I wish to extend personally, and on behalf of Management and the entire University community our warm felicitations on this momentous occasion celebrating the 80th birthday anniversary of our venerable professor and erudite scholar, Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr.

Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr as you all very well know was the University of Ghana's fourth Executive Head, serving as Vice-Chancellor from 1985-1992. He joined the University of Ghana as a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law in 1970 and rose through the ranks to become a full Professor of Law.

Beside his leadership capacity, one contribution of Prof. Sawyerr that stands out is the time and energy he devoted towards the preservation of academic freedom at the University of Ghana. After leaving the services of the University, Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr pursued his agenda of academic freedom, giving it a greater voice on the continent, within the circles of the Association of African Universities as Secretary-General. He was a former President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and also served as a member of the Council of State. He also served as the Chief negotiator for the Government of Ghana in the Renegotiation of the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) Agreement.

Even in retirement, Prof. Aki Sawyerr continues to be an active member of the university community, participating in both formal and informal events of the University. He will always slip in quietly and sit far away from being recognized!! Prof. Aki Sawyerr was gracious to accept to be a member of the Visitation Panel in 2007, a Panel that made far reaching recommendations to enforce the integrity of examinations and also provided invaluable input to university governance and administration. Recently, in 2017, when a decision was taken to review the collegiate system of governance at the University, the lot fell on him to chair the Review Panel. Prof. Sawyerr could be trusted to readily accept assignments entrusted to him by the University, and for this selfless contribution, we owe him a debt of gratitude.

The University in 2002 conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) as an attestation to the significant role he has played not only as a Vice Chancellor, but a crucial advocate of developments at the University. Yet again, in April 2016, the Akilagpa Sawyerr Street, named after him, was unveiled in recognition of his contribution. In view of his invaluable services to mother Ghana, he was conferred with the highest national honour of Companion of the Order of the Volta.

On a lighter note, it appears few people in the University of Ghana and perhaps outside of the University may know that Prof. Aki Sawyerr has another first name or rather used to! That name is George! I guess this is news to many of you gathered here, and it was to me as well until few days ago. Perhaps, it would be good to send a formal notification to Wikipedia that George is no longer in use!

We at the University of Ghana do not see ourselves breaking the bond between us and Prof. Aki Sawyerr any time soon and will continue to draw inspiration and strength from him.