Africans Remember Major Quashigah Today, As Continent Marks Another Anniversary Of Africa Healthy Lifestyle Day.
Ghana has always set the pace in Africa’s Advancement. Many Ghanaians have helped in making this dream a reality. The Likes of Osargyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory paid his due. His immense efforts and contributions in championing African Excellence made the African Union to Institute a day in his Honour.
In furtherance of the African Dream of hoping to manage our won African affairs, was the consolidation of Osargyfo’s achievements by the tremendous contributions of the Late Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd.). It was through his grand efforts that saw the adoption of healthy lifestyle practices as the main focus of Ghana’s New Healthy Policy Paradigm Shift with the team “Regenerative Health and Nutrition”. Under his chairmanship, Ghana’s Ministry of Health and the African Hebrew Development Agency initiated the new trend of promoting quality health for all. This was based on the concept he adopted from the African Hebrew Israelites Community of Dimona in Israel which is mostly dominated by African Americans. The Community known as The Village Of Peace is under the Spiritual Leadership of His Excellency Ben Amin Israel. For more than 40 years nobody has died in the community. And disease such as cancers, tuberculosis, child mortality, child morbidity have been eradicated.
Major Quashigah’s attempt to help accelerate the development of Ghana to reach a middle income status by 2015 did not end within the confines of Ghana’s territorial waters. He went ahead to convince his fellow African Health Ministers to share in his ideas, hence the African Health Ministers Conference in 2005 where he presented an impeccable speech. In addition to his call was the World Health Minister’s Conference where he again, made his voice and call for action in the health paradigm shift known. Furthermore, he made another brilliant presentation at the Commonwealth Health Ministers Assembly in Geneva in 2007.
His efforts saw the change in the way people ate, took lots of water, reduced alcohol intake, did frequent exercises and took more fruits and vegetables.
Today Major is hailed high on the continent hence the declaration of every last Friday of February each year as African Healthy Lifestyle Day by the African Union. The United Nations has added its voice. The UN has accepted the concept. Last year the UN made a global move by calling on member states to move from animal food to a plant based diet since that will prevent the world from falling into the state of a perpetual turmoil.
Not too long did countries like UK and Spain devoted millions of dollars towards inculcating food and health education into the educational curricular and also banned fast food joints located around schools in their respective countries.
One of Major Quashigah’s greatest dreams was to see the teaching of food and health education into the academic curricular. Ghana is yet to see that dream the come true
Ghana’s illustrious son, the late Courage Quashigah was truly a ranger as he always called himself. “Rangers Always Lead The Way”.
There is a saying that all shall pass always but the word of God will forever remain eternal. The same applies to man, that man will die and pass on, but his legacies will forever live on. So are the good works of the great Major.
Major Courage Quashigah has paid his due. Today he has earned a place in Ghana and Global history. It therefore beacons on all and sundry to make his legacy live on by adhering to Strict Healthy Lifestyle Practices that will significantly help the country reach a middle income status by 2015. Ghana will forever be the gateway to Africa.
May the soul of the Late Major Courage E. K. Quashigah (Rtd.) rest in perfect peace and may his good works continue to touch lives.
SIGNED
KOBLA ASAMANI
FORMER AID TO THE LATE MAJOR QUASHIGAH