Sir Knight William Saawil Sopiimeh
(1952 -2022)
“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8 NKJ)
Childhood Life
Sir Knight William Saawil Sopiimeh was born on 24th November, 1952 in Zambo Tangpour to Mr Zegr Sopiimeh and Madam Sopiimeh Wie (all of blessed memory). He was the second born and only son of his mother and the fourth child of his father.
Education
William, like most young lads from Zambo, attended Eremon Middle Day. At an early age, William exhibited his extraordinary leadership skills and as such he became the Senior Prefect at class six. He proceeded to Ghana College, Tamale, (now GHANASCO) for his GCE ‘O’ levels. He was one of select few who were admitted for RSH Diploma in Environmental Health at the School of Hygiene, Accra, in 1972.
Upon completing this programme in 1974, Willie, as he was affectionately called by his friends, did not rest on his oars. In 1978, He pursued an Advanced Diploma in Health Education at the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria. His desire to not only carve a niche for himself but also to serve his country well, motivated him to self-fund himself to pursue a Post Graduate Diploma Health Education & Health Promotion and MSc Health Education and Health Promotion at Leeds Metropolitan University, United Kingdom from 1993 to 1995. He thus was the first person from Zambo area to attain a Masters degree.
Working Life
Upon completing his studies at School of Hygiene, Sir Knight Sopiimeh was posted to Tamale as an Environmental Health Officer 1974. In 1979, when he returned from his studies in Ibadan, he was posted to Kintampo to teach at the then Kintampo Rural Health Training ( now Kintampo College of Health). In 1989, he was promoted and transferred to Sunyani as the Brong Ahafo Regional Family Planning Education Campaign Coordinator. This was a pilot family planning education campaign launched in three regions of the country including the Brong Ahafo Region with support from USAID and Johns Hopkins University. William’s well- designed communication strategies and tools for monitoring the campaign helped the team win an International award.
In 2000, as the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinator for Community based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Programme, he provided technical Support in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of CHPS activities at the district level. During the same period, he was appointed the Brong Ahafo Regional HIV/AIDS Manager. His assiduous work led to a sharp decline in HIV prevalence rate in the region. He worked closely with persons living with HIV to reduce the stigmatisation and supported many of them through NGOs to get some livelihood empowerment for the vulnerable amongst them.
By dint of hard work, he was promoted as Regional Health Promotion Officer, Brong Ahafo Region in 2006. He oversaw the successful planning, implementation and evaluation of the health promotion component of the region’s programmes. He received yet another promotion as Chief Health Promotion Officer, the highest rank in his field. This necessitated a relocation to the nation’s capital, Accra, but his unfailing love for the Brong Ahafo region coupled with some personal reasons made him decide to stay and work from Sunyani.
As a member of the Health Promotion Technical Working Group, he collaborated with stakeholders to produce Ghana’s Health Promotion Policy and the Ghana Health Promotion Strategic Plan 2014 – 2018. William was the Lead Consultant for USAID’s “The Ghana GoodLife, Live it Well” project from April to September 2016 in Accra, Ghana. He also consulted for the Diocesan Health Director, Sunyani and The Catholic Bishop of Damango on Evaluation of Nkoranza Safe Motherhood Programme and Evaluation of West Gonja Hospital Health Insurance Scheme respectively.
During his illustrious 32 years of working with the Ghana Health Service, he was recognised for hard work and dedication. He received an award from the Kintampo College of Health for his significant contribution to the development of the College and also the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Management Team Best Health Worker Award for 2003.
He officially retired from Ghana Health Service in November 2012 in a colourful ceremony. Though he was on retirement, the energetic William was requested by the Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre, Sunyani and the Anglican University , Nkronzan to render a Part-Time Lecturing. He happily obliged to this clarion call, and dutifully served these Universities until the Good Lord finally called him to higher duties on 29th August, 2022.
Boards and Affiliations
Sir Knight William Saawil Sopiimeh was an astute professional with enviable worth of experience. He thus served on a number of boards. He was appointed by Most Rev. Dominic Yeboah Nyarko, Bishop of Techiman Diocese, to serve on the then newly established Techiman Diocesan Health Service Board in the year 2012 till his untimely demise. His contributions to discussions and debates on these boards were always enriching and impactful.
