Emeritus Professor at Ashesi University, former Minister of State in Charge of Tertiary Education, former Vice-Chancellor of Central University, former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, author, and public figure, Professor Kwesi Yankah has paid tribute to the late former Station Manager of Radio Univers, Dr. Abubakari Sidick Ahmed, popularly known as Alhaji.
Following news of Dr. Ahmed’s passing on Monday, February 16, 2026, Prof. Yankah took to Facebook to recount their longstanding bond and reflect on the early days of campus broadcasting, particularly Radio Univers’ role in shaping Ghana’s airwaves during the transition to the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
“Sidick Ahmed and the University of Ghana as a whole played a pivotal role in freeing the airwaves on the eve of Ghana’s Fourth Republic. Hand in hand with Alhaji, we started Radio Univers in the early 1990s on the initiative of Vice Chancellor George Benneh. We were Benneh’s foot soldiers: I, the ubiquitous Dean of Students, and Alhaji as Station Manager. After Benneh came another great radio enthusiast, Vice Chancellor Ivan Addae-Mensah.”
“Using the School of Communication Studies as our technical base, the SRC and student body as the volunteer force, we prodded on, tripped, fumbled, but always rose to resume the struggle,” he wrote.
Prof. Yankah further described Dr. Ahmed’s enduring presence at the station for more than two decades, praising his humility, diligence, loyalty, and principled leadership.
He noted that despite receiving several lucrative offers from other media houses, Dr. Ahmed chose to remain at Radio Univers.
“Over a period of twenty-five years, life moved on; various streams of students passed through our experimental Univers, and changing scenes of management and staff passed with fond memories.”
“One thing, however, remained constant — Alhaji Sidick Ahmed: the cornerstone; humble, diligent, affable, loyal, principled. Sidick declined several offers to leave Univers for greener radio pastures, but prosperity would not move him. He stayed put, even when I had moved on to eventually become Pro-Vice-Chancellor nearly fifteen years thereafter, ” he added.
“Farewell, Alhaji. You fought a good fight and brought Ghana radio this far. May your soul rest in perfect peace,” Prof. Yankah concluded.
Beyond his administrative role, Dr. Abubakari Sidick Ahmed was instrumental in mentoring young broadcasters, many of whom have gone on to become leading voices in Ghana’s media industry.
His calm demeanour, distinctive voice, and unwavering commitment to excellence left an indelible mark on Radio Univers and Ghana’s broader media ecosystem.
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Story by Oliver Arthur Acorlor | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
