Major General Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu lived a life of Service, Firsts, and Lasting Legacy
In the history of the Ghana Armed Forces, few names carry the weight and respect of Constance Ama Emefa Edjeani-Afenu. Born on 5 March 1960 in the Volta Region, she chose a path few women dared to take, joining the military in 1978 and being commissioned in 1980.
From the very beginning, her career was marked not by attention-seeking, but by quiet excellence and unwavering discipline.
Over four decades, she shattered barriers while quietly setting new standards. In 1999, she became the first female Commanding Officer in the Ghana Armed Forces.
By 2013, she was Ghana’s first female Deputy Military Adviser to the UN Mission in New York, and in 2016, she made history again as the first female Brigadier General in Ghana. Her rise was not about headlines; it was about competence, integrity, and sheer professionalism.
Her service extended far beyond Ghana’s borders. On multiple United Nations peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She led engineering units that built roads, bridges, and facilities vital to both military operations and civilian life.
In 2019, she became the first female Deputy Force Commander for the UN Mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO), demonstrating that leadership knows no gender when skill, judgment, and dedication are present.
Her life was not without recognition. After her passing on 24 January 2022, the Ghana Armed Forces posthumously promoted her to Major General, cementing her place as a true pioneer in Ghanaian military history.
Tributes poured in from colleagues at home and abroad, honoring her as a trailblazer who expanded what’s possible for women in uniform.
What makes her story remarkable is its quiet power. Those who served under her remember not the fact that she was a woman, but the standards she upheld, the calm authority she commanded, and the lives she impacted through her service.
Her legacy is not just in rank or title- it’s in the countless young officers she inspired and the countless missions she made successful.
Major General Edjeani-Afenu lived a life of purpose, courage, and professionalism. Today, we celebrate her a life of firsts, a life of service, and a life that continues to inspire generations of Ghanaians and soldiers worldwide.
May her beautiful soul find rest with the Lord. Amen
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