Agaaya Adongo: Lawyer Becomes Ghana’s First LL.M. Grad at Yale Law School Since 1987

• Agaaya Adongo has become the first Ghanaian in nearly 40 years to earn an LLM from Yale Law School in the United States of America
• In a social media post, the lawyer said he was inspired by Ghanaian legal icon Justice Samuel Kofi Date-Bah, who also studied at Yale
• Agaaya hails from Zoko in Ghana's Upper East Region and previously studied at Notre Dame Seminary and at the University of Ghana

A young Ghanaian lawyer, Agaaya Adongo, has achieved a significant milestone after graduating with an LLM (Master of Laws) from the prestigious Yale Law School.

This remarkable academic feat has made Adongo the first Ghanaian to earn a Master of Laws degree from Yale, one of the Ivy League schools, in nearly 40 years.

Taking to social media to celebrate his academic achievement, the young lawyer stated that he was inspired to pursue his LLM at Yale because of Justice Samuel Kofi Date-Bah's intellectual prowess.

Justice Date-Bah, a former Supreme Court Judge of the Republic of Ghana, is a proud alumnus of Yale Law School.

The retired Supreme Court judge has inspired many, including Adongo, in the legal profession with his legal opinions and writings.

"As a first-year law student, I found myself drawn to Date-Bah’s intellectual prowess. Awestruck by his brilliance, I grew curious and began reading about his life. That search led me to discover that he obtained his Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from Yale Law School in 1967. That moment marked my first encounter with YLS."

Agaaya describes his Yale Law School admission

Admission to Yale Law School is reportedly highly competitive, as the school admits an average of just 25 students annually into its LL.M. programme.

Adongo indicated in a lengthy Facebook post that he was privileged to gain admission and was the first Ghanaian to earn an LL.M. degree from the Ivy League school since Dr Edward Kwakwa in 1987.

"So today, standing at the intersection of fantasy and reality, I have been awarded an LL.M. degree by Yale Law School, becoming the first Ghanaian in a couple of decades to attain this feat. My research strongly suggests that since 1987, when Dr Edward Kwakwa (JSD 90) obtained his LL.M. degree, there has not been a Ghanaian in the Yale Law School LL.M. programme," he further wrote.

"It is therefore an extreme honour to be the next Ghanaian after Dr Kwakwa to walk this golden path after nearly four decades. Indeed, there can be no greater honour done a man than to have his name etched alongside those of a number of illustrious Ghanaian statesmen and women, and international public servants, to have been educated at Yale Law School," he added.

Consequently, Adongo expressed his gratitude to God for the journey thus far in his pursuit of higher knowledge.

He also thanked his mentors, advisors, and colleagues for their immense contribution and sacrifices in his academic journey.

Agaaya Adongos' Facebook post is included below:

Agaaya Adongo’s academic journey

Hailing from Zoko in the Upper East Region of Ghana, Adongo completed his secondary education at Notre Dame Minor Seminary.

After earning his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), he pursued a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Ghana.

Upon completing his LLB, the young lawyer sat for the entrance exams to pursue his professional legal education at the Ghana Law School.

A few years later, Adongo was called to the Bar, becoming a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana, after which he enrolled at Yale for his LLM.

Divine Aboagye earns a PhD in the US

YEN.com.gh also reported that Dr Divine Narkotey Aboagye earned a PhD from the University of Maryland after defending his dissertation.

In a Facebook post, he expressed heartfelt gratitude to his academic committee, mentors, and family for their support during his journey.

Dr Aboagye, a native of Somanya, is a former student of the Yilo Krobo SHS and the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh