Ebenezer Ako-Adjei
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ebenezer Ako-Adjei was a nationalist politician from Ghana
. Ako-Adjei is considered to be one of the Big Six
in the history of Ghanaian independence. The Big Six are arguably some of the most famous people in Ghana's fight for independence from British rule. He was also a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention
, the political party that initially spearheaded the surge for independence.
of Ghana (then the Gold Coast
) to Samuel Adjei who was a farmer and trader, and Mrs. Johanna Okaile Adjei. His early education began in the Eastern Region until he was taken to Accra
(the current capital of Ghana) where he continued his education at the Presbyterian Middle and Junior Schools, the Presbyterian Boys’ Boarding School and Accra Academy
.
In December, 1936 he was one of the candidates presented by the Accra Academy for the University of Cambridge
Senior School Leaving Certificate Examination. Among the candidates presented by Accra Academy who passed the exam, only 2 obtained exemption from the University of London Matriculation Examination. One of these 2 students was Ebenezer Ako-Adjei.
In December, 1938 he resigned from the Gold Coast Civil Service to travel to the USA to attend Lincoln University
, Pennsylvania
.
At Lincoln University he was housed at Houston Hall. Ebenezer Ako-Adjei registered for courses in Political Science, Economics, Sociology, English, Latin and Philosophy.
Together with a group of students they often had long heated discussions (known as Bull Sessions) about the emancipation of African countries from colonial domination. Among the African students who regularly took part in these discussions were Ako Adjei, Mr. Nkrumah, Ozuomba Mbadiwe, Nwafor Orizu and Mr. Okechukwu Ikejiani.
He was instrumental in introducing Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
to the political scene in Ghana and Dr. Nkrumah later became the first president of Ghana. However, in 1962 President Nkrumah had him imprisoned.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. Ako-Adjei is considered to be one of the Big Six
The Big Six (Ghana)
The Big Six were six leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention , the leading political party in the British colony of the Gold Coast. They were detained by the colonial authorities in 1948 following disturbances leading to the killing of three World War II veterans...
in the history of Ghanaian independence. The Big Six are arguably some of the most famous people in Ghana's fight for independence from British rule. He was also a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention
United Gold Coast Convention
The United Gold Coast Convention was a political party whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from British rule after the Second World War....
, the political party that initially spearheaded the surge for independence.
Early life
He was born on June 17, 1916 in Adjeikrom which is in the Eastern RegionEastern Region (Ghana)
The Eastern Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It covers an area of 19,323 square kilometres, which is about 8.1% of Ghana's total land area. The region is divided into administrative districts. The total number of districts were increased from 17 districts to 21...
of Ghana (then the Gold Coast
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
) to Samuel Adjei who was a farmer and trader, and Mrs. Johanna Okaile Adjei. His early education began in the Eastern Region until he was taken to Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
(the current capital of Ghana) where he continued his education at the Presbyterian Middle and Junior Schools, the Presbyterian Boys’ Boarding School and Accra Academy
Accra Academy High School
The Accra Academy is the first private Academy to be established in the then Gold Coast now Ghana. The Academy is one of the foremost secondary educational institutions in Ghana today and currently operates as a non-denominational Day and Boarding Boys School, located at Bubuashie in the Greater...
.
In December, 1936 he was one of the candidates presented by the Accra Academy for the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
Senior School Leaving Certificate Examination. Among the candidates presented by Accra Academy who passed the exam, only 2 obtained exemption from the University of London Matriculation Examination. One of these 2 students was Ebenezer Ako-Adjei.
Career
From June, 1937 to December, 1938 he was a Second Division Clerk in the Gold Coast Civil Service. He was assigned to assist Mr. Harold Cooper, a European Assistant Colonial Secretary and Mr. J.E.S. de Graft-Hayford to organise and establish the Gold Coast Broadcasting Service. These were the beginnings of what is now the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.In December, 1938 he resigned from the Gold Coast Civil Service to travel to the USA to attend Lincoln University
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Lincoln University is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university. It is located near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university also hosts a Center for Graduate Studies in the City of Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
At Lincoln University he was housed at Houston Hall. Ebenezer Ako-Adjei registered for courses in Political Science, Economics, Sociology, English, Latin and Philosophy.
Together with a group of students they often had long heated discussions (known as Bull Sessions) about the emancipation of African countries from colonial domination. Among the African students who regularly took part in these discussions were Ako Adjei, Mr. Nkrumah, Ozuomba Mbadiwe, Nwafor Orizu and Mr. Okechukwu Ikejiani.
He was instrumental in introducing Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana...
to the political scene in Ghana and Dr. Nkrumah later became the first president of Ghana. However, in 1962 President Nkrumah had him imprisoned.
Later life and Death
On the eve of his release from the Nsawam Prison in 1966, Ako-Adjei completely forswore politics. He spent the remainder of his long life in relative obscurity. Ako-Adjei died in Accra on 14 January 2002.Honours
- 1962 - Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from Lincoln University, USA
- March 7, 1997 - Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana - the highest National Honour of the Republic of Ghana
Quotes
"Ghana is our country. We have nowhere to go. This is where God has placed us and the earlier we realized this the better for all of us"External links
- Biography
- Ghana Home Page
- s9.com
- La Hall of Fame