Lydia Abayie Acquah is a remarkable woman who has overcome her hearing impairment to achieve academic excellence. She recently graduated from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, Ghana, with a master’s degree in Business Technology Management. She also gained admission to study at the Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., a prestigious institution for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing.
Lydia’s journey was not easy. She was born with normal hearing but lost it at the age of 10 due to an illness. She had to learn sign language and adapt to a new way of communication. She faced many challenges and discrimination in her education, but she did not give up on her dreams.
She completed her primary and secondary education at Tarkwa Senior Secondary School and Akuapim Mampong Secondary Technical School for the Deaf. She then enrolled at the University of Ghana, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Human Resource option). She excelled in her studies and graduated with a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 76.80%.
She decided to pursue further studies at UMaT, where she joined the Master of Business Technology Management (MBTM) programme with a concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS). She was the only deaf student in her class, but she did not let that deter her from learning and interacting with her classmates and lecturers. She used a combination of lip-reading, sign language, and writing to communicate. She also received support from the university’s sign language programme, which provided interpreters and tutors for her.
She completed her master’s degree with flying colours and graduated during the 14th Congregation of UMaT on April 3, 2023. She was among the 1,008 students who received their degrees at the ceremony. She was applauded by the audience for her remarkable achievement.
Lydia is not only an academic achiever, but also a social activist. She is the general supervisor of the sign language programme at the Naraguta School in Tarkwa, where she teaches deaf children and adults. She is also involved in advocacy and awareness campaigns for the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Ghana.
She has a passion for linguistics and wants to help develop the sign language of the deaf community in Ghana. She applied and got admitted to study a Master’s in Linguistics at Gallaudet University, which is the world’s only university designed to be barrier-free for deaf and hard of hearing students. She hopes to get financial support to pursue this opportunity and return to Ghana to contribute to the development of her country.
Lydia is an inspiration to many people, especially those with disabilities. She has shown that disability is not inability, and that with determination, hard work, and support, one can achieve anything. She has also shown that deafness is not a barrier to education, but rather a diversity that enriches learning and communication.
If you are looking for an example of academic excellence in medicine, look no further than Dr. Nathaniel Nii A. Codjoe, a recent graduate of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) School of Medical Sciences. Dr. Codjoe made history by winning 16 out of 22 awards at the second session of the 55th Congregation Ceremony held for graduates from the College of Health and Allied Sciences on March 30, 2023.
Dr. Codjoe, who is an old student of St Peter’s Boys School, was named the best student in 10 areas of study such as Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Community Medicine, Chemical Pathology, ENT, Pharmacology, Molecular Medicine and Family Medicine. He also picked up six awards from the School of Medical Sciences including Best Graduating Male Student, Best Graduating Clinical Student, Best Graduating Pre-clinical Student, Best Student MBCHB part 2, Best Overall Performance and the Best Overall Male Medical Student.
Dr. Codjoe’s remarkable achievement is a testament to his hard work, dedication and commitment to his studies. He has become the envy of many and the pride of his family, friends and the entire medical community. His success also serves as a source of inspiration to young medical students and a reminder that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible.
Dr. Codjoe has etched his name in the history books of UCC and Ghana as a whole by setting a new standard for academic excellence in medicine. We congratulate him on his stellar performance and wish him the best in his future endeavours. Continue reading about Dr. Codjoe’s story here.
