The Anwelle Foundation has partnered with the Jirapa Municipality Youth Association to immortalize Eric Johnson, a native son and renowned entrepreneur, with a statue erected in the heart of Jirapa township.
A commemorative service honoring Mr. Johnson was held at his signature investment, the Royal Cozy Hills Hotel — affectionately known across the region as “Jirapa Dubai.” Following the service, the statue was unveiled in the heart of Jirapa town, where it has been strategically positioned as a lasting landmark.
The unveiling was performed by the Paramount Chief of Jirapa, Naa Justice Donglabong Dinaa Ganaa III, with Frank Anwelle, CEO of the Anwelle Foundation, in attendance, and witnessed by a large crowd of residents, traditional leaders and civic officials.
“Mr. Johnson was more than an entrepreneur. He was a builder of dreams for our people,” Mr. Anwelle said at the ceremony. “His Royal Cozy Hills Hotel is a tangible expression of his belief that Jirapa could host excellence and hospitality that rivals anywhere. But it is his love for his homeland and his relentless desire to see it grow that truly defines his legacy.”
Eric Johnson — popularly known in Jirapa as “Bundle Man” — was a prominent businessman and philanthropist. He was tragically murdered at his villa at the Royal Cozy Hills Hotel in 2024. The earlier service at the hotel celebrated his life and contributions before the formal unveiling in town.
Richmond Bayuo, chairman of the Jirapa Municipality Youth Association, described Johnson as a trailblazer for youth investment and local development, and praised Frank Anwelle for anchoring the 2026 Jirapa Municipality Youth Association week celebration through the foundation’s sponsorship.
Mr. Anwelle highlighted several interventions the Anwelle Foundation has carried out across the municipality. The Foundation sponsored the completion of a community-led traditional council hall and ancillary facilities in Tizza, provided start-up support to tailors, dressmakers, hairdressers and weavers, and supplied sandals to students of Jirapa Senior High School who lost belongings in a dormitory fire. It also paid WAEC results-checking vouchers and printing for all basic-school completers in the municipality, organized live World Cup match screenings at two locations to broaden community access, and sponsored free NHIS registration and renewals across the municipality in partnership with the National Health Insurance Authority.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Jirapa, Hon. Peter To-ang, in remarks read on his behalf, urged that Johnson’s legacy be sustained as inspiration for young people to invest in and uplift the community.
In his address, Naa Justice Donglabong Dinaa Ganaa III praised Johnson’s rise from hardship to prominence without contempt for others, urging residents: “Let the remembrance of Eric Johnson make us love our community more.”
Mr. Anwelle framed the statue as both tribute and call to action. “The enormous investment Eric Johnson made in Jirapa makes him a mentor and a shining example,” he said. “Each of us has the responsibility to build where we come from — support your schools and mentor a child positively.”
The Anwelle Foundation’s sponsorship of the statue cements the CEO’s commitment to honoring local achievers while advancing development initiatives in Jirapa.
