Throw Back Thursday With Owoahene Acheampong Of Bryt 99.1 Fm

From Kete Krachi in the Volta Region, was born at Kwahu Pepease, started his primary education there but later moved to Nkawkaw in 1995.

His parents lived in the Kwahu South District “Nyarkum Akura”, farming village. Lived with an aunty at Pepease but due to some issues between his dad and her sister (the aunty he was living with), led to he and his siblings being moved to Nkawkaw where they had to live without any parental guide. His sister was thirteen (13), and he was only ten (10) years living alone.

They only went to school whem they feel like because of no parental supervision which led to his sister not completing Basic School Level.

“At Nkawkaw zongo, you wake up to see your mates at home and as a kid you go back to remove your uniform. It even affected my church attendance. Sometimes I feel that’s the reason I’m not so much into church and its activities” he said

He sold Kerosene and did other businesses like shoe shine on weekends, pealing of cola nut and out of that bought a bicycle for rental. He even used to pilfer 200 cedis (now 2 Ghana pesewas) everyday from her mum who sold cigarettes at the village during vacations. He was also capable of buying food toffees and biscuits during break time like his mates from the monies he took. Tried Akpeteshie once but that went bad for him.

With the dream of becoming a banker, nearly cut short by stopping school upon an advice from a guy who told him that by the time he finishes school, the end time might have come which he believed

“Could you believe I completed SSS the same year with that guy? He repeated saa” he stated whilst laughing

“My early days at MPASS didn’t go well. One morning after breakfast while walking back to our classrooms, sharing jokes and laughing then suddenly I couldn’t breath in but could breath out for almost a minute. I was diagnosed of Asthma which i battled with for a year” he said

A General Arts graduate who had to register and write Business subjects after SS because he realized that’s where his interest was

He went for ICT training and later realized they did radio in the school. Listening to their lectures for some days he developed the interest and so joined the class.

And that was what brought him into radio before enrolling for a Distance Education at UCC to study Business Communications. He was then employed at GBC Sunrise Fm in Koforidua in 2004. As an intern, he was retained ad a guest artist for 3 years.

He was later employed as a contract in 2008 before full time employment in 2010. Six (6) years at GBC before his full time employment

Until 2004 the name was Ernest Acheampong. He became known as Owoahene when he started radio.

“Let me add this. I worked as a Sales Officer and PRO for Joy Heerbal Center from 2008 to 2011 on Part Time. I left them for a while before joining them again in 2015 but this time on their radio” he explained

He brought his siblings to Koforidua in 2007 to school because they were facing the same No parental guide problem. He brought all four of them to stay with him in my single room. Three girls one boy.

“Since then their upkeep became my responsibility. It really got to me because I was myself a student. Thankfully all the girls have completed shs and they’re all pupil teachers now. The boy wrote his BECE this year” he said gratefully

Within this period, he experienced what we call broken heart. “Lol, e dey pain waa” he confessed

Owoahene is married to Mrs Sarah Oduraa Acheampong with two lovely daughters.

Life has thought him, there is nothing he can’t handle. He advices that, no one should tell you, you can’t do something.

His deepest convictions is that, someone is always watching. Give your best in anything you do no matter the situation. If there is anything called luck, some will always meet their luck ahead of you, that doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. Your time will surely come.

By:Nene Asi