About US
Let Our Logo Tell You A Story
The logo of Arrupe Jesuit Institute (AJI) is a composite of colours, inscriptions and an image. Taken together and individually, these bright colours, profound inscriptions, and an image clearly identifiable as the Servant of God, Father Pedro Arrupe, are all laden with meaning; meaning that employs these symbols of colour, inscription, and image to disclose aspects of the identity of AJI, expressing this institute’s overall vision, mission, aspirations, and context.
The logo’s colours are the Pan-African colours of red, gold, green, and black (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-African_colours ). Depicted in these Pan-African colours, AJI boldly asserts its continental aspirations, signalling a resolve to provide service with a continental sweep. Located in Accra, in the very same place as the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) is headquartered, AJI is strategically positioned to realize its Pan-African vision; to be a service of the Society of Jesus at the service of the continental body of bishops will be nothing short of fulfilling this laudable ambition.
Red, gold, green and black also reflect Ghana’s national colours. Thus, our logo, composed of these colours situate our institute and establish its context; thinking continentally, our actions begin nationally. Bathed in these colours, AJI affirms its primary context of service as Ghana.
Red and IHS
Red as passion; passion understood here as both zeal/enthusiasm but also as suffering/pain. Both aspects describe the man in whose honour our institute is named: Father Pedro Arrupe. A man aflame with love for the Society of Jesus, the Church, humanity and God, Arrupe also suffered greatly, even at the hands of the institutional church. IHS, inscribed within the red panel, abbreviates the name of Jesus (the first three letters of his name in Greek ΙΗΣΟΥΣ), whose name the Society bears. The inscription – IHS – thus honours not only the name of Jesus but also firmly establishes the Jesuit identity of AJI.
Gold and Gye Nyame
Gold as glory; here depicting victory, triumph, kingship, and wealth. Gold communicates the aspirations – spiritual and temporal – of AJI: striving for the attainment of human dignity, realizing the glory of God which is the human person who is fully alive; experiencing fullness of life, wellbeing in all aspects of life: spiritually, materially, politically, economically, etc. Thus, gold expresses the royalty of all believers: “a chosen race, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). Inscribed within the gold panel is the popular Akan Adinkra symbol known as Gye Nyame – God is matchless (www.adinkra.org ). Gye Nyame symbolizes faith, the first of AJI’s key pillars.
Green and Mpatapo
Green as vegetation; the colour of Mother Earth and the colour representing hope. Unmistakably, green discloses one of the paramount issues of concern of AJI as the environment, as care for our common home – in the words of Pope Francis. Green communicates AJI’s ecological commitment; doing all this in a manner saturated with hope. Mpatapo – the Adinkra symbol inscribed in the green panel – literally means: “the knot of settlement”. It symbolizes the end of strife, heralding reconciliation, amity, harmony, good human relations. In this regard, Mpatapo reflects the justice sought as the goal of all genuine human relations and societies. Significantly, justice is the second major bedrock of AJI’s being.
Father Pedro Arrupe
Father Pedro Arrupe’s face, in black surround; Arrupe’s image enhanced by blackness tells something about the man after whom our institute is named. First, it recalls Arrupe’s role as Jesuit Superior General, often humorously identified as the black pope; hence, the blackness. More significantly, enveloping Arrupe in black, a colour typically associated with Africa, pays recognition to his deep interest, devotion, investment in, and love for the Church and Society in Africa. A champion of the inculturation in which African theology has made giant strides, Arrupe initiated the process for founding Hekima College, as a response to the needs of the Society of Jesus in Africa to provide robust theological formation for its men. Arrupe’s legacy in Africa is attested to by the institutions that bear his name. This is an honour we now share.
The Cross that Unifies the Logo
All: colours, inscriptions, image – indeed, the entire logo – is unified by a cross. The significance of this, should this require explanation, is twofold, aptly captured by two texts: “For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the diving wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end” (Ephesians 2:14-16). “Whoever desires to serve as a soldier of God beneath the banner of the cross in our Society, which we desire to be designated by the name of Jesus” (Society of Jesus Formula of the Institute). The cross is the decisive representation of AJI as Christian and Jesuit.
What We Do
Faith In The Public Sphere – FIPS
FIPS
The Faith in the Public Sphere Series aims at exploring way in which corporate society may be suffused with Christian principles and values in a manner that enhances the attainment of the common good. This series, which takes varied forms such as panel discussions, palaver sessions, public lectures, durbars, dialogues etc., is a biannual collaboration between the Arrupe Jesuit Institute and the Catholic Professionals’ Guilds (CPG).
