By Benard Worlali Awumee
Anloga (V/R), Dec 28, GNA – The Anlo Dukor (State) has been thrown into deep mourning following the passing of Agbotadua Kumassah, a revered traditional officeholder, distinguished historian, and custodian of Anlo-Ewe heritage.
An official communication from the Kumassah Family to the Anlo Dukor Council, dated December 22, 2025, and made available to the Ghana News Agency, confirmed that the late Agbotadua Kumassah, known in private life as Mr John Fred Kwaku Kumassah, passed away on December 9, 2025, at the Tema General Hospital.
Until his demise, Agbotadua Kumassah served as the Agbotadua (Linguist) to the Tay Agbozo Stool of Dzelukofe, a position of immense customary significance within the Anlo traditional system.
He also acted as the principal spokesperson to the Awomefia of Anlo, Togbi Sri II, a role that placed him at the heart of traditional governance, diplomacy, and customary interpretation in the Anlo State.
Beyond his formal traditional responsibilities, the late Agbotadua Kumassah was widely celebrated as a historian and storyteller, whose life’s work was dedicated to preserving and transmitting the history, identity, and collective memory of the Anlo-Ewe people.
He was a leading voice in narrating the Anlo-Ewe exodus, cultural philosophy, and oral traditions, bridging ancestral knowledge with contemporary scholarship.
He authored several books and historical texts on the history and migration of the Anlo-Ewe people, works that continue to serve as valuable reference materials for researchers, students, traditional authorities, and cultural enthusiasts both within Ghana and beyond.
His intellectual contributions have left an enduring imprint on the documentation and preservation of Anlo heritage.
In accordance with custom and tradition, the Kumassah Family, together with its allied families, has formally notified the Anlo Dukor Council of the royal home call and is currently undertaking the necessary funeral arrangements.
The family has indicated that details regarding the burial and final funeral rites will be officially communicated once consultations and customary processes are concluded.
Given the late Agbotadua Kumassah’s status, lineage, and customary responsibilities, the family has humbly sought the guidance and direction of the Anlo Dukor Council, particularly on matters relating to chieftaincy protocols, customary rites, and funeral observances, to ensure that he is accorded a dignified and befitting burial in line with tradition.
The passing of Agbotadua Kumassah marks a profound loss not only to his family but to the entire Anlo-Ewe community, traditional institutions, and the broader cultural and academic community. He is remembered as a man of wisdom, eloquence, humility, and deep cultural conviction, whose voice gave life to history and whose words carried the soul of a people.
As Anlo mourns, tributes continue to pour in, celebrating a life devoted to service, knowledge, and the preservation of ancestral truth. His legacy remains firmly etched in the cultural consciousness of the Anlo-Ewe people.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah / Lydia Kukua Asamoah