Ambassador Asmah laid to rest
The founding father of Ghana Chess Association, the late Ambassador Amoh Asmah was laid to rest at Diabene, Takoradi on 28th February 2015. The burial service, took place at the St. Pauls Cathedral at Sekondi was attended by members of the Ghana Chess Association and other chess enthusiasts in the country.
Ambassador Asmah was the President of the Ghana Chess Federation from 1975 till 1988 and over the period worked tirelessly towards the development of the game. He was the linkman between the Federation and the National Sports Council and through his efforts Ghana took part in her first ever World Chess Olympiad in 1986 in Dubai when he led the national team as a non-playing captain. It is significant to know that he got the much needed support from his dear family while he championed the development of the game. It is therefore not surprising that all the members of his family play chess. His son, Frederick Asmah, was a member of the national team that played in Dubai and who went on to become the national champion from 1986 to 1993.
There was a chess exhibition at the reception which took place at Plaza hotel, where chess enthusiasts played chess in loving memory of Mr. Asmah’s love for the beautiful mind game. The exhibition featured chess players in Takoradi which included a 4 year old granddaughter of Mr Asmah, Isabela. However, the match between Veron Asmah and Elikem Attah was the highlight of the occasion. Veron, probably backed by the spirit of his father, came back from a slightly worse position to defeat Ellikem Attah who resigned after falling into a mating net.
Mr. Ameku, vice president of the Ghana Chess Association made a donation on behalf of the association to the children of Mr. Asmah after the exhibition match. Mrs. Fiona Asmah, daughter of the Late Mr. Asmah and an enthusiast of women chess based in the US, received the token on behalf of the children was grateful to the GCA for the kind gesture and pledged their continuous support for the development of the noble game in Ghana.