Through this series, the AJI and CPG intend to:
- Underscore the relationship between sincere Christian faith and the robust and honest work ethic required for national development
- Empower Christian laity by providing them with a platform that enables their edification through mutual interaction
- Support the Christian witness of Christian laity, who are called to be the salt of the earth, light of the world, and leaven in the flour
- Enhance networking among Christian professionals within and beyond the CPG for their individual well-being and for the common good
Meet the team
REV KPANIE ADDY, SJ
Founding Director
Rev. Fr Kpanie Addy, SJ holds postgraduate degrees in both philosophy and world Christianity. His academic interests centre on the role of religion, particularly Christianity, in shaping Africa’s past, present, and future.
His most recent research focused on the socio-political impact of neo-prophetic Pentecostal Christianity in contemporary Zimbabwe. Currently, he is interested in analysing how historic mission churches retain socio-political relevance several decades after their implantation on African soil. Fr Addy has also undertaken some teaching assignments.
He has lectured in Zimbabwe and Ghana, mainly in the area of ethics. Apart from research and teaching, Fr Addy has worked in parish administration and in the formation of priests. He served on the chaplaincy team at Her Majesty’s Prison, Brixton in the United Kingdom and at the Regional Maritime University, Ghana. His hobbies include playing lawn tennis and discussing ideas over drinks in any snazzy jazz club.
REV Fr. Evans Adomako Appiah, SJ
Assistant Director & Programs and Research Director
Fr. Evans Adomako Appiah, SJ holds postgraduate degrees in Philosophy, Theology, and Public Management. His academic interests focus on human fulfillment, good governance (Decentralization), socioeconomic development, and Christian Salvation.
His most recent research focused on improving community participation to foster good governance and constituents’ well-being in Kumasi Metropolis. Also, he is presently exploring and analyzing Karl Rahner’s revelatory and exemplary theory of redemption for a better understanding and appropriation of Christian redemption. He is also working with the youth wing of AJI (IYNIGO) to realize their goals. He has taught at various levels, including tertiary.
Aside from teaching and research, Fr. Appiah has been into educational administration and pastoral ministries. He has served as the Administrator of St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School. Furthermore, he has been involved in pastoral ministries at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Nungua – Accra, St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic, Baastona, Spintex Road – Accra. He has also served as a chaplain to the Catholic students of Regional Maritime University, Nungua.
MR. JOSEPH PWALIA
Financial Administrator
Mr Joshua Pwalia is a passionate and enthusiastic person who loves to volunteer his skills and abilities to make a positive change in society. He is a graduate of the University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Statistics. He is peace-loving and loves to work in a team.
He is the Financial Administrator of the Arrupe Jesuit Institute (AJI) and provides an additional service as Personal Assistant to the Founding Director, with responsibility for managing the institute’s media pages and filing reports. He is actively involved in organizing all programmes of the AJI.
In addition, he is an active member of Ignatian Youth Networks Initiating Generational Outcomes (IYNIGO), the AJI youth empowerment scheme. Joshua sees his work at the AJI and IYNIGO as helping him to build his leadership qualities and to contribute his quota to making our society a better place.
REV. EMMANUEL OBENG CODJOE
Consultant Researcher - Migration
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obeng Codjoe is a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra. He is currently the Pastor of St. James Catholic Church in Osu, Accra and also teaches Sociology at the Catholic seminary in Sowutuom, Accra. He is a Consultant Researcher on Migration.
Miss Scholastica Barimah
Coordinator, IYNIGO
Miss Scholastica Barimah is a graduate of the University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Computer Science and currently works at a skin care company that makes scented shea butter, black soap and candle as the Production Manager. She is a self-motivated, passionate and enthusiastic person who loves to volunteer her skills and abilities to make a positive change in society especially in the lives of children and the youth.
She is the Coordinator of Ignatian Youth Networks Initiating Generational Outcomes (IYNIGO), the AJI youth empowerment scheme, where she facilitates meetings, monitors project plans, develops projects and communicates directly with the AJI Founding Director. Scholastica participated in the 2019 LEAD+ MAGIS Leadership Conference in Kigali and the 2020 Migration and Refugees Conference in Nairobi organised by the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA), which aims to mitigate the refugee and migration issues confronting Africa.
In addition, she is an active member of her parish where she is in charge of the Children’s Dance Group and a member of the Program Organizing Team of the parish. As with IYNIGO, Scholastica sees her work at her parish as helping her hone her leadership skills and aiding to make this world a better place for everyone.
our Work
