Afua Nkrumah Serwaa Ampomah

I am Friday's child; the Akan describe a person born on Friday as a person who has the following characteristics…

You are known to be a person full of growth, creativity and ingenuity. You are always anticipating what can be done. You are a wanderer. You have the quality of right timing. Your primary source of well being is the conviction that your life has meaning and direction. You have a delicate web of love, work, family, purpose and pleasure that might support a fully engaged life, to a considerable degree of right timing. You are capable of training your powers to predict the future. You are a person who sees future possibilities when the road clears and you see the opening and risk taking it.

This is an appropriate description of me at this point in my development. I was born November 9th on a Friday in Cleveland, Ohio. I am the middle child of Betty and Alphonso Chuck. I was brought up Baptist, but I always knew this was not the path for me. I was raised in Cleveland, but my search for my spiritual path has taken me all around the world.

I attended The University of Maryland, the Far East Division where I obtained a Bachelors degree in psychology. While studying in Japan, I investigated Zen Buddhism, and TAO. I moved on, I still had not found the path.

I returned to the United States and moved my family to East Cleveland, Ohio where I was introduced to the Muslim religion. After several months of going to the Masque and learning about the fundamental beliefs of this religion I had to move on. I felt at this point that the path had evaded me, but I was determined and I prayed that God would direct me to where I needed to be.

I then moved to Kent Ohio and attended Kent State University where I obtained a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Education; I continued looking for the path.

I thought maybe my parents were correct and I decided to try the African Methodist Episcopalian Church after attending church for just two Sundays my first decision to leave the church was rekindled and I moved on. Still in Kent I returned to the University and I obtained a second Masters and a Ph.D. in School Psychology. This called for a career change so I moved on.

During my tenure with a school district I had the opportunity to go to India and live in an Ashram. I went and this experienced had a profound effect on my life, but it still was not the path and I moved on.

I later made friends with a Yoruba Priest, I knew I was getting close, but I still something was missing. Finally, I met Nana Akua Kyerewaa and began learning about the Akan people their traditions and customs. At last I found the path, oh yes, I found the path. About six months after attending an Akom in 2004 I made the commitment to begin training as an Akan African Priest. I was initiated to Nana Asuo Gyebi. Since then I have become Okomfo Afua Nkrumah Serwaa Ampomah. I will continue to follow the path of my ancestors.