One of the two representatives of MountCrest University College (MountCrest) at the Law Challenge Ghana 2021 competition, Mary Yaa Abrafi, was voted the Best Female Contestant at this year’s event.
She was adjudged the female contestant with the highest number of correct answers in the competition. The other competing faculties were from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Central University, University of Cape Coast, (UCC), KAAF University College and the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
The others were the University of Ghana, Kings University College, Wisconsin International University College and Zenith University College.
MountCrest, GIMPA, Central University, UCC, KAAF, and UPSA presented a mix of male and female contestants, while the University of Ghana, Kings University College, Wisconsin International University College and Zenith University College presented all-male teams.
Ms. Abrafi beat Lilian Ame Zottogloh from GIMPA; Tracy Frimpong – Central University; Clara Opoku Boakye – KAAF and Naziha Amin Gombilla from the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) to annex the coveted Best Female Contestant award.
For her prize, she was presented with a plaque and a citation plus a huge crown of admiration from the organisers, fellow contestants, students, management and staff of MountCrest as well as the general public.
Ms. Abrafi who is a Level 300 Law student shared her glory with her partner in the contest, Daniel Adewu, who is in Level 200; describing him as very supportive and selfless.
“I answered more questions correctly than the other female contestants and I wish to thank Daniel for the massive inspiration,” Ms. Abrafi said.
Overall, team MountCrest comprising Mary Yaa Abrafi and Daniel Adewu, came fourth in the competition which involved law faculties from 10 universities in Ghana.
The ultimate winners were Mr. Atsu Dogbey and Mrs. Ella Allor from the Faculty of Law, University of Cape Coast. The first runners-up were Edwin Jude Doe and Erasmus Elorm Agbo from the University of Ghana, while the second runner-up prize went to Emmanuel E. Boateng and Cephas Dapuri from the Kings University College.
The event, organised by Touchworld Financial Consult was endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Unit. It is an educational quiz platform initiative aimed at strengthening the connections within, and between the legal fraternity, business community and society as a whole.
The Challenge also seeks to generate a competitive spirit among the law faculties; shape the destiny of the students of law towards the making of good lawyers who are alive to the role that law plays in social, political, and economic advancement.
It also brings the study of law to the door-step of ordinary Ghanaians by creating public awareness on the importance of law in a developing nation and raising the level of citizens’ compliance to various aspects of the laws governing the country.
The 12-round Challenge with a moot court final was pre-recorded at the main auditorium, Accra City Hall and later telecast on TV3. Among the areas covered were Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Law of Torts, Ghana Legal System, Law of Contract and Law of Immovable Property.
Technical consultants for the Challenge included the late Justice Marful Sau, Justice Sir Dennis Adjei, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, Justice Ato Mills-Graves (Rtd.) and Mr. Yaw D. Oppong Esq with Mr. Samson Lardy Anyenini Esq, a lawyer and the host of Joy FM’s News File programme as the host.
The event was sponsored by EPP Books Services, Websys Technology, Logistics Movers, Yetron Services, Note Cosmetics, Agate Transport Services Limited, Alisa Hotels, Sunlodge Hotel, Busy, GOIL, Business24, ddp and TV3.
Meet Mary Yaa Abrafi
Mary Yaa Abrafi is a self-motivated and very studious Level 300 Law student of MountCrest University College with a huge ambition to specialise in Commercial Law when she is called to the Bar.
As she puts it; “I love Commercial Law because I find the principles in Commercial Law and its related areas of law, Contract and Company Law, easy to apply to life in general”.
Mary, who is the last of 12 siblings, was born on November 16, 2000 to Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Abu, farmer, (deceased) and Madam Agnes Abu, who is also a farmer at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
She started school at the Bekwai Methodist Basic School, and continued at the Juaben Senior High School at Ejisu-Juaben, also in the Ashanti Region where she obtained her West African School Certificate and proceeded to the MountCrest University College where she is currently reading Law.
Mary said she had always wanted to be a lawyer despite her modest background, and she got the necessary encouragement and financial push from her uncle, Hon. Lawyer Alex Agyei Acheampong, a former Member of Parliament for the Bekwai Constituency.
“My uncle, Lawyer Agyei Acheampong, has so much interest in my dream to become a lawyer that he even advised me on the Law School to attend, and that is why I chose MountCrest”.
“He told me that, with Mr. Kwaku Ansa-Asare as the Founder of MountCrest and the current Dean of the Law Faculty, he was sure that I will get excellent legal education, because for a long time, Mr. Ansa-Asare has been a law lecturer and also served as the Director of the Ghana School of Law and Director of Legal Education in the past,” Mary said with excitement in her voice.
She said the Law programme is about reading widely, understanding and applying what is read. “And I must say that at MountCrest I get a lot of support from my fellow students, and lecturers”.
When the invitation came for MountCrest to participate in the Law Challenge Ghana 2021, Mary was nominated together with two others but later the school agreed on her and Daniel Adewu.
The two were supported by other students who helped to conduct research into the various subjects listed for the competition, namely Contract Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Law of Immovable Property, Law of Tort and Ghana Legal System.
The contestants received lessons from two coaches, who took them through question-and-answer sessions, almost five hours a day for three weeks. They also received support from the Students Representative Council (SRC).
MountCrest beat GIMPA by 150 points to 68 points in the preliminary round before succumbing to the University of Ghana and Kings University College in the quarter finals and third-place contest respectively.
Commenting on legal education in Ghana, Mary said she was hopeful that the authorities concerned will find a lasting solution to the mass failures recorded annually in the Ghana School of Law Entrance Examination, pointing out that Ghana needs more lawyers in all parts of the country to help uphold freedom and justice at all times.
She thanked her colleague delegate, Daniel Adewu for this support and encouragement. She also expressed her gratitude to the management, staff and students of MountCrest for their backing and prayers.
She added that, with the help of God, she wants to prove that the Law profession is not for a special class of people, and success is also not about where one comes from, provided one is determined to use all available opportunities to work hard to build a foundation for great feats.
“I will continue to study hard to become a successful lawyer to make my uncle, Mr. Alex Agyei Acheampong, and my mother, Madam Agnes Abu very proud because I am the first of my parents’ 12 children to receive university education and that is purely by God’s limitless grace,” Mary said.the