Biography

Ambitious, uncompromising, and complex. These are some words that have been used to describe Kofi Ayim. At his core, he is a doer. A dedicated father, editor, and author, Kofi Ayim’s journey up to this point can only be described as interesting and a life-long experience.

Born into a modest family in Afidwase in the Eastern Region of Ghana, Kofi enrolled into a now defunct technical school in Koforidua. In 1976, he attended Accra Technical Training Center (formerly known as the Ghanaian Canadian Training Center), where he studied Radio & Television. There, his leadership skills were unearthed when he organized the student body and became the first President of the Center’s Students Representative Council (SRC). He was also elected Senior Prefect and served as the Chair of the Greater Accra Regional Chapter of the African Youth Command.

Kofi Ayim had a brief spell as a tutor of Basic Electronics and Applied Electricity at Koforidua Secondary Technical School before he embarked on studies abroad. He eventually ended up in the U.S. in the mid-1980s after receiving advanced degrees in Telecommunication in Odessa, Ukraine. In the US he obtained another advance degree in Transportation at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Once in the States, he immediately reached out to his countrymen, and through community building and engagement, he was elected Secretary of Akyem Association, New York. He was instrumental in the visit of the late Okyenhene Osagyefo Kuntunkununku II to New York in 1993 and utilized the contacts he had built along the way to have the king interviewed live on WLIB and on a recorded program on the quondam ABC TV’s Like It Is hosted by the late Gil Noble. He later became a member of New Juaben Association, New York. He is currently a member of First Ghanaian Society, New Jersey, Akyem Association, New Jersey, Asanteman Association, New Jersey, and First Presbyterian Church, Irvington, New Jersey.

Although he didn’t have a formal education in history, culture and journalism, his passion for the subjects led him to self-teach in these areas as a scholar of sorts. He is well versed in his African heritage, especially the history and culture of the Akan people of Ghana.

After volunteering as a one-time cultural columnist of Asenta, a now retired African community newspaper in the New York Metro Area, he started another community newspaper, Amandla with some friends. Kofi has been the editor of Amandla for almost twenty years. From April 2015 to April 2017, he was the host of Anything Africa, a weekly internet radio program at Jersey Ghana Radio in Newark, New Jersey. In between these activities, the community-prone, restless Kofi Ayim has authored three books, Jack Cudjo: Newark's Revolutionary Soldier & First Black Businessman (2011) and The Akan of Ghana. Aspects of Past and Present Practices (2015), and The Legendary Kwasi Akuffo. King of Akuapem, Gold Coast (Ghana) (2018). All three books were warmly received by the publishing community, with Kirkus Reviews reviewing two of the books.

Those close to him describe him as a keen orator, motivational speaker, a socialite and a multi-faceted person who is not afraid to take up challenges.

Kofi is now a retiree and spends most of his time reading and writing.