Clend Sowu Laid To Rest

The coffin bearing the mortal remains of Squadron Leader Clend Sowu carried by pallbearers

The body of veteran politician and military man, Squadron Leader Clend Sowu, was cremated at the Osu Cemetery Friday, after a military burial service at the Burma Camp.

The service was attended by President John Evans Atta Mills; Vice-President John Dramani Mahama; former President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu; the chairman and members of the Council of State.

Also in attendance were Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Kwabena Adjei, the Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, a former Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Edmund Delle, the Military High Command, friends and family members.

After the burial service, the body was taken to the Osu Cemetery where it was cremated.

Squadron Leader Sowu, who trained at the Royal Air Force in 1958 as the first Ghanaian parachutist and was enlisted into the Ghana Military Academy in 1961, was commissioned into the Air Branch of the Ghana Air Force on December 4, 1962 and retired on September 18, 1973.

On the political front, he was a former Volta Regional Minister (1993), Minister of Works and Housing (1993-1994), MP for Anlo (1993-2000) and leading member of the ruling NDC until he passed away at his East Legon residence on December 4, 2010.

Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Squadron Leader Sowu left behind his wife, Julia, 12 children and nine grandchildren.

“Squadron Leader C.M.K. Sowu served his country, family and party with all his strength and might. May he rest in perfect peace” was President Mills’s condolence message to thee family.

The Director of Religious Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces, Rev Col David Adoteye-Asare, who delivered the sermon, urged politicians to refrain from lies and promises that they could not fulfil.

He expressed worry over the fact that politicians created the impression that lying was part of the political game because they claimed that “speaking the truth may cause them votes”.

“I plead that politicians should not let lying look normal. Say what you mean and mean what you say,” he demanded of them.

Rev Col Adoteye-Asare said life was about choices and urged the public “to be particular about the values we expose in our society”.

He asked the people to believe in God and respect freedom and the human rights of people, stressing, “Give your fellow human being what is due him.”