During my formative years in Sekondi, I came to know an elderly man whose story has never left me.
He had spent virtually his entire adult life serving a former Minister of State. He was more than a driver; he was a trusted, companion, confidant and “caretaker”. He drove his employer wherever he needed to go, managed countless errands, cared for him in old age, and remained steadfastly by his side for decades.
The former minister was a wealthy and accomplished man. He had educated all his children, who went on to become lawyers, medical doctors, and engineers, each enjoying successful professional careers. He also owned several houses and parcels of land across Sekondi-Takoradi.
When the former minister passed away, however, the faithful caretaker who had devoted his life to serving him received little recognition. With nowhere to stay, he eventually returned to his hometown of Agona Swedru. Ironically, the very house he had faithfully maintained for decades stood vacant, slowly succumbing to neglect and disrepair. None of the deceased’s children needed the property, yet the man who had spent decades preserving it was left with nothing.
That experience has stayed with me for years. It forced me to ask a difficult question: Why do we so often forget those who stood by us when we needed them most? More importantly, why should gratitude end where inheritance begins?
Across the world, there are inspiring examples of individuals who include long-serving caretakers in their wills, establish trust funds for them, or provide them with property, educational support, or retirement benefits as a lasting expression of appreciation. Such gestures do not diminish the family’s inheritance; rather, they demonstrate that gratitude is a virtue worthy of practice.
The purpose is not to deprive children of what rightfully belongs to them, but to recognise that loyalty and faithful service also deserve a place in the story of one’s legacy.
Sadly, this is not an isolated story. In many affluent Ghanaian homes, there exists a silent but troubling reality that rarely receives public attention. Behind the comfort, dignity, and well-being enjoyed by many elderly or wealthy individuals are caretakers men and women who dedicate years, and sometimes decades, of their lives to serving others. They cook, clean, administer medication, run errands, drive, provide companionship, and often sacrifice their own dreams and family lives to ensure that those in their care live comfortably.
Yet, when the final chapter of life is written, these caretakers are too often ignored or forgotten.
It is a pattern that deserves serious reflection. After years of unwavering loyalty and personal sacrifice, many caretakers leave with little more than memories and perhaps a modest salary or, in some cases, nothing at all that hardly reflects the value of their commitment.
Meanwhile, the very estates they helped preserve, protect, and sometimes even develop are often inherited entirely by children or relatives who may have had little involvement in the daily care and welfare of the deceased.
This is not to suggest that children should be denied their inheritance. Indeed, family inheritance is deeply rooted in both our customs and legal systems. However, justice and gratitude need not be mutually exclusive. Children can inherit while a faithful caretaker is also acknowledged and rewarded.
The issue goes beyond money. It is about recognising loyalty, honouring sacrifice, and affirming the dignity of labour. A caretaker who has devoted ten, fifteen, or even twenty years to ensuring another person’s comfort has contributed something invaluable: time, compassion, emotional support, and often personal opportunities that can never be recovered.
One may ask: What message are we sending to society when extraordinary dedication is met with indifference? What incentive remains for future generations to embrace caretaking if they know that years of faithful service may ultimately amount to nothing more than intermittent handouts or piecemeal assistance?
Ghanaian society prides itself on values such as respect, kindness, and communal responsibility. These values should extend beyond words and be reflected in how we treat those who stand by us during our most vulnerable years. A caretaker should never have to wonder whether decades of faithful service will end in abandonment.
As individuals accumulate wealth, they should also strive to build a legacy of fairness. Estate planning should not only answer the question, “Who is my family?” It should also answer, “Who stood by me when I needed them most?”
Perhaps it is time for more affluent Ghanaians to rethink what legacy truly means. A grateful heart plans not only for those related by blood but also for those who proved their loyalty through years of sacrifice.
For in the end, inheritance should not merely reflect biological ties; it should also reflect the values of gratitude, fairness, and humanity.
Among the Akan, conceptions of wealth have traditionally been intertwined with responsibility. Wealth has long been understood not only as a source of personal comfort but also as a means of fulfilling obligations to one’s family, community, and those who have faithfully served one’s household. While customary rules govern succession and inheritance, Akan moral thought also reminds us that gratitude is a duty, not merely a sentiment.
Whether an estate is distributed under customary law, a will, or statutory rules, the law determines what is permissible. Gratitude, however, asks a different question: not simply what we may do with our property, but what we ought to do for those whose loyalty and sacrifice enriched our lives.
Every time I think about inheritance, I remember that elderly caretaker returning to Agona Swedru while the house he had faithfully maintained stood empty. To this day, that image reminds me that the greatest inheritance we leave behind is not simply wealth, but the values by which we choose to distribute it.
A legacy without gratitude is an incomplete legacy.
Kweku Ampong
Researcher in Akan History, Customary Law and Indigenous Institutions
kampong807@gmail.com
