Samuel Kwaku Togbenu Banini
A life that touched so many hearts will be forever remembered.
Obituary
With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Samuel, who was born on July 24th, 1929 and passed away on August 23rd, 2026.
Samuel Kwaku Togbenu Banini was born on 24th July 1929 in Anloga, Ghana, to Madam Charlotte Dutorwogbe Ehla and John Togbenu Banini. He passed away peacefully on 23rd August 2026 at Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, surrounded by the love of the family he had spent his whole life building and caring for.
Early Life in Ghana
Samuel began his education in 1937 at the Ewe Presbyterian School in Anloga. As a boy, he would sweep the church and ring its bell to call the community together — the first bell for the fishermen, the second for the farmers, and the third to summon the pastor himself. It was an early glimpse of a life that would always be spent in service of others.
In 1941 he moved to Accra to live with his brother Emmanuel, continuing his schooling there before returning to Anloga in 1944 to finish at Ewe Presbyterian, completing Standard 7 in 1948. He then went back to Accra, where in 1949 he began an apprenticeship in electrical engineering with the United Africa Company (UAC) — the start of a lifelong career in the trade. In 1952, an accident with sulphuric acid at UAC left him with scars on his feet, a reminder of how much worse things could have been, and how much of his life would go on to be shaped by moments where fortune was on his side.
Coming to England
On 5th September 1955, at the age of 26, Samuel flew to England on a BOAC flight that took three days, travelling from Accra via Algeria and Biarritz before landing at Heathrow. British Council officials met him and took him to his first lodgings in Bayswater, before he moved to live with a West Indian man married to a Welsh woman in West Kensington - the first of many friendships that would come to define his years in London.
He threw himself into study, attending the College of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering in Chelsea from 1955, and living in Balham through 1956 and 1957 alongside close friends. In January 1958 he received his First Class Certificate in Auto Electrical Engineering, going on to an apprenticeship in Chancery Lane while studying at Borough Polytechnic, and in 1959 was awarded a Government Scholarship to study at Faraday House Electrical Engineering College in Holborn - where, in a small act of the generosity that would define him, he persuaded his friend Alex Dsane, who was on the verge of returning home after failing his exams, to apply for the very same scholarship. Uncle Alex got it, and the two remained close friends for the rest of their lives.
These years were not without their close calls. In 1957, a mistake by a foreman at the American Valve Company nearly left Samuel electrocuted. In 1962, a friend's dream that he was in a fire led her to knock on his door in the early hours - waking him just as an electrical ring he'd left burning could have cost him his life. Samuel often spoke of these moments, and those who knew him well came to see them as part of a life that was, in every sense, protected and purposeful.
He graduated from Faraday House with a Diploma in Electrical Engineering in 1963, and went on to build a long career across several engineering firms - Phoenix Engineers, Fosters & Sons, Normand Electrical Engineers, Fosters Transformers, and Hayden Young — before becoming self-employed in 1981, a path he continued until his retirement.
Family
In 1967, Samuel was introduced to Janet Abla Banini by Auntie Sessie, and on 4th January 1969 they were married - a marriage that would last over 40 years, until Janet's passing in December 2010. Together they raised their children, Mawuko Kofi and Tuinese Ama, building a family life in London that would grow, over the decades, to include grandchildren Kelly, Kiera, and Amira, and later great-grandchildren Matthew and Ava.
In 2025, seeking a quieter, greener pace of life for his final years, Samuel relocated with the family to Solihull.
Community and Character
In 1981, Samuel brought together a small group that went on to found Novi Ha and was chosen by his fellow founders to serve as its first Chairman — a mark of the trust and respect he had already earned. It was a fitting role for a man so deeply rooted in tradition and community — he was often called upon to officiate outdoorings for new additions to the wider family, and was always generous with his time, offering guidance on matters of birth, marriage, death, and how things ought to be properly done, even when many others wouldn't have bothered.
