Jersey Number 15 | Former Libero | IPC Volleyball Club
Within the IPC fraternity, the name Honourable needs little introduction. To many, he is Ebenezer Gabson Gakpo, popularly known as “Atiefuor”, a former IPC libero who wore jersey number 15 and became part of the club's story from 2017. Today, however, his journey extends well beyond volleyball. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) and is also involved in public life as the Deputy Secretary for one of Ghana's major political parties in the Madina Constituency .
But before the lecturer, the political organiser and the man known affectionately as Honourable, there was the volleyball player.
And that is where his IPC story begins.
THE PLAYER BEHIND NUMBER 15
Gabson joined IPC Volleyball Club in 2017, entering an environment where volleyball was closely connected to faith, discipline, community and personal development. He played as a libero, a position that demands concentration, anticipation, defensive awareness and a strong understanding of the game.
Wearing number 15, he was part of the work that often happens away from the spotlight. While attackers may receive the applause for powerful kills and decisive points, the libero's contribution is often found in the difficult saves, the coverage, the positioning and the ability to keep a rally alive.
It is a role that requires a player to read the game carefully and remain prepared for what comes next.
In many ways, that experience became a fitting foundation for the journey that followed.
Gabson's years at IPC taught him that being part of a team required more than talent. It demanded discipline, commitment, responsibility and respect for the people around you. One of the lessons he particularly carried with him was the importance of being on time for everything he does, a principle that has continued to influence how he approaches his professional and personal responsibilities.
For him, IPC was also a place where sport and faith came together. Being part of a volleyball club connected to Immanuel Presbyterian Church meant that his development was not limited to what happened during training or competition. The environment encouraged discipline, values and a Christ-like way of life, shaping an understanding that how a person conducts themselves away from the court is just as important as how they perform on it.
WHEN THE COURT BECOMES A SCHOOL OF LIFE
Volleyball can teach lessons that remain useful long after a player leaves the court.
As a libero, Gabson had to understand his teammates, anticipate what was coming from the opposition and remain prepared to respond when the situation changed. The position required him to put the team's needs ahead of individual recognition, because sometimes the most important contribution is the one that allows someone else to succeed.
Those experiences are not far removed from the realities of everyday life.
The discipline required to attend training on time can become discipline in the workplace. The communication required between teammates can become an important skill in professional life. The ability to recover after conceding a point can develop the resilience needed when facing challenges away from sport.
For Gabson, these lessons became part of his wider development.
His IPC experience was therefore not simply about becoming a better volleyball player. It was about becoming a more disciplined person, developing a stronger sense of responsibility and learning how to carry himself with purpose.
EDUCATION BECAME ANOTHER PART OF THE JOURNEY
While his volleyball journey was developing, Gabson was also building his academic future.
He completed his Diploma in Management in 2013, before pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Administration, Accounting option, at Jayee University. His desire to continue learning eventually took him to the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), where he obtained an MPhil in Leadership.
His academic progression is an important part of the Gabson story because it reflects another dimension of what IPC means by More Than Volleyball.
At IPC, education is one of the club's Four Es, alongside Evangelism, Empowerment and Employment. The idea is that athletes should have opportunities to develop not only physically and competitively, but also academically and professionally.
Gabson's journey reflects that principle.
He did not allow his identity as a volleyball player to define the limits of his ambitions. Instead, education became another avenue through which he could develop his abilities and prepare for greater responsibilities.
Today, he serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at UPSA, bringing his knowledge and experience into the classroom and contributing to the development of students.
The journey from player to lecturer is significant. At one stage, Gabson was the one learning from coaches, teammates and the experiences of competition. Today, he occupies a position where he can contribute to the development and education of others.
FROM THE COURT TO LEADERSHIP
Leadership has become another important chapter in Gabson's journey.
Beyond his academic career, he is involved in politics and currently serves as the Deputy Secretary for one of Ghana's major political parties in the Madina Constituency . His involvement in public life has added another dimension to a journey that began with sport and has continued through education and professional development.
There is a connection between these different chapters.
Volleyball taught him that a team cannot function effectively when everyone is focused only on themselves. Education taught him the importance of continuous learning and intellectual development. Leadership requires the ability to work with people, communicate, take responsibility and contribute to a larger objective.
The environments may be different, but many of the principles remain the same.
The former libero who once had to anticipate the next move on the court now operates in spaces where understanding people, responding to changing situations and taking responsibility are equally important.
WHY HE IS “HONOURABLE” AT IPC
Within the IPC fraternity, Gabson is affectionately known as Honourable, a name that has become part of his identity within the wider IPC family.
For those who have known him through the club, he is not simply the lecturer or the political organiser. He is one of their own, a player who spent years wearing the IPC colours and contributing to the team.
That connection matters.
Sports clubs are built not only through competitions and results, but through relationships and shared experiences. Players become part of a community, and their journeys become part of the institutional memory of the club.
Gabson's story is therefore also part of IPC's story.
His number 15 jersey represents the period when he competed as a libero, but the memories and lessons from that period have continued to influence the person he has become.
THE LEGACY OF NUMBER 15
Every player leaves something behind.
For Gabson, his contribution as a libero may be remembered through the matches, the defensive plays, the training sessions and the years spent wearing the IPC colours. But perhaps the more important legacy is what happened beyond the court.
He continued his education.
He developed a career.
He moved into teaching.
He became involved in leadership and public life.
And through all of these chapters, he has carried lessons that were reinforced during his years with IPC: discipline, punctuality, faith, teamwork and responsibility.
That is what makes his story worth telling.
Because when IPC says More Than Volleyball, it is not suggesting that the sport does not matter. The volleyball matters. The competition matters. The memories created on the court matter.
But there is something bigger happening alongside the game.
Players are growing.
People are learning.
Relationships are being built.
And lives are taking different directions.
FROM IPC TO WHEREVER THE JOURNEY LEADS
Today, Ebenezer Gabson Gakpo, “Atiefuor”, remains part of the IPC story as Honourable, a name familiar throughout the fraternity.
His journey from a libero wearing number 15 to an academic and leader demonstrates the possibilities that can emerge when sport becomes part of a person's wider development.
The volleyball court was where one chapter of his story was played.
Education opened another chapter.
The classroom provided another platform.
Leadership has taken him into yet another.
Yet the lessons remain connected.
From the court to the classroom. From education to leadership. From faith to service.
That is the kind of journey IPC wants to celebrate.
Because at IPC Volleyball Club, we believe the final whistle does not mark the end of a player's story. Sometimes, it is simply the beginning of everything that comes next.
Ebenezer Gabson Gakpo “Atiefuor.”
Honourable.
Jersey Number 15.
IPC Volleyball Club.
More Than Volleyball.