In the spirit of bestowing a deserved honor on an individual while they are alive, Anthony Barwu Sr and his wife, Linda Paryee Barwu, were treated to a befitting honoring program by his children and grandchildren at an elaborate program as a mark of what they had done to guard and guide their children over the years, as his nephew, Chief Dr. William Deiyan Towah, Director of Finance and Administration of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, extolled his virtue as a worthy man deemed to be emulated and celebrated.
The program, which also commemorated the 50th wedding anniversary of the couple, and held at the residence of the Barwus in Bardnersville, was graced by a number of prominent citizens from Grand Gedeh County, top government officials, professional colleagues of the celebrants as well as family members and community dwellers.
In his welcome address, Bishop Anthony T. Barwu Jr., who leads the Heritage World Outreach (HEWO) Inc., said he was grateful to the Almighty God for making the day a grand success “for the world to come and witness and know better Anthony Barwu Sr. and his lovely wife, Madam Paryee Barwu—our parents who have been devoting their lives, time and resources to inspire us, their children and grandchildren”.
Barwu Jr. said, “This is something we have been planning for a very long time and today was the appropriate time to hold such an event to tell our parents thank you for what they have done and continue to do even in our adult lives. Their care, support and guidance have inspired a whole generation, and we can only be thankful to the Almighty God for giving us such a wonderful heritage that we can be proud of. As beneficiaries of good parents, this event today is to also challenge us to be proud parents of our children and those unborn.”
Chief Dr. Towah, who introduced Elder Barwu to the audience, said despite spending most of his formative years with the chief celebrant and being supported in school, he still finds it rewarding to reap from his vast fountain of knowledge and wisdom. He described him as “a man of honor, valor, truthfulness, honesty, a dedicated family man and, above all, a God-fearing man”.
In his brief appreciation speech, Elder Barwu said the day was the most remarkable and memorable day in his life—that his children and grandchildren would think of such an occasion to honor him and his wife.
“There is nothing more a parent would wish for than to pray and see their children growing up, becoming successful and coming back to them and saying, ‘Father and mother, thank you people so much for what you have done for us.’ This is what our children have done today. We brought them up to be good children, to grow up as good adults to have their own children too and cherish the good side of life. And so, I want to take this time to bless them. My children, we have given you the blessing to see good things—to see your children too coming to appreciate you and tell you thank you for what you did for them,” Barwu said, amid cheers and standing ovation.
Commenting on how he got his wife, Barwu said it came at a time in his life as an adult that his late sister told him he was getting older and needed to be married which, according to him, got to him so hard and he decided to accomplish the feat.
“So, I had a dream but could not interpret it. So I bought a dream book from the Muslim bookstore and the interpretation was that I will get married, have many children and live a happy life. I was stunned but took it in a positive manner.
“One day I left Randall Street, where I was living and went to the Capitol By-Pass and saw a young lady roasting cassava. Right there my mind ran on her and told myself this is the woman I want. When we started, we were hiding, but one day her aunt brought her to me surprisingly and asked me, ‘Anthony, do you know this girl?’ I said, ‘yes.’ She just said, ‘Today this is your wife; and that was just how it began,” he said, attracting laughter and jokes from the crowd.
The union is blessed with 13 children who are successfully pursuing various careers of their choices.
Speaking to the media on the sideline of the occasion, the third son of the celebrants, Dr. Boyee Barwu, said he was extremely proud of his parents, and that the day was just the physical expression of how he and his siblings decided to reciprocate what they got from their parents. He said despite the obstacles experienced down the line, including living in refugee camps in Sierra Leone during the war, their parents did their utmost best to get them the foundation they needed to be where they are today.
“This program goes beyond mere celebration; it is to see and show what has been put into what has turned out to be a success story for us the children. They provided the environment, and it is because of the environment that we are at where we are. If you want to make a change in your life, change the environment; they helped to change our environment,” Dr. Barwu said.
He said, beyond the program he intends to ensure that he provides comfort and financial freedom for his parents so that they will continue to enjoy the fruits of their labor. “They instilled in us the culture of not giving up, to be upright, productive and respectful not only to our parents but to all those whom we come in contact with. This is just the right time to appreciate our parents, and those who are here will bear witness of what can be the reward for good parents,” Dr. Barwu said.
The celebration was characterized by singing, dancing and enough food and drinks for the guests.