To many in the family, Samuel was simply the one who knew. When questions arose about tradition, about what was right, about how something should be handled, it was Dad people turned to. He carried that knowledge generously and without fanfare, and its loss is felt as deeply as the man himself.
He was, by every account, a beautiful soul. He had his own sense of freedom too - in the 1960s, he would travel to Paris for the day, every Wednesday, simply because it was his day off and he could. He was also deeply invested in the people around him - quietly steering his friend Alex Dsane toward the scholarship that would change his life, and holding firmly to the belief that education, once gained, could never be taken away from a person. Gentle and mild-mannered as he was, he had a quiet strength in him too - a man you knew not to cross when his mind was made up. He was, above all, a good father, always there.
Samuel had a quiet gift for bringing people together - a kind word, a shared moment, a small act of care, were often all it took. Family was nurtured with patience and devotion, friendships were built on loyalty and sincerity, and those who knew him carry those simple, everyday memories still.
Samuel always said he would live to 100. He made it to 97.
Samuel Kwaku Togbenu Banini leaves a space that cannot be filled, but a family, and a community, immeasurably richer for having known him. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.
Timeline
Anloga, Ghana
Over the years, Samuel's family grows to include grandchildren Kelly, Kiera, and Amira - each one bringing new joy.
Samuel becomes a great-grandfather, with the arrival of Matthew and Ava.
Gallery
Tributes / Memory wall
He really loved us and we all did love him for his love and support.
Always encouraging me to keep on doing our best in every aspect of our lives.
We thank God for blessing us with such a wonderful grandpa.
May his perfect soul rest in the bosom of his maker.
The news of the home call of Papa Samuel Banini, otherwise variously known by many of us as Uncle Sam, Efo Sam, Grandpa, etc, came rather as a surprise to us. Yes, he was advanced in age; yes, he had been unwell for a while; and yes, such a day of exit was bound to come for every mortal. However, for the greater part of his life, Efo Sam was generally a very healthy person and over the years, those of us back home in Ghana hardly ever heard of his ill-health. He took good care of himself and took life easy. He never allowed anything to worry him for long, and any time death of close family members was reported to him, his attitude would rather calm us down. His belief was that death was bound to come, and it would happen at the due time. His attitude was more of how to prepare to give the beloved one a simple and decent send-off.
Uncle Sam used to visit home quite regularly, however when age began to tell on him, and his movement became restricted, such visits reduced drastically.
It was always refreshing to chat with Efo Sam, because he would say nothing to stress you. He was soft-spoken and caring, wanting to get an update about the situation back at home. Most of the time, he would take time to specifically ask about particular family members, wanting to know how they were faring. He was indeed passionate about these and Efo Sam would end each conversation with a pat on the shoulder of those of us at home, for the roles we play in keeping the family together and also doing the needful, each time the situation demanded our inputs.
One of his strengths was his ability to recall events many years back to the detail. He had a strikingly retentive memory, very unique in view of his age. Those of us who spoke with him quite often and regularly really enjoyed this richness. We would intentionally tap into his wisdom and knowledge by asking the relevant questions, thus urging him on to share more of our history. Indeed, he loved the Banini Family, and went every length to connect with other younger members who happened to be resident in the United Kingdom. He demonstrated his genuine interest by staying in contact with them with his calls. We believe many of our compatriots will attest to this.
We believe that his was a life well lived as very few were blessed with such a ripe age. All we can say as a family is that, Papa Sam, rest well with the Lord. We wished you lived a bit longer so we could tap more from your wealth of wisdom and knowledge.
Hede nyuie. Na dzudzor le nutifafa me.
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Service
We will come together to remember and pay tribute to the wonderful person. While we mourn the loss of our dear Efo Sam, we also aim to cherish the moments shared and the joy brought into our lives. Your presence would mean a great deal to us during this time of remembrance and reflection.
971 Garrett Lane
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10:30
London Road
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Samuel gave so much to so many, quietly, and without ever asking for anything in return. If you're able to give something back now, it will be received with the same gratitude and love he always showed others.
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