When seniors of Labone House smile at parents on your first day and offer to carry your trunk and chop box, they have an agenda. That was the premonition Louis felt on his first day in Presec. Subsequent events proved him right. The choice of Presec for secondary school was a no brainer. It took minutes to dismiss suggestions of Achimota and Mfanstipim from his mind. Presec was the shortest route to Medical School and flesh and blood did not reveal that to Bolo. His mind firmly made up, PRESEC was THE choice and never did he second-guessed this choice.
Odadee Louis John Nkrumah from DeYoungster’s International School, Nima was in Presec from 1986 -1993 and a resident of Labone House. His mates were the likes of Matthew Acolatse, Stephen Anim Yeboah, Nana Kwabena Yeboah, Eric Addae Kyeremeh, Stephen Ekow Poku, Peter Asodji, etc His ‘main men’, buddies and ‘kitchen cabinet’ over his seven years in Presec were however Ekow Poku, Matthew Acolatse, Emmanuel Ayittey, Steven Opare and Felix Addo Yobo.
Academically consistently consistent and focused, Bolo did not look back. He was on a mission and the crack NATSU BOYS of his group gave him a good run for his money. Being the overall top student in Ghana in the Common Entrance Examination that year, did not create any sense of complacency. On the contrary, this Kumasi Ahensan boy got to work and worked assiduously on his books to justify the full government academic scholarship he was enjoying. Tutors inspire us and for Louis, it was A-level biology teacher Dr. Akpaloo whose passion for the subject and approach, made a lasting impression on him and reinforced his desire to pursue science/research and medicine.
After undergraduate studies at Yale, Louis continued at Albert Einstein School Of Medicine, New York for his MD and PhD where he earned the prestigious Dean’s Recognition Award for “exceptional academic and clinical performance and potentials for future contributions to medicine, science and patient care”. Prior to a residency in neurological surgery at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia, Odadee Bolo trained in Ear Nose and Throat at famed John Hopkins University, Baltimore Maryland. In pursuit of further professional laurels, he completed fellowship training in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery at Virginia Mason Neuroscience Institute in Seattle, Washington. Professionally, He is a member of American Association of Neurological Surgery, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the Scoliosis Research Society.
Odadee Louis served Presec in the high office of Assistant School Prefect during the 1992/93 academic year; a post he ‘chop well well’. Bolo was also a sportsman in Presec; he did track (100, 200, and 400 m) and played soccer in his junior forms and proudly represented Presec in the 400m relay race during the Greater Accra inter-school athletic competition at the Accra Sport Stadium when he was in form five. He was also a member of Presec soccer team; coming off the bench to augment the squad as a substitute.
Memories of Presec often come to mind but one that evokes great nostalgia was the pillow fight between him and ‘Polish’ as part of initiation rites on Homos Nite in 1986. Bolo loved Presec Kenkey and fish and methodically and patiently mashed any extra ball he got into smooth ag3g3. Today in his quiet moments, he hums his favorite Presec hymn: [Come ye that love that Lord, And let your joy be known]. His hobbies are soccer and martial arts
Odadee Dr Louis John Nkrumah, Presec alumni fraternity is proud of your achievements and wish you well in your new job at Mariwala Neurosurgery Practice.
Odadee Communications
