Tears choke Mahama's father as he reads tribute

Captain Chubby Adam Mahama (rtd), father of lynched army officer Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, could not finish reading his tribute to his murdered son on Friday, 9 June, at the state funeral at the forecourt of the State House as he was overcome with tears.

No sooner had Captain Adam Mahama (rtd) started reading his tribute than he stopped amidst tears. The rest of the tribute was read by a relative that accompanied him to the dais.

Biography of late Major Mahama

Major Maxwell Adam Mahama was born on 1 November 1985 at Bole to Captain Dennis Mahama Adam and Veronica Bamford.

He was the first of three children to the couple. When he was a year-and-half old, his family relocated to Samreboi after his father got an appointment as a Security Officer with Africa Timber and Plywood Ghana Ltd. It was there Maxwell started nursery school and kindergarten.

In 1991 the family moved to Takoradi as once again his father got an appointment with Cocoa Processing Company (Taksi). There he started his primary school at Services Primary school, but due to his overly attachment to friends his father moved him to boarding school Rev John Teye Memorial School for class two primary education. In 1992 his father took up another appointment with VRA and the family moved once more to Akosombo and this enabled Maxwell enjoy some stability by continuing his basic education through to Junior Secondary School at Akosombo International School.

During this period of stability, Maxwell flourished, taking up interest in the arts in the form of dancing, acting and acrobatics. He was a lead performer in the children's television show, Kokrokoo, which was hosted by Madame Otiko Djaba, now Minister for Children, Gender and Social Protection. It is also during this period he developed his love for sports, partaking in swimming, volley and football. He, however, got injured playing football and it took his interest from the sport for a while.

After his BECE, he gained admission to St John's Senior Secondary School in Sekondi for his Senior Secondary School Education. On completion of Senior Secondary, he gained admission to both the University of Science and Technology and the Ghana Militaiy Academy but after several consultations with his parents. Maxwell opted to enlist into the Army and entered the Ghana Military Academy on 6 October 2005 as part of Regular Career Course intake 47. After 22 months of training, he commissioned into the Ghana Army on 7 September 2007 as a Second Lieutenant and was posted to the 5 Infantry Battalion as a Platoon Commander.

During his short but illustrious military career, he rose through the ranks to become a Captain, serving in various capacities, both home and abroad, such as: Platoon Commander, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from November 2008 to 2009, Adjutant United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire from August 2011 to March 2012, Military Information Officer, United Nations Mission in Liberia, from July 2013 to January 2014, and Company Commander, 5 Infantry Battalion, from January 2014 till his death.

He also had the opportunity to do a few military and civilian courses. Amongst these were Regimental Signal Officers / Instructors Course, Young Officers Course, Public Procurement Course, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of Ghana in 2014.

Until his demise, he was pursuing a Master’s Degree from the University of Leicester and was due to graduate in July. He had a strong desire and high hopes of achieving greater feats up the academic ladder.

He met his wife Barbara, a course mate, while pursuing his degree at the University of Ghana. They got married in 2012 and she bore him two sons Jaden and Jeremiah. Maxwell could be described as a very family-oriented person as he showed pride and joy in his family.

On the personal side, Maxwell was a jovial and easy going person. He loved God, playing an active role in the church, and he was a very professional soldier who loved to keep fit. He was also a pet lover and a very compassionate person.

Maxwell, while on official duties as a Detachment Commander at Denkyira Obuasi, met his untimely death at the hands of a mob on 29 May 2017. On 5 June 2017, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promoted Maxwell posthumously to the substantive rank of Major.