On 26th July, 2019, he was inaugurated as the Board Chairman of the Lawra Nursing Training College. He was committed to creating a legacy of making the Lawra Nursing Training College a college of choice in the region. He and his team were able to acquire a parcel of land in anticipation of the transition of the school to a university college in future. He was also the Board Chairman of MIHOSO International Foundation.
He was the president of the Health Promotion Specialist Association, Ghana from 2009 to 2012. William was also the National President of Zambo Youth and Development Association. During his Presidency, he spearheaded the drawing and implementation of five-year (5) development plans (1990 to 1993 & 1997 to 2003) of Zambo which covered the road networks, health (Clinic), education (Zambo D/A & Day Nursery) to list but a few, which we all enjoy in Zambo today.
Christian Life
Although Sir Knight Sopiimeh was not born into a christian home, he accepted the Catholic faith and got baptised in the catholic church later in life. Through his exemplary Catholic life, he managed to convince his bosom friend Mr. Maawe to bless his marriage in the catholic church even though he was not a catholic. Subsequently, his friend was baptised by St. John Paul, then Pope John Paul II in Rome of which William was the Godfather.
His ardent desire to be spiritually grounded in the Catholic Faith led to him joining the Noble Order of the Knights of Marshall Council 36, Wenchi on 15th April, 1989. Bye dint of handwork and dedicated service, he was installed as the 12th Grand Knight of his Council in December, 2006 and reigned for two years. He worked tirelessly to mobilise funds to start the Temple project in Wenchi. He was honoured with an Honorary Past Regional Grand Knight with the title, Worthy Brother in August, 2014. Subsequently, in 2016, his dedication was rewarded with an Honorary Past Supreme Knight by the Supreme Council of the Noble Order of the Knights of Marshall in Sekondi. He also served as the Bono-Ahafo Regional Communications Officer of the Marshallan fraternity
Sir Knight Sopiimeh was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Sunyani of which he was very active and participated in all church programmes. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Sacred Heart Dagaaba Community of which he was the president from 2004 to 2016. He was their representative at the Parochial Pastoral Council of the parish for several years. William also assisted the Dagaabaa choir by buying them their costumes and sponsored them during their annual retreat at Grotto, Amanfoso.
Family Life
The Late Sir Knight William Saawil Sopiimeh was a family oriented person. He married Mrs Alexandra Sopiimeh (née Alexandra Yiri-Erong) of blessed memory, traditionally in 1975. The marriage was solemnised by the Late Peter Cardinal Dery at Holy Cross Parish in Tamale in 1979. They were blessed with five children: Guido Baluseg Sopiimeh, Faustus Wie Sopiimeh (of blessed memory), Dr Edgar Lierdong Sopiimeh, Sheila Ternye Sopiimeh and Raymond Faakye Sopiimeh (of blessed memory) and ten grandchildren. Unfortunately, Willie lost his beloved wife Alexandra in June 2009 after over three decades of marriage. In 2016, He married Mrs Mary Jacinta Sopiimeh (née Mary Jacinta Daaro) at Sacred Heart Parish, Sunyani.
Personality
Sir Knight Sopiimeh was a calm and gentle personality. He was very kind and treated all people who came his way with respect and dignity regardless of age, class or stature. He thus, had a lot of friends and acquaintances from all sphere of life. He believed in the adage , “there is strength in numbers”, thus, he always galvanised people around a good course.
As a dedicated and selfless leader, he always worked towards the development of his people and community. His visionary and transformational leadership style coupled with his charismatic personality were admired by many.
Excellence and high quality standards were the haul mark of everything he did. He performed every task to the best of his ability thus, his belief in the philosophy: “ There is no second chance for first impression”. He was a result oriented person and respected timelines in the execution of tasks.
William was a man of tradition. He loved and cherished his culture and heritage and never missed the opportunity to showcase them. He was noted for wearing his smock for most occasions. Sir Knight Sopiimeh was a generous person who used the resource at his disposal to help people around him.
This is the LEGEND we are biding fare well to today as he journeys home to his Maker. As we mourn, we also Praise, Thank and Glorify God for the gift of the Life of Sir Knight William Saawil Sopiimeh. We could not have asked for more.
Rest well Daddy!