Personality Profile: MR. MICHAEL OWUSU AFRIYIE Aka TEACHER KWADWO

CoE~WJ: Good evening Sir, welcome to Colleges of Education Weekly Journal. Briefly

tell us about yourself.

TEACHER KWADWO: Good evening and thank you for the opportunity. My name is

Michael Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Teacher Kwadwo. I hail from Kokofu but I

grew up as a kid in Kumasi. I was born at KNUST Hospital on 25th April, 1988. I started my

basic school at Jubilee Preparatory School at Oforikrom and continued to Asem Mixed and

Adventist Preparatory School in Amakom and then to Tweneboah Koduah Senior High

School (SHS) all in the Ashanti Region. After I completed SHS, I stayed at home for seven

years until I got admission to Akrokeri College of Education.

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CoE~WJ: Briefly tell us about your parents during your childhood and the kind of home you

grew up in.

TEACHER KWADWO: I had the chance to stay with both parents un l I lost my mum. I

also spent a major part of my life with my grandparents. So I basically grew up with my

grandparents. I have an elder brother who is my only sibling. My grandparents were so

strict. If I tell you the number lashes I received my entire life; you will be amazed. But it was

all for my good.

CoE~WJ: What kept you from going to school for close to 7 years and why did you go to

College eventually?

TEACHER KWADWO: During the seven years, I wanted to go to the Kwame Nkrumah

University of Science and Technology (KNUST) but my grades were not good enough for

the programme I wanted to offer. I wrote NOV/DEC on some few occasions, passed and

was advised by my grand mum to apply to the College as well due to financial constraints. It

was then that I tried the College of Education and got admission in October 2014 and

completed in 2017.

CoE~WJ: How was life at Akrokeri College of Education?

TEACHER KWADWO: It was not easy though. I actually did not know the College

system was so similar to the Secondary School system. I did not enjoy my first year in

College, it was much difficult because I seemed to be older than majority of the seniors.

Despite all these, I managed to cope and I got used to it eventually.

CoE~WJ: Were you involved in any other extra-curricular activities in College?

TEACHER KWADWO: NO, I was not. I was just a regular guy in College.

CoE~WJ: Who was your favorite tutor in College?

TEACHER KWADWO: That would be Madam Mercy Anokye, my RME teacher. We

were so good that I used to go to her place to eat. She was like a mother to me.

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CoE~WJ: What motivated you to go to the College of Education and why Akrokeri College

to be precise?

TEACHER KWADWO: Honestly, I had no intention of going there, no motivation or

whatsoever. My plan was to go to KNUST and that was final. I would rather say I was

somehow forced to go to college but I began to like it after I started teaching and interacting

with kids on a regular base. I chose Akrokeri college because a neighbor's child was there

and my grandma asked her to convince me to go to Akrokeri.

CoE~WJ: After spending three years in College and now a teacher, have you regretted

going to College?

TEACHER KWADWO: No, I have never regretted. It was the best decision I made. I am

always grateful to my grandmother.

CoE~WJ: Where do you work currently?

TEACHER KWADWO: At a town called Amankyem near Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

I have been teaching for close to two years now.

CoE~WJ: Many Ghanaians do not know you as Michael Owusu Afriyie but rather as

Teacher Kwadwo, tell us why you decided to embark on this comic journey.

TEACHER KWADWO: The whole thing started back in College when I used to watch a

guy from Germany called the Mad King, he makes similar kind of videos but very short

ones. I enjoyed them and eventually decided to try my hands on them. When I began people

also enjoyed what I did and I kept doing more and this is where I am today. Whenever the

guy uploaded a video, I saw "made with viva video" under it so I went ahead to download

the App on Google Play Store and started to use it. I switched from using a phone to using

camera and software somewhere last year.

CoE~WJ: Is the entertainment industry likely to snatch you away from the classroom?

