Sqn Ldr Selase Agbenyefia: First female helicopter pilot in West Africa

For close to 35 years, being a combat pilot in the Ghana Air Force has been a ‘no go’ area for ambitious young women who have the desire to ply their trade in that sector of the Ghana Armed Forces. The first two female pilots who served during the Nkrumah regime left the Air Force

However, the resilience and determination of a young woman, who had displayed great interest to train as a combat pilot 13 years ago, has changed all that.

Her dream would have nearly been aborted if she had not insisted that “it was the Air Force that I chose because I wanted to be a pilot.”

Squadron Leader Selase Agbenyefia, who completed Sixth Form at the Mawuli School in Ho in 1996, applied to join the Ghana Air Force after she had watched a documentary on a female air traffic controller, which really impacted on her life.

“After watching the film, I asked myself why I couldn’t also pursue a career in the aviation industry. I discussed this great ambition with one of my brother’s friends who was a serviceman.”

According to Sqn Ldr Agbenyefia, his brother’s friend gave her the necessary encouragement and told her that she stood a better chance of becoming an Air Force pilot, especially with her subject combination, Physics, Geography and Maths.

With this motivation, Sqn Ldr Agbenyefia responded to an application by the Ghana Armed Forces for enlistment and stated her preference programme as the Ghana Air Force.

However, when the applicants were invited to the Burma Hall in Accra for the selection process, she realised that she had been pushed from the Air Force to the Army.

“I was not pleased with the change and approached one of the officers and told him I had applied specifically for the Air Force but my name had been changed to the Army. The officer told me, ‘You see that thick tall man over there, go and speak to him and if he agrees, the change would be effected.’”

That officer then was Maj General Joseph Narh Adinkrah, the former Army Commander and then Officer in charge of enlistment of officer cadets.

“Initially, I looked at the huge frame of the officer and got frightened because I hear at the time that the military did not tolerate any thing that should not be tolerated. I, however, mustered courage and went to him and told him my problem. He looked at me then said ‘well, the Air Force is not for women, and could be the reason why your course option was changed.’ I insisted that it was the Air Force that I selected and that if I would not have the opportunity to train as a pilot then I would opt out. Maj Gen Adinkrah looked at me, checked my application and I believe he was overwhelmed by my confidence and asked that I should be included in the Air Force list.”

This was how Sqn Ldr Agbenyefia traversed to become the first female Helicopter pilot in the Ghana Air Force and the whole of the West African sub region in 48 years, who has flown all kinds of aircrafts— from L-29 fighter jets trainers to, Agusta -109 light attack helicopters, Bell 412, and MI-17 Helicopters.

She is also the first female military pilot to have participated in United Nations mission.

After that trail blazing feat, it took close to 10 years before four other ladies have joined the Air Force as pilots.

Source: Graphic GH