Joseph Kweku Hagan

HAGAN, Joseph Kweku, 79 of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, passed away in peace Saturday, March 11, 2017 in the Victoria General Hospital. Joseph was born September 29, 1937 in Dixcove, Ghana (an area in the Western Region of Ghana). His patrilineal ancestral village was Gomoa Fetteh. Joseph remains beloved and survived by his three children and six grandchildren. His surviving children and grandchildren remember and celebrate the life of their father and grandfather. Respectively, the children are: Helen Aba Nwauwa (Apollos) of Bowling Green, Ohio, USA; Ekua (Carla) Owiredua Hagan of Baltimore, Maryland, USA; and Rex Kwesi Hagan of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Respectively, in order of birth, the grandchildren are: Kwesi and Justice Hagan, Ikenna and Uzochi Nwauwa and Jade and Ian Kendall.

Joseph was born 4th in his immediate family line and is survived by his siblings: William Hagan of Ghana; K.D. Hagan (Helen) of Toronto, Canada; John James Clement (JJC) Hagan of Ghana; Charity Essel-Cobbah of Ghana, and Alexandra Yaaba Afful of Ghana. He is also survived family members in Canada, USA, Ghana, and Europe: Nieces and Nephews: Sibling William: Jojo and Henry-- Sibling (Josephine-deceased): Vida, (Dina-deceased), Patience, Ebenezer Adjetey Doku (wife Emma), (Millicent-deceased), (Joyce-deceased) and Pat--Sibling (Eva-deceased): Rita, Barbara and Louise--Sibling Alexandra Yaaba: Afe (Ewuradwoa-deceased)--Sibling Charity: Barbara, Lilian and Shirley--Sibling K.D: Wendy, (Joseph Kweku-deceased) and Rashida--Sibling Clement: Gabriella. Brothers and Sisters-In-law: Augustina Adade of Ghana; Joseph Nortey (Luisa) of Italy; Michael Seth Nortey (Norma) of Canada; and Henry Nortey of Ghana.

He is predeceased by his: Beloved wife, Christina Flora (Nortey) Hagan; Parents, Master Joseph Kwesi Hagan of Gomoa Fetteh, Ghana, Mary Adwoa Owiredua Hagan of Winneba, Ghana; and Sisters: Josephine and Eva Hagan.

In childhood, Joseph’s was given the nick name Kweku-Petu. Petu means “owl” which is well-suited for his life of spiritual growth and wisdom he imparted to others. In his junior years, Joseph attended school in Prestea, Ghana (a gold-mining town in the western region of Ghana). His father was the head master of the region’s schools so Joseph had experienced education in the many different towns of his father’s transfers.

Joseph was an exceptionally bright student. After completing high school with top grades in 1956 he attended Mfantsepim Secondary School. In 1957 Joseph was awarded a government scholarship to study at the Federal School of Dental Technology in Lagos, Nigeria which he completed 5 years later in 1962. He then returned to Ghana and was employed by the Ghana Ministry of Health in Accra. He worked at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana for another 5 years as the hospital’s Chief Dental Technician before moving abroad to Canada in 1967.

Joseph met Christina Flora Nortey (Hagan) in 1964 and married in 1966. In 1967 Joseph, his new bride and child moved to Canada as Landed Immigrants after obtaining employment at the Associated Dental Laboratory in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Joseph was a gifted academic, but also a compassionate philanthropist and social justice activist. He cared about people and had a talented acumen for leadership, life-coaching and counseling. He felt the urge to grow into an area where he could use his other talents. Joseph continued to work in the laboratory for a year as the orthodontic technician before applying to undergraduate studies in Sociology at Dalhousie University. In 1968 Joseph was successful and was admitted to Dalhousie University. In addition to his academic work, he continued to work as a certified dental technician.

As a student, Joseph was true to his calling. Joseph and his wife formed close friendships with many of the few Africans that lived in Nova Scotia at the time. He and his wife Christina were two of the founding members and creators of the African Student Association at Dalhousie University, which bounds grew to welcome all Africans and friends of Africa into its fold. Joseph was one of the first presidents of the African Student Association. He and Christina organized other fellow African students to implement the first annual Africa Night fundraiser. This remained a successful annual event for decades and later morphed into other unifying activities for the Africa Student’s Associations and the Ghanaian Association of Halifax.

Joseph and Christina’s home was the first stop for all Africans who visited or moved to Halifax. They opened themselves and their home as welcoming place of peace for all Africans. They worked hard in life and did not have much, but what they had, they shared willingly and with open hearts. Their generosity was exemplary and known among countless many. This is truly one of Joseph’s (and Christina’s) great legacy seeds that continued to grow and thrive over four decades.

Joseph completed his studies and earned a degree in Sociology. Shortly after that he obtained employment with the Canadian federal government as a Canada Unemployment Counselor. During the over 20 years employed, Joseph help many people in the Halifax community as, counselor, life coach, career counselor and friend. Known as “Joe” to many, he was also known as “Uncle Joe” to the most of the Ghanaian community. Joseph was very active in the international community connecting on immigration and social justice issues. He cherished friendships of people from many different nationalities, cultures, religions and races.

Being very community minded, he identified with the struggles of the indigenous Nova Scotian Black Community. He worked with community members and black activists to push for accessibility to employment opportunities and training, changes toward equality and against discrimination.

Joseph was baptized and raised in the Methodist faith. However, many knew Joseph to be a spiritual man who believed in Jesus Christ without prejudice toward any religious denomination. Joseph believed that he came to the earth to be of service to others. He dutifully used his wisdom, talents and access to resources to try and help every individual who sought his for help, whether it was a dental need, job counselling, life coaching, or spiritual guidance.

Joseph was kind, giving and personable. However, he also had a contagious smile and great sense of humor. He took great delight is sharing his dry sense of humor and punchline jokes to his friends and family who would ironically fall for his jokes every time told. In memory, most would agree that the real humor stemmed from him being the first to laugh and his own jokes (even before delivering the punchline).

This was Joe, Joseph, Kweku-Petu, Uncle Joe, Mr. Joe Hagan, Dad, Grandfather, Brother and Friend. His life was a testament to the growth of the human spirit. He never complained about what he did not have. Rather, he thanked God for what he had. He used his talents for good and gave willingly to others with an open-clean heart. Regardless of life’s ups and downs, he never lost faith in God, humanity and Truth.

Joseph’s great and unsung deeds in life are the blessings to his descendants that live on. Before passing, he blessed all of his children and grandchildren wishing for them Abundance of Love, Peace, and Well-Being. When Joseph was making that journey into the Great Light, he was not in fear for a single minute. He rejoiced for the return home and the reunion with his cherished wife of nearly 50 years who passed away a little over one year to the date of his own passing. He remarked that his wife, Christy was his greatest blessing from God.

Joseph Kweku Hagan was a humble and obedient servant of God. His spiritual legacy lives in our cherished memories. Two of his favorite bible chapters shared with loved ones, friends and family members are:

Psalms 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…

Psalms 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…

Please remember Joseph K, Hagan in celebration of the life he lived here on earth and his continued everlasting life in Heaven.