In Ghana, the Kwahu people are openly mocked as ” misers” despite being distinctly described as diligent, hardworking, and business- savvy. They are also renowned for building opulent homes with distinctive architecture on vast, verdant plots of land. In the same way that Osei Kwame Despite, Ernest Ofori Sarpong, Sammy Kuffour, Sam Jonah, Ibrahim Mahama, and Dr. Gifty Akushika Lamptey have become well- known figures, there are other notable Kwahu men who are equally successful but who have not received as much attention, such as Opanyin Kwame Wadie. Opanyin Wadie revealed how he got his start in business during a recent conversation with Odame Agyare, aka Kwahu Ambassador, which TimesOnline was watching.
Opanyin Wadie recently discussed his beginnings as a businessman in an interview with Odame Agyare, alias Kwahu Ambassador, which TimesOnline was watching.
Opanyin revealed that he dropped out of Benkum Senior High School in order to focus on his business while seated in his heavily gold- themed living room. His choice to leave paid off because he rose to become Koforidua’ s second- highest cloth merchant at the time.
” My parents are from Kwahu Nkwatia, and I am the middle child. I am a native of Kwahu Nkwatia. I was accepted into Benkum Senior High School after junior high, but I was unable to graduate for a variety of reasons. I then confessed my desire to start a business to my father.
I was selling materials that I had bought from Spintex, a plant close to Rana Motors, for my business. I was Koforidua’ s second- highest fabric dealer at the time, he claimed in the interview that GhanaWeb was watching. After some time, in 1984, the regional minister from the PNDC regime introduced him to the construction industry because of his passion for squash sports. ” I started selling cigarettes, whiskey, sugar, and rice. The sale of cigarettes at the time saw a lot of returns. In addition, I played squash at the time. That was the preferred sport during the PNDC era.
At the time, the regional minister suggested that I register a construction firm because I was a storekeeper who enjoyed playing sports with the big guys. He assured me that he could help me secure contracts. After giving it some thought, I incorporated my business in 1984. I eventually left the business to get my wife, and I gave the construction project my whole attention. All of my riches was acquired through construction, he continued.
Opanyin Wadie, who is still in the construction industry, has made significant contributions to Kwahu Nkwatia, including constructing an 18- unit classroom block, a staff bungalow, a dormitory block, and others for the Ghana Police Service Divisional Headquarters at Kwahu and the St. Peters Senior High School.
When questioned by the reporter, Opanyin Wadie declined to say how many vehicles and homes he had.
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