A BRIEF PROFILE OF BRO. AUGUSTINE PUFAADEM KUBDAAR.

1. a.     Family Background

Bro. Augustine Pufaadem Kubdaar, the newly elected General Superior, is a Ghanaian. In Ghana he comes from a little but very important village in the Upper West Region called Tantuo. He was born on the 6^th of June, 1966 (52 years ago). His parents (Mr. Edmund Kubdaar 78 years old and Mrs. Marceline Yayour 76 years) are still alive. Bro. Augustine is the eldest child of his parents. He has five siblings (two brothers and three sisters): Robert, James, Alberta, Martha and Felicia. Mr. Robert Kubdaar lives at home and takes care of our aged parents.

(Bro. Augustine giving his speech during the farewell party to Bros. Martin and Guido)

1. b.    Education Background

Bro. Augustine began formal education in his native village school and then proceeded to complete Puffien Middle school where he first met Bro. Raphael Besigrinee (General Councilor). Bro. Augustine had his secondary education in the southern part of Ghana, Ashanti Bekwai. From 1987 to 1990 he was trained as aprofessional Teacher in the Nusrat Jahan Ahamadiyya Teacher Training College, Wa.  He was among the first batch of students of the Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapreh where he graduated with First Class Honors in Religious Education (major) and Business Administration (minor). From 2013 – 2015 Bro. Augustine had another professional training in the United States International University (USIU) of Eastern Africa where he acquired a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Two years ago (2016) Augustine got enrolled as a PhD student in Clinical Psychology in the Open Univasiteit of Heerlen, The Netherlands.

1. c.     Vocation Story

Bro. Peter Saatuo perhaps was the first FIC brother Augustine met in his life. This was when Bro. Saatuo visited Bro. Augustine’s village and later on taught in the Puffien Middle School where Augustine was a pupil. This initial encounter with an FIC Brother provided a significant introduction to a change of an initial desire to become a catechist or a priest. At that time, Augustine’s maternal uncle Mr. Romanus Yayour was a catechist and Augustine admired the role his uncle played in the church especially conducting the village church choir. In the year 1986, through the counsel of a friend Mr. Tantuo Maalo (now a teacher in St. John’s Technical and Vocational School, Nandom) Augustine applied to the then Wa Diocesan Priest Vocation Director (Fr. Peter Dakurah) and at the same time to the Aspirancy Coordinator of the Brothers FIC (Bro. Gracious Sangber Der) to be an aspirant. The response of the latter came with an invitation to attend contact days at Kaleo. In a personal talk with Bro. Gracious during the contact days, Augustine was advised to consider being trained as a professional teacher. As a student in the Teacher Training College the link and chain of events in his life were phenomenal. At the Teacher Training College, a very precarious moment of discerning his vocation, Augustine appreciated the regular visits and influence of Bros. Peter Agboso, Patrick Binneh and Alpitio Kog (a childhood friend) as part of God’s plan to assist him properly opt for the FIC way of life. He feels very much grateful to these brothers and the many other people and events that spurred him on to come thus far in life. In the year 1992 Augustine started the FIC initial formation program together with Bros. Remy Nyukorong (General Treasurer), Bro. Stephen Bangnabayi and another candidate who absconded after the canonical year novitiate program. On September 15^th, 1995, Bro. Augustine and his formation colleagues made their first profession of Religious vows. Seven years later, again on the 15^th of September, 2002, Br. Augustine took his final vows.

Apostolate

(Bro. Augustine giving his speech during the celebaration of the 50th anniversary of Nandom Secondary School)

Bro. Augustine taught in many basic schools in Ghana: St. Cecilia’s Primary School, Nandom; St. Mary’s Primary School, Chinchang, where he was once appointed headmaster in the academic year of 2001; St. Gabriel Primary/Junior High School and St. Anne’s Junior High School, Damongo. He also taught in Nandom Senior High School. When he was a young brother, he played an active role in youth formation. At one time he was appointed as the Zonal Coordinator of the Young Christians Students (YCS) movement in Tumu. Bro. Augustine is also particularly grateful to Bro. Methodius Kuusoro and his team of Councilors at that time, who per his appointment as Aspirancy Coordinator from the year 1997 to 2001 challenged and encouraged him to begin developing some leadership skills. From the year 2006 to 2012 Augustine was the Provincial Superior of the Ghana Province. From 2016 – 2017, he also taught in the Nursing And Midwifery Training College, Sunyani; and the Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapreh (his alma mater). Until his election as General Superior he was happily and comfortably working as a Clinical Psychotherapist in the St. Theresa’s Hospital Nandom.

1. d.    Dream as a General Superior

In the view of Bro. Augustine, leadership in an international congregation such as ours requires a multidimensional approach, skills and discernment to select a number of leadership principles to be utilized in any situation in order to lead the brothers and God’s people. Bro. Augustine's dream therefore is to be a discerning leader; a leader who can listen and understand the will of God for the FIC apostolic mission in the church in this contemporary era. He also hopes to be a leader who is available to understand the needs of his fellow brothers, associate members and those people we are called and sent to serve in the society. He feels inspired by the assertion of John Q. Adams who would have us believe that if a leader’s actions inspire more people to learn more, to do more and to be more than they are, then you are indeed a successful leader. Together with his team of councilors, fellow brothers, the supporting staff, and all collaborators of the FIC congregation Augustine hopes that in the coming years we will together discern the best options of growing the vision and mission of the FIC apostolic presence in the provinces and in the ecclesiastical Church. He entrusts himself absolutely to the prayers, brotherly counsel and an unrelenting support of everyone.

Bro. Augustine P. Kubdaar is the current General Superior (2018 - 2024)