In today’s social media-craze world, motivational stories are not in short supply but only a few of them tickle real emotions. Frederick Agaaya Adongo’s story is one of the rare exceptions.
Last week, beneath the historic elm trees at Yale University’s graduation ceremony, the once cattle herder stood tall in his academic regalia, the same calloused hands that once held farm tools in rural Zorkor in the Upper East Region now clutching a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from one of the world’s most prestigious institutions.
“This is nothing short of exhilarating,” the cheerful graduand said in an interview, recalling his emergence from a humble background – the dusty paths of his remote village, where dreams often wither under the harsh sun – to becoming the first Ghanaian in almost four decades to graduate with LL.M from the prestigious Yale Law School.
“I had no professional ambitions growing up. I would say my journey to law school was divinely orchestrated,” he said.
A key part of that divine orchestration is the unwavering support of renowned businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Seidu Agongo, whose generosity transformed the cattle herder’s dream into an extraordinary reality.
Between farm, cattle and classroom
Growing up in rural Ghana, Frederick said his early life revolved around farming and animal husbandry.
He recalled dividing his time between school, herding cattle, and going to the farm, costing him precious learning time.
“In a typical week, I could only go to school two or three times,” he said.
Despite these challenging circumstances, he persevered through basic education, eventually stopping cattle herding in his final year in junior high school (JHS) to focus on the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Predictably, funding his education was a constant struggle. “With contributions from family and other benevolent people, I managed to meet all my financial obligations to complete high school,” he said, though that meant a bigger hurdle was ahead.
At the University of Ghana, he said relied heavily on support from chaplains and members of the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
The Agongo factor
Frederick’s life changed dramatically when a senior at the University of Ghana recognized his potential and recommended him to Alhaji Seidu Agongo – a moment he describes as “a significant turning point in my life.”
“Since knowing Alhaji Agongo, he has paid my school fees and provided for my needs throughout my educational journey,” Frederick explained.
“I didn’t have to worry about the burdens that otherwise would have made it difficult for me to focus on my studies,” he said.
The result is an improbable Yale Law School star, now a symbol of possibility and a beacon of hope for rural youth across the nation.
The story of Frederick, who Alhaji Agongo neither knows nor has ever met, is one of many by a philanthropist who believes in sharing himself to help make society better.
He has sponsored hundreds of children across the country through various levels of education, paid the bills of hundred more people and constructed and furnished a state-of-the-art block for the Children’s Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
Alhaji Agongo has also funded several females, widows and single mothers through vocational training and entrepreneurships as part of his commitment to helping create an equitable society.
“Frederick is an exceptional talent and the least I can do is to support him shine,” he said. “Through that support, he will make his family and society better and the world will be the bigger beneficiary,” he added.
Making history at Yale
For Frederick, Alhaji Agongo’s presence in his life led him into a land of possibilities.
After successfully completing his law degree in Ghana, he said he was faced with offers from both Yale and Harvard Law Schools but settled for Yale for its intimate learning environment with smaller class sizes.
“My checks also strongly suggest that since 1987, we have not had a Ghanaian in the program,” he notes proudly.
As the only African in his cohort, Frederick decided to “take the road less traveled,” breaking a 38-year absence of Ghanaian representation in Yale’s prestigious LL.M. program, a journey smoothen by constant financial and moral support from Alhaji Agongo.
For him, the LL.M. holds immense personal significance, more so from Yale.
“Yale Law School not only imparts profound legal knowledge but also instills in us the responsibility to use that knowledge to address society’s most pressing challenges. Coming from a background where higher education seemed like an unlikely dream, the opportunity to now be part of a community that strives to create meaningful change in the world is nothing short of exhilarating,” he said.
Genuine philanthropist
For Frederick, Alhaji Agongo’s success story highlights the transformative impact of a man’s philanthropy that extends far beyond his personal.
“Alhaji Agongo is a genuine philanthropist,” Frederick said, noting the distant nature of their relationship.
“Since knowing him, we have only spoken on the phone; he has never met me and has nothing to gain from me for helping me. Yet he constantly checks up on me to ensure that I am comfortable and provides whatever I need,” he said.
Frederick revealed that Alhaji Agongo has similarly supported numerous other students whose educational journeys might have been “prematurely truncated but for his benevolence.”
Message to the youth
For Frederick, his situation is a powerful testament of how one’s background means less to his/her future.
“One is not defined by their circumstances,” he said.
“We need to only push ourselves to our elastic limits in the pursuit of our goals,” he said.
He stressed the importance of mentorship and humility, noting that the youth needed to get mentors who can guide them in whatever field they choose to pursue.
“We just need to humble ourselves and be ready to learn from mentors, friends, and colleagues. And we will attain greater heights,” he said.
On what next, he said he return home to work while exploring opportunities for further studies. While at it, his story stands as a powerful testament to perseverance, the impact of philanthropy, and the heights that determined Ghanaians can reach with proper support.
For Frederick, in Alhaji Agongo’s selfless investment in bright minds like him, Ghanaians witness how one person’s generosity can help transform not just individual lives but potentially the nation’s future.
