“ My beginnings Born on September 12, 1973, I am undoubtedly a survivor. I am my mother’s determined child, the lone one among her six kids who defied the odds, entering the world in an operating theatre and emerging unscathed. This was during a time, like 1973, when merely hearing the word ‘theatre’ could evoke thoughts of death and funerals. Given those circumstances, my late parents, Gad Kojo Bedzra from Akuetteh-Ando, and VeronicaMansa Kukah fromHo-Bankoe, named me Akpene—a shortened version of ‘Akepenemawu,’ signifying ‘thanks be to God, it’s finally over.’ This name choice aligns withmy resilient nature, which isn’t surprising at all. As far as I can recall, the initial six years of my life were filled with joy. Dad worked at NCR, a leading IT-related computing firm back then, and Mom was employed as a banker at the Bank of Ghana. I have memories of Dad driving us to and from school. We resided in a spacious house in Accra New Town. However, when I was six, a significant event altered our I was quite an independent child, having grown up away from my mother at such a tender age. I learned to do many things by myself. 8 The Birthday Journal
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