Our kinsman, husband, father, brother, nephew, and uncle Honourable Marlon Praises Anipa is no more. He is gone for good. He is dead.
This year has not been good for us as a family. Marlon’s death comes just three days after the burial of his sister-in-law on Saturday November 13, 2021.
Marlon was at that funeral. He sat next to me at the funeral reception. He said he would be my body guard. He was well.
On Sunday November 14, 2021 Marlon went to a clinic in Accra for a thorough medical checkup. The doctor gave him a clean bill of health and Marlon left for his post. He checked into a hotel in Hohoe and reported for duty on Monday November 15, 2021.
The Regional Minister for Oti joined him and they went round the BECE Centres to encourage the pupils as BECE examinations was ongoing. The Regional Minister left for his post and Marlon also left for his office at Likpe Mate.
Then the drama started. He sat in his chair in his office at Likpe Mate. When he wanted to get up, he couldn’t get up. After several attempts he called his sister Gloria Anipa Akoto and his sister asked him to make a video call so she could see him. In the full view of his sister Gloria, Marlon was struggling to get up. Then he said he was seeing stars and could hear voices. With encouragement from his sister he finally was able to get up from his chair, picked up his bag and left the room. His sister asked him to go to the hospital but Marlon said after leaving the office he felt better so he would be fine. He went back to his hotel room, called for dinner from his family house which he ate in the presence of his niece. Let me spare you any more details.
By 3am on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, Honourable Marlon Praises Anipa was dead. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. He spent only a day in the office as District Chief Executive and died three days after burying his sister-in-law.
This year has not been good for us as a family. I wish we could bury him this year so we don’t carry our grief deep into the next year. But there are many stakeholders so the family has settled for February 26, 2022 as the date for his burial.
The circumstances surrounding his death makes it a coroner’s case and a mandatory post mortem, though as a family we would have skipped the post mortem. The post mortem has been done. We are awaiting the report and that would bring closure to the life of Marlon on this earth.
Marlon has lived and worked for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) particularly in London and also in Ghana. He loved the party so much that on the few occasions that I visited London, I realized he put the party ahead of family.
So when he wasn’t getting any political appointment he did not have it easy in the family. And when he finally got an appointment, he spent only one day in the office.
Rest in Peace my brother.
DR. ROBERT ADOM ANIPA
