Big man, big voice, big talent, big heart – whichever of these adjectives you prefer to describe the late Ghanaian journalist Christopher Opoku with, it suits him just fine.
Born in 1974, Opoku had been around some by his eighth birthday, having lived in at least two continents and three countries – Scotland where he was born; Ghana and Nigeria where his family re-located – and studying at university-operated primary schools in the cities of Kumasi and Ibadan.
In 1988, a 14-year-old Opoku returned to his native Ghana, continuing his secondary education at St. Hubert’s Seminary and Kumasi High School, both in Ashanti, and successfully gained admission at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), but only on the second time of asking.
After a year spent studying for a diploma in Data Processing, he switched to seek and complete a degree programme in Computer Science, bringing to a climax a somewhat convoluted educational circuit.
Opoku’s early years had not passed without incident, however. A year after his family’s return to Ghana (from Nigeria), his mom, Madam Dora Opoku, passed away tragically.
While Opoku was not so good at the sporting disciplines while in school – the most he did was unsuccessfully try his hands at goalkeeping – his passion for them could hardly be faulted, as he indulged them in what ways he could.
Chris started out on radio, did TV, and moved into print. He believe that is what makes him a complete journalist and, thankfully he did a fair job at all three
For one whose journalistic instincts had been honed albeit unwittingly while yet so young, Opoku’s choice of study at tertiary level was quite unusual. On face value, the fields of Computer Science and soccer could not have been more distant from each other, yet Opoku, ever so observant.
Opoku rose to become one of Ghana’s most recognizable media faces and voices. Listen to him run commentary, watch him engage in punditry on TV, or read any of his write-ups, and it is almost impossible to determine which art he handles most proficiently.
As a journalist, Opoku hosted major international tournaments, including the African Youth Championships hosted (and won) by Ghana in 1999, the Nations Cup organized a year later, and that of 2008.
Chris’ dream was to cover the Fifa World Cup, missing the 2006 and 2010 editions due to his absence from the country and his wife’s scheduled delivery respectively.
Christopher Opoku was married to Mrs. Vivian Opoku and had three beautiful daughters namely Dora Nana Ama Botah Opoku, Christabell Mercy Maame Ama Opoku and Constance Paige Nana Adjoa Opoku.
His favorite quote on facebook was “I like to say it as it is and i try to be as straight as a die……..”
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