A Life Shaped by Discipline and Humility: Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State

Togbe Afede XIV, Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak and Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, is known in football and business circles alike for the same qualities: discipline, an eye for talent, and a willingness to give young people room to grow. Benjamin Asare, the Hearts of Oak goalkeeper who impressed at the 2026 World Cup, is one example: Togbe Afede XIV encouraged him and gave him the platform to develop his talent at the club.

This reflects a wider philosophy in Togbe Afede XIV's public life: every person has equal dignity and worth, regardless of background or circumstance, and genuine opportunity can help people transform their own prospects.

He has spoken often about the role of discipline, diligence, and sustained hard work in changing individual fortunes, drawing on his own experience across business, sport administration, and traditional leadership.

Ghana’s recurring challenges, including Accra’s annual flooding, show the need for a strong, dedicated, and determined team to support the President in replacing disorganized and ineffective responses with a coordinated, lasting solution.

A disgraceful situation that is created by uncoordinated land use, compounded by improper solid waste disposal that blocks drains and causes water to overflow. These problems are not inevitable, they result from building on waterways, poor waste management, weak law enforcement, and a lack of long-term planning across successive administrations. Ghana may probably need someone like Togbe Afede X1V to “take the bull by the horns” and assist the President in this onerous task.

On a softer note, many Ghanaians may be unfamiliar with Togbe Afede XIV’s humble beginnings and how his upbringing shaped the empathy and solidarity that define his approach to public life today.

He believes firmly in supporting the poor and underprivileged. He is a humanitarian and champion of human welfare and holds the view that all people are born equal and, when given the opportunity and better life chances, can fulfil their potential.

Born James Akpo in Ho on 23, April 1957 to Corporal Patrick Akpo and Madam Rose Anyawoe, he began his primary education at Ho Bankoe Roman Catholic Primary School in 1961. He later attended Kpedze Secondary School in 1969, completed his GCE “O” Level in 1974, and proceeded to Labone Secondary School in Accra before enrolling at the University of Ghana, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. He also holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

Young James Akpo grew up in a modest, disciplined, and poor household. His uncle, KK, once shared a story with me that revealed James's early passion for learning, excellence, and academic achievement. After KK topped his class and exclaimed, “Mewu eme” (“I have made it”), James asked, “Ele ewoe yii?” (“How did you make it?”). KK replied, “Through hard work.” From that moment, James resolved to study diligently and eventually became the best student in his class.

His background instilled in him a strong desire to succeed and to support the less privileged. It is worth noting that anecdotal evidence suggests a complex relationship between poverty and empathy: people from poorer backgrounds often show deeper empathy and sensitivity to suffering, while some who escape poverty may become less sympathetic toward those still struggling. They may think, “If I overcame poverty, others should be able to do the same.” But that is not the case with Togbe Afede XIV.

It is also true that many inspirational leaders who did not experience poverty in childhood have introduced policies that transformed the lives of the poor. One example, which Togbe Afede XIV finds inspiring, is the United Kingdom’s National Minimum Wage, which significantly improved the earning power of the country’s lowest-paid workers. The policy was implemented by politicians who had not personally experienced poverty and was supported by the Low Pay Unit, led by its director, Chris Pond, with young Appiah Kufuor serving as one of the research officers.

We used evidence, advocacy, and public education to counter opposition to the legislation.

What does a UK minimum wage policy from decades ago have to do with a Ghanaian business and traditional leader today? For Togbe Afede XIV, it illustrates a point he returns to often: that transformative change is possible when policy is grounded in evidence rather than assumption.

He has argued, in various speeches, that decisions in business, traditional governance, and public life more broadly should be guided by rigorous research, data, and empirical evidence, rather than ideology, intuition, or short-term pressure. In his view, institutions that make decisions without sound evidence risk costly failure that drains resources and erodes public trust.

Togbe Afede XIV's life, from a modest household in Ho to the boardrooms of business and the leadership of the Asogli State, tells a consistent story: a belief that discipline, fairness, and evidence-based thinking should guide how institutions, and individuals, conduct themselves.

In conclusion, I agree with former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s statement that “Ghana has the men.” Indeed, our great country has many talented, exceptional, inspirational, and dedicated men and women who could form the equivalent of Brazil’s legendary 1970 national football team, often described as the ultimate World Cup “Dream Team,” to help transform Ghana’s fortunes.

I recommend the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State as an individual who could be the captain of the dream team.

My next article will highlight the achievements of the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State. Ultimately, the good people of Ghana will be the final judges.

Appiah-Danquah Kufuor.

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