Ablakwa joins family, Ghanaian community to honour late Cambridge professor Jason Arday in UK

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has joined the family of late Professor Jason Atta Kwei Arday and members of the Ghanaian community in the United Kingdom to honour the renowned academic’s memory.

The memorial service was held in Southwark, London, with British MPs, ministers, the Mayor of London, Cambridge scholars, students and other loved ones in attendance.

Ablakwa said his attendance was in fulfillment of the government’s pledge to stand with the bereaved family and pay tribute to the late professor’s life and legacy.

In a social media post on Tuesday, October 20, the Foreign Affairs Minister described the service as a moving occasion to celebrate Professor Arday’s contributions to academia and society.

“A deeply moving and unforgettable service in honour of the memory of Professor Jason Atta Kwei Arday in Southwark, UK,” he wrote.

The Minister said Professor Arday’s achievements, including becoming the youngest Black professor appointed at the University of Cambridge, would continue to inspire future generations.

Professor Arday, a Ghanaian-born scholar whose parents were Ghanaian, was appointed Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge in 2023.

His academic journey attracted international attention, particularly because of the developmental challenges he experienced as a child and his eventual rise to prominence in education and sociology.

His final weeks were marked by scrutiny over allegations concerning his academic credentials and plagiarism.

Cambridge announced investigations into aspects of his career, and Professor Arday resigned from his position on August 5.

He was found unresponsive at his home in south London on August 14.