A Life Built on Faith and Education: The Story of Bishop John Yaw Afoakwah.

Most Reverend John Yaw Afoakwah was born on January 29, 1955, at Mampamhwɛ, a village in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region of Ghana, into a devoted Catholic family.

He was the son of Opanin Kwame Afoakwah and Obaapanin Anna (Yaa) Tabuah, both of blessed memory.

At the age of eleven, he lost his father, an event that significantly shaped his early life. Following this loss, his mother relocated with him to Bobriase in Akrokerri, which later became his hometown.

Sadly, he also lost his mother while he was serving as a deacon.

Most Rev. Afoakwah began his formal education at the age of five and completed his basic education at St. Peter’s Boys’ School in Kumasi, where he obtained his Middle School Leaving Certificate in 1970.

He continued his secondary education at St. John’s Secondary School in Sekondi in the Western Region, earning his General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O’ Level) in 1975.

Motivated by a passion for teaching, he enrolled at the Wesley Teacher Training College, Kumasi (now Wesley College of Education) and graduated in 1978 with a Teacher’s Certificate ‘A’ (Post-Secondary).

He later pursued his Advanced Level (A’ Level) studies privately.

Between 1978 and 1981, he worked as a teacher at Collins Secondary Commercial School (now Collins Senior High School) in Agogo, where he began his professional journey in education.

In pursuit of theological and religious formation, John Yaw Afoakwah studied at the Collegio Mater Ecclesiae, Castel Gandolfo, under the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, Italy, from 1981 to 1983, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Religious Education.

Upon his return to Ghana, he served for three years at the Kumasi Catechetical Office as a Teacher-Catechist and Religious Education Supervisor. In September 1986, he enrolled at St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Pedu, Cape Coast, to pursue philosophical and theological studies.

He successfully completed his studies in 1992, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion with Sociology from the University of Ghana, Legon.

His academic pursuit continued over the years.

In 2004, he earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from the University of Cape Coast, and later obtained a Master of Science (MSc) in Education from Le Moyne College, Syracuse, New York, USA, in 2010.

Most Rev. John Yaw Afoakwah was ordained into the priesthood on July 11, 1992, at Adugyama in the Archdiocese of Kumasi.

Following his ordination, he was appointed Chaplain, Teacher, and Director of Guidance and Counselling at St. Louis Training College, Kumasi (now St. Louis College of Education). He simultaneously served as the Director of the Catholic School of Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Kumasi.

In 1995, when the Diocese of Obuasi was carved out of the Archdiocese of Kumasi, Fr. Afoakwah became one of the pioneer priests incardinated into the newly established diocese.

Over the years, he held several significant pastoral, educational, and administrative roles within the Diocese of Obuasi.

From 1995 to 2007, he taught Religious and Moral Education, Guidance and Counselling, and Christian Religious Studies (CRS) at Christ the King Catholic Senior High School, Obuasi, eventually serving as Assistant Headmaster in charge of Administration.

During the same period, he also served as Diocesan Director of Catechetics, Coordinator of Social Communication, and Chaplain of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the diocese.

Between 1996 and 2002, he established the Holy Trinity Catholic Church at Anyinam, Obuasi, and became its first Parish Priest, laying a strong spiritual foundation for the parish.

From 2004 to 2007, he served as Rector of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Akaporiso, Obuasi.

He later traveled to the United States, where from 2007 to 2011, he worked as Parochial Vicar at Blessed Trinity Parish, Owego, in the Diocese of Rochester, New York.

Returning to Ghana in 2012, he was appointed Rector of St. Louis Rectorate, Bodwesango, while also serving as Chaplain and Teacher at Bodwesango Senior High School.

In addition, he served on the Board of St. Louis Clinic, Bodwesango, coordinated Catechetics and Education for the Diocese of Obuasi, and held leadership positions on several educational boards, including the Board of Our Lady of Presentation School Complex and as Board Chairman of St. Joseph Senior High Technical School, Ahwiren, near Asante Bekwai.

His decades of dedicated service to education, evangelization, catechetical formation, and pastoral leadership culminated in his appointment as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Obuasi, where he continues to shepherd the faithful and contribute to spiritual and human development.