Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo, a celebrated figure in the Ghana Armed Forces, passed away on Monday evening at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
The 86-year-old former General Officer Commanding the Ghana Armed Forces and Chief of Defence Staff, affectionately nicknamed, “Buffalo Soldier” and “Gbogbo” ( Wall in Ga), succumbed to a short illness.
Lt. Gen. Quainoo, joined the Ghana Army in the 1960s during the presidency of Dr Kwame Nkrumah from St. Augustine’s College –Cape Coast in the Central Region.
He rapidly rose through the ranks to become the Army Commander by the age of 40. He stayed in active service to the rank of a Lieutenant General.
His military education, spanned prestigious institutions in India, the United Kingdom, and the United States, where he undertook Ranger training.
Throughout his career, Lt. Gen. Quainoo, played a pivotal role in maintaining stability within the Armed Forces during some of Ghana’s most turbulent political periods.
He provided a steady influence during military regimes, including the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) led by Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, often preventing soldiers from taking unilateral, unlawful actions.
Beyond his military service, Lt. Gen. Quainoo, made notable contributions to Ghana’s national life.
He chaired the Black Stars Management Committee, leading Ghana’s senior national football team to a silver medal at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal, under the captaincy of Abedi Ayew Pele.
He also contributed to the cultural sphere, serving at the National Commission on Culture, alongside renowned playwright, Mohammed Ben Abdallah, during the golden era of Ghanaian theatre and broadcast arts.
Under the late President John Evans Atta Mills, Lt. Gen. Quainoo, was appointed as the Ghana Armed Forces’ representative to the Council of State, chaired by the late Prof. Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor.
One of Lt. Gen. Quainoo’s most enduring legacies, was his role as the first commander of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).
He led peacekeeping efforts in Liberia during its brutal civil war, earning admiration and respect for his dedication to restoring stability in the region.
His leadership, left a lasting impression in Liberia, where, during a later visit, he was honoured with a military guard of honour, as an apology for an earlier miscommunication involving the death of President Samuel Kanyon Doe alias “Master Sergeant Doe”.
In 1999, the Liberian government presented him with a plaque in appreciation of his “meritorious and sacrificial services” to the Liberian people.
A plaque he proudly hung in his room among the many military awards he received across the world, until his last days.
Lt. Gen. Quainoo, with service number (GH/477), served as Ghana’s Army Commander twice. His first term came in 1979, following the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council’s coup d’état, which overthrew the Supreme Military Council.
He was replaced after the elected government of President Hilla Limann in the Third Republic, took office, but was reappointed following the 1981 PNDC coup by Rawlings.
Shortly after dropping his Army uniform, he founded the Centre For Conflict Resolution (CENCOR) at Dzorwulu in Accra, serving as its Executive Director.
He had also worked with his beloved, Catholic Church, travelling across the country and speaking on matters concerning peacebuilding and peacekeeping.
Lt. Gen. Arnold Quainoo’s career epitomized service, resilience, and leadership. His impact on the Ghana Armed Forces and his contributions to regional peace, will remain etched in history.
He leaves behind a legacy of courage, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to Ghana and West Africa.
He is survived by his wife, Juliet and children.