TEACHER KWADWO: It will be difficult because classroom and teaching has become

huge a part of my life. To be honest with you, I make so much money from my videos. If I

disclose the amount I make from my videos, you will advise me to quit teaching.

Fortunately, I am not teaching for the money but rather for the love of the children. The

future is not known to us and I leave it to God.

CoE~WJ: Tell us the highest place Teacher Kwadwo has been to courtesy of your comic

videos.

TEACHER KWADWO: Huawei took me to Dubai and I am about to go there again in

August. I have had the opportunity to meet the giants in the entertainment industry. The

likes of Bola Ray and others. The experience has been quite fulfilling.

CoE~WJ: How did your grandparents react to your decision to be the Comic Teacher

Kwadwo we all know?

TEACHER KWADWO: They are so happy and proud. Initially they did not know much

about what I was doing and they were expecting to see me on TV since they are not familiar

with the internet.

CoE~WJ: What is your view on Newly Trained Teachers from the Colleges of Education

being asked to undertake a one-year mandatory National Service

TEACHER KWADWO: I really don't know why the Government is doing that but I hope

they have good reasons. Apart from that, I don't have much to say about it.

CoE~WJ: Have you visited your College in recent times?

TEACHER KWADWO: No, I have not. It has been a while and I plan to surprise them

soon.

CoE~WJ: What are your plans regarding your education, do you intend to further your

studies in the field or divert to a different field?

TEACHER KWADWO: I intend to further my studies in education any me soon and

subsequently remain in the field by God's grace.

CoE~WJ: What advice do you have for the youth, especially your juniors back in College

who look up to you as a model and aspire to be like you?

TEACHER KWADWO: First of all, I don't want anyone to be like me. They should be

themselves, a better version of themselves, far better than me because I know they can be

greater than they ever thought or felt. They should focus and be themselves.

CoE~WJ: What is the motivating factor behind you doing some charity works and how far

has that gone?

TEACHER KWADWO: My motivation comes from above; humanity is the first concern

even before religion. I come from a poor background and I see poor people who are unable

to cater for themselves. I do ask myself, can't I help these people without going hungry? The

answer was yes I can help without going hungry so started helping. First with my salary and

the proceeds from the videos I make. Coming from a poor background, let's just say I know

how it feels.

CoE~WJ: Who was your role model growing up?

TEACHER KWADWO: That is a tough one. I wanted to become a footballer when I was

young, later wanted to become a rapper. So in these fields, I emulated Ghanaian rapper

Flowkingstone and Berbeto, a former Brazilian player. But in all I would say Madam Mercy

Anokye eventually became my role model. The woman is great.

CoE~WJ: Would you ever consider joining mainstream politics and who is your favorite

political figure?

TEACHER KWADWO: For now, I have no intentions because it doesn't interest me. But

we can't predict the future. I admire Kennedy Agyapong, he speaks his mind freely and is

one confident man I know.

CoE~WJ: Where do you see yourself in the next decade?

TEACHER KWADWO: To be a billionaire and be able to help the poor and needy. I

believe it is my mission on earth to help people. I can boldly tell you from experience that

poverty is not good at all.

CoE~WJ: What has been your greatest achievement so far?

TEACHER KWADWO: Being a better version of myself by God's grace.

CoE~WJ: Any regrets in your life?

TEACHER KWADWO: Everything happens for a reason so I have no regrets.

CoE~WJ: If you had the chance to go back and change one thing, what would it be?

TEACHER KWADWO: I would change and evict poverty in a second.

CoE~WJ: Any special message for trainee teachers across the 46 Colleges of Education as

they start their end of semester examinations on Monday?

TEACHER KWADWO: UCC exams is never easy, I wish them all the best, they should

study and everything will be fine.

CoE~WJ: What is your final words to trainee teachers.

TEACHER KWADWO: They should stay positive, learn hard and become better

teachers. There are children out there that desperately need their help. Teacher Kwadwo

loves you all and they should know that hard work pays. Piaawwwwww.