Ghana will be represented at the funeral of the late Professor Jason Atta Kwei Arday, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.

Mr Ablakwa said the government would attend the funeral to honour the late academic, who was born in Britain to Ghanaian parents and became the University of Cambridge’s youngest Black professor.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, September 4, Mr Ablakwa said he had spoken by phone with Prof Arday’s mother, Mrs Gifty Arday, to convey his condolences following the death of her son.

He said President John Mahama also commiserated with the Arday family and had personally signed a letter of condolence, which was being delivered by Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

“Prof. Arday was a great source of pride and inspiration to Ghanaians in his ancestral home, and many across the world.

“This is indeed our collective and terribly painful loss; we shall keep his family, students and loved ones in our thoughts and prayers.

“As I assured Mrs. Arday in our solemn telephone conversation, Ghana will be present at his funeral to pay our respects.

“May Prof. Arday’s legacy help create a fairer, loving and just world.”

Mr Ablakwa said the government stood with Prof Arday’s family, students and loved ones during the period of mourning.

Prof Arday’s death

Prof Arday, 41, died on August 14, 2026, after being found unresponsive at his home in Battersea, south London.

The Metropolitan Police initially described his death as unexpected but not suspicious. An inquest was subsequently opened, with the coroner saying there were circumstances requiring a formal investigation into the death.

His death came just days after he resigned from his position at Cambridge amid intense scrutiny and allegations concerning plagiarism in his academic work. Prof Arday denied wrongdoing in relation to the allegations, while Cambridge had begun inquiries into the issues surrounding his academic record.

His family subsequently spoke of the intense public scrutiny he had faced in the period before his death, while tributes poured in from colleagues, students and academics in Britain and beyond.

Ghanaian roots

Although Prof Arday was born and raised in Britain, he was the son of Ghanaian parents and grew up in a Ghanaian family in Clapham, south London.

His mother, Gifty Arday, worked as a mental health nurse and was involved in anti-racism activism, while his father worked as a chef. His Ghanaian heritage remained an important part of his background and has prompted tributes from Ghana following his death.

Prof Arday's personal journey was particularly remarkable. He was diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay as a child and, according to accounts of his life, did not speak until he was 11 and did not learn to read and write until he was 18. Despite those early challenges, he pursued higher education and went on to build a distinguished academic career.

Yesterday, I spoke on phone to Mrs. Gifty Arday to convey deepest condolences on the tragic loss of her son, Professor Jason Atta Kwei Arday.

I informed Mrs. Arday that President John Mahama commiserates with her family at this exceedingly difficult time and has personally… pic.twitter.com/bgS1uitfB0

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) September 4, 2026

Cambridge’s youngest Black professor

In 2023, at the age of 37, Prof Arday was appointed Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, becoming the university’s youngest Black professor.

His research and public work focused on race, inequality, education, social justice and the experiences of under-represented groups in higher education. He had previously held academic positions at the universities of Glasgow and Durham.

His rise from a challenging childhood in South London to one of the most prestigious academic positions in Britain made him an inspirational figure for many, particularly in discussions around access, race and inclusion in higher education.

Ghana’s decision to attend his funeral reflects the country’s connection to Prof Arday through his family heritage and his standing as a prominent academic of Ghanaian descent.

Mr Ablakwa said the government would continue to stand with the Arday family and honour the professor’s contribution to education and society.