutions strong enough to outlive those entrusted with leading them.

"His life reminds us that the highest measure of public service is not how long we occupy positions of authority, but how faithfully we serve the ideals that give those positions meaning. Today, we mourn a founding father of our political tradition, a devoted servant of the Republic and a man whose place in Ghana’s democratic history is secure.

"On behalf of the Minority Caucus, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and the entire Danquah-Busia-Dombo fraternity. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗱𝗼𝗶-𝗦𝘆𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱."