Professor Gilbert Ansre, as an outstanding figure in African linguistics and a committed theologian, was a bridge-builder between academic research and ecclesiastical practice. He died on 27th February 2026 at the age of 96 in Ghana.

As a linguist at the University of Ghana, Ansre researched the Ewe language in particular. The preservation of cultural identity was always a concern close to his heart. With great passion, he advocated for strengthening the importance of first languages in education, culture and religious life. The latter was a matter of especial importance to him as a pastor of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana. Gilbert Ansre had the ability to combine scholarly precision with pastoral commitment. He championed the translation of the Bible into African languages so that Christian religious content could become accessible to many people in their own tongue.

Ansre's influence extended far beyond the borders of Ghana. As a co-shaper of linguistic institutions and a promoter of language research, he influenced generations of students and scholars. His work contributed substantially to securing the place that African languages deserve in academia and society. As a person, he impressed through a manner and bearing marked by empathy, humility and sincere kindness.

With the death of Gilbert Ansre, the academic community has lost a significant scholar and Ghana a formative voice for language, education and faith. His life's work endures, however — in his publications, in the institutions he helped shape, not least the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana, and above all in the many people who were inspired by him.