Former Defense Minister and leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor has eulogized the late former statesman Clement Kubindiwor Tedam as a patriotic citizen and a chaste man who lived a life worthy of emulation.
The founding member of the New Patriotic Party who was affectionately called C.K, until his demise on March 25, 2019, at his residence in Accra, was the Chairman of the governing party’s Council of Elders. He was 93.
Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor shared his sentiments at the pre-burial requiem mass of the late C.K Tedam held at the Martyrs of Uganda Catholic Church at Mamprobi, Wednesday, June 19, 2019.
He said, “I met him the first time when Victor Owusu was the Chairman of the party. What I’ll say about him is that, he is a man of principle, very hardworking, very patriotic and completely selfless...three popes wrote a citation in his honour and look at the number of people who have come here this morning in spite of the fact that Wednesday is a working day...I hope you learn something from his life. If you don’t remember anything at all, his patriotism, his hard work, his humility and fear of God”.
The pre-burial service attracted several mourners from both the state and the parish.
The ceremony, which was officiated by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, John Bonaventure Kwofie saw the attendance of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, Chief of Staff, Frema Opare, together with several Ministers of State and Members of Parliament.
Also present were executives and other leading members of the New Patriotic Party.
Final interment of is scheduled to take place in the late C.K Tedam’s hometown, Paga in the Northern Region on 26th July 2019.
Biography
CK Tedam was born on 26th November 1925 C.K Tedam. He was revered figure in the NPP who played a founding role in merging two political traditions, Busia and Dombo into what is now the New Patriotic Party. A teacher by profession, he began his political career in the pre-independence era and contested in elections for the Legislative Assembly held for the second time in the Gold Coast on 15 June 1954.
He was one of 11 independent candidates who won a seat in the 104-seater assembly dominated by the Convention People’s Party which controlled the House with 71 seats.
In the next election in 1956, C.K Tedam, a royal in Paga in the Upper East Region would stand on the ticket of the Northern People’s Party and win his seat.
In the dark days of unconstitutional governments, C.K Tedam served as a Local Government minister in the Supreme Military Council.
After Ghana returned to civilian rule in 1993, C.K Tedam was key in forming the NPP that contested the presidential elections and lost.
He was elevated to join the Council of State after the NPP first won political power in 2000. After the party lost the 2008 elections, Mr. Tedam became chairman of the party’s Council of Elders.
The party honoured C.K Tedam in 2014 during a thanksgiving service with a citation, "for your enormous contribution to the growth of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition, for your unwavering dedication and all the sacrifices you have made to see the party and tradition established firmly in the political landscape of Ghana...”
He was married to Winifred Tedam and is survived by six children.
