Tears flowed freely at the Christ the King Parish in Accra on Thursday, August 14, as the children of the late Defence Minister, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, poured out their grief in a deeply moving tribute.

“Daddy, why did you leave us so soon? Never in a million years would we have imagined this,” they said, their voices trembling. “Who will we call in the middle of the night when we have questions? Who will have the answers? You are irreplaceable, Edwardo.”

They remembered him as a loving and steady presence whose guidance, compassion, and values shaped their lives. “Your love was steady, your love was gentle, and it was the warmth that filled our home,” they recalled.

Even during official travels, they said, he never failed to call daily, never missed important family milestones, and constantly encouraged them to “dream big but stay grounded.” To him, success was never about personal glory but about the lives touched. “You showed us that compassion is strength, truth is a duty, and service to others is the greatest legacy one can leave,” they shared.

Dr Omane Boamah was among eight people who lost their lives in the August 6 military helicopter crash, which also claimed the lives of Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; former parliamentary candidate and Deputy Director-General for NADMO, Samuel Aboagye; NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong; and Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed, acting Deputy National Security Coordinator.

The crew members who perished were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

A state funeral for the victims will take place on Friday, August 15, in Accra, though Dr Murtala Muhammed and Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed have already been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.