AT the funeral of ‘The Grandmaster’, there were no food or ‘takeaways’ served but that did not leave mourners hungry and angry because there were plenty takeaways and food for thought that left them really satisfied.

The funeral was very simple – no elaborations; no tributes, and nothing grandeur, all in keeping to the wishes of The Grandmaster, Godwin Rosevelt Avenorgbo.

The renowned broadcaster believed in simplicity – of life and events – so his family kept the funeral as such.

He was time conscious and punctual (I bear testimony of this attribute having worked closely with him) and his funeral started and ended within schedule as indicated in the funeral programme.

There was no ‘funeral cloth’ because in his lifetime, he detested that practice, calling it waste of money for the dead when the living need such resources for survival.

There were no tributes because he believed tributes usually don’t bear sincere testimonies about the dead, and that if you have nice things to say about somebody, do so when the person is alive.

And he insisted: if you don’t celebrate him when he is alive, it would be too late to do so when he is late. Keep that tribute to yourself.

According to a family spokesperson, 22 hours before the funeral on Saturday, September 14, 2024, when the family went to the Lashibi Funeral Home to prepare for his last public appearance, they sobbed and wept at his sight, but a smile they saw on his face wiped away their tears.

Likewise, many mourners who filed pass his body lying in state for 53 minutes sobbed and wept, but given what they witnessed at the service, their tears were wiped, knowing that their friend and colleague responded well to his professional calling.

The Melcom show

After his public service at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Godwin Avenorgbo spent 13 years working with the Melcom Group of Companies as the Group Corporate Affairs Director.

Melcom is a household name, and there is probably no household item one may not find in the company’s showrooms across the country.

However, on Saturday, Melcom brought their showroom to the Lashibi Funeral Home to introduce two new items to honour The Grandmaster.

The company announced the institution of a scholarship scheme and sponsorship of a GJA Media Awards category in his memory.

The announcement drew spontaneous applause from the audience.

And the spontaneous applause drew a smile from me but I was careful not to show my teeth because ‘Big G’ abhorred the showing of teeth when smiling.

I knew ‘Big G’ would also smile at the applause because it was spontaneous and not solicited; he believed applause, standing ovation and other similar acknowledgements are spontaneous reactions from an audience.

It’s a grievous professional sin for an Emcee or Master of Ceremony to demand or command or order or direct an audience to pay such homage, according to him.

A funeral rally

Not many people noticed the presence of Nana Kwame Bediako but when the flagbearer of the New Force was introduced at the service and Cheddar rose in acknowledgement, the loud cheers that greeted him had the flavour of a political rally atmosphere.

The name of Ibrahim Mahama (a businessman who is sometimes better known in politics than business) always draws thoughts of his brother, the politician.

And when Ibrahim Mahama was introduced, the thoughts of former President John Mahama drew nigh.

The name of the current president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, also reverberated in the minds of mourners when Nana Asante Bediatuo, the Executive Secretary to the President, was introduced.

Indeed, the presence of the Ambassador-at-Large who could have been in Gaza or Ukraine performing an official duty, could not be less appreciated.

Among the large army of mourners who thronged the Lashibi Funeral Home, the presence of 88-year-old broadcaster Mike Eghan to pay his last respects to his 78-year-old mentee was quite sobering.

The attendance of three former presidents of the GJA – Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, Ajoa Yeboah-Afari and Nana Kwaku Dei (Ransford Tetteh), as well as the current president, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour and a former General Secretary, Bright Blewu, was ample testimony that the GJA appreciates the selfless and dedicated services Godwin Avenorgbo rendered for the Association.

As the casket carrying his mortal remains was closed and carried away by the pallbearers, reality dawned on all that ‘Big G’ is gone forever.

But the words on the lips of mourners, as they trooped out of the church auditorium, were clear indication that posterity will forever remember Godwin Rosevelt Avenorgbo, The Grandmaster.

The writer is the General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association and Communications Lecturer at Wisconsin International University College, Ghana