By Peter Agengre
A solemn ceremony was held to bid farewell to the late Teresa Atogiyire, a retired staff of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), at her hometown, Kologo, in the Navrongo Municipality.
Before her burial in the Upper East Region, tributes were paid in her memory. Teresa Atogiyire, who retired at the rank of Head of News, passed away on December 26, 2024, at the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital in the Eastern Region. The Atogiyire family described her as a great daughter, sister, aunt, and mentor who was loved by all.
Many friends from different parts of the country gathered at the Kologo funeral grounds to bid her farewell. Though saddened by her passing, they took consolation in the scripture that she would live again.
Head of the Atogiyire family, J.B. Asobayire, and the newly appointed CEO of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, shared fond memories of their late family member.
“Teresa has been one of our strong pillars in the family. The last time she came home was when she attended the burial of our aunt in Kajelo. Around that period, she also organized a party for the children in this area. And now, this is what God has given us at this moment. We only hope she sleeps well,” J.B. Asobayire recounted.
“She was a caring person. Whenever she had the opportunity, she would call to check on me. Since I am always on radio and television and she was a journalist, she would sometimes call to advise me on what to say and what not to say on air. Her demise is a great loss to me and the family,” said Abraham Amaliba, CEO of NRSA.
Sympathizers gathered to pay tribute to Teresa and her sister-in-law, Rosemary Atogiyire, at a joint burial and memorial service.
Rev. Father Dr. Mak Caesar Abagna remembered Teresa as a woman who served the country with dignity.
“Teresa worked as a journalist and always ensured that her reports were accurate. She was a dignified woman who relied on facts to make her reports authentic. She never relented in giving thanks to God in everything she engaged in. We will miss her, but God is happy to receive her,” Fr. Dr. Mak Caesar said.
As daughters-in-law struggled to hold back tears, the St. Matthew Catholic Choir offered words of comfort to the grieving family.
Tributes from cousins and grandchildren fondly remembered Teresa as a “sister of gold” and a cousin who was like a mother.
“Through your tender love, care, and unwavering support, we have become who we are today. You taught us priceless lessons—contentment in all things, the power of unity, and the importance of love—shaping our character in ways words cannot fully capture. Your legacy of love, faith, and strength will forever live with us.”
The late Teresa Atogiyire, born in March 1960, had a distinguished career in journalism. She attended St. Francis of Assisi Girls Secondary School in Jirapa in 1973 and later pursued further studies at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ). She joined GBC in 1987 and rose to the position of Head of News until her retirement in March 2020.
