Legendary Ghanaian poet, Prof. Atukwei Okai dies at 77

Okai died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, on Friday, July 13th after a brief illness. A statement was issued on behalf of the Odoi and Okai families.

The statement read: “The Odoi and Okai families of Asere, Ga Mashie in the Greater Accra Region and the Pan African Writers Association, PAWA, announce with regret the passing of Prof. Atukwei Okai, which sad event occurred at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital in Accra after a short illness.”

Okai was born on March 1, 1941, in Accra, Ghana, and he lived in the country’s northern region from the age of 3 -8 years old, where his father was a school headmaster in Gambaga.

Okai was the head of the GaDangbe department of education at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. In 1989 he was elected the first secretary-general of (PAWA) - a position he held till his death.