Losing my son made me value time with loved ones more – Sir Sam Jonah

Business leader Sir Sam Jonah has spoken about the loss of his son, Richard, saying the experience changed his perspective on life and made him more conscious of the importance of spending time with loved ones. Delivering the keynote address at the 2026 TrueLife Experience at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, he reflected on the limits of authority and influence in the face of personal loss. “There are experiences in which the authority you exercise elsewhere offers you no protection. You cannot negotiate your way out of grief. You cannot summon the right people into a room and ask them to resolve it. You are a father who has lost his son,” he said. Sir Sam Jonah said he did not want to turn his son's life or death into a lesson for his audience.