Edward Akufo-Addo
Encyclopedia
Edward Akufo-Addo was a politician and lawyer in Ghana. He was one of the Big Six
in the fight for Ghana's independence. He also became the Chief Justice
and later President
of the Republic of Ghana.
, where he studied Mathematics, Politics and Philosophy.
Bar, London, UK in 1940 and returned to what was then the Gold Coast
to start a private legal practice a year later.
(UGCC) and was one of the "Big Six
" detained after disturbances in Accra. From 1949–1950, he was a member of the Gold Coast Legislative Council and the Coussey Constitutional Commission.
(One of three Judges who sat on Treason trial involving Tawia Adamafio
, Ako Adjei
and three others after the Kulungugu bomb attack on President Kwame Nkrumah
and for doing so was dismissed with fellow judges for finding some of the accused not guilty). From 1966–1970, he was appointed Chief Justice
by the National Liberation Council
(NLC) regime as well as Chairman of the Constitutional Commission (Commission that drafted the 1969 Second Republican Constitution). He was also head of the NLC Political Commission during this same time period. From 31 August 1970 until his deposition by coup d'état on 13 January 1972, Akufo-Addo was President of Ghana
in the Second Republic. He was a ceremonial President and had no executive powers as all powers lay with the Prime Minister, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia
. On 17 July 1979, Akufo-Addo died of natural causes.
came second in the Ghanaian presidential election
in 2008.
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 fight for Ghana's independence. He also became the Chief Justice
Chief Justice of Ghana
The Chief Justice of Ghana is the highest judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana. The Chief Justice is also the head of the Judiciary of Ghana and is responsible for its administration and supervision...
and later President
Heads of state of Ghana
Prior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene....
of the Republic of Ghana.
Education
Akufo-Addo was born at Dodowa. He had his basic education at Presbyterian Primary and Middle Schools at Dodowa. In 1929, he entered Achimota College, from where he won a scholarship to St Peter's College, OxfordSt Peter's College, Oxford
St Peter's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, located in New Inn Hall Street. It occupies the site of two of the University's oldest Inns, or medieval hostels - Bishop Trellick's, later New Inn Hall, and Rose Hall - both of which were...
, where he studied Mathematics, Politics and Philosophy.
Pre-political career
Akufo-Addo was called to the Middle TempleMiddle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
Bar, London, UK in 1940 and returned to what was 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 start a private legal practice a year later.
Early political career
In 1947, he became a founding member of the United Gold Coast ConventionUnited 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....
(UGCC) and was 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...
" detained after disturbances in Accra. From 1949–1950, he was a member of the Gold Coast Legislative Council and the Coussey Constitutional Commission.
Post-independence career
After independence (1962–1964), Akufo-Addo was a Supreme Court JudgeSupreme Court of Ghana
The Supreme Court of Ghana is the highest judicial body in Ghana. Ghana's 1992 constitution guarantees the independence and separation of the Judiciary from the Legislative and the Executive arms of government.-History:...
(One of three Judges who sat on Treason trial involving Tawia Adamafio
Tawia Adamafio
Tawia Adamafio was a Ghanaian minister in the Nkrumah government during the first republic of Ghana.-Politics:Adamafio was a member of the Convention People's Party and rose to become its General Secretary. In 1960, he was appointed the Information and Broadcasting Minister by Nkrumah. He was also...
, Ako Adjei
Ebenezer Ako-Adjei
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...
and three others after the Kulungugu bomb attack on President 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...
and for doing so was dismissed with fellow judges for finding some of the accused not guilty). From 1966–1970, he was appointed Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
by the National Liberation Council
National Liberation Council
The National Liberation Council was the name of the Ghanaian government after the elected government of the Convention Peoples' Party led by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown on February 24, 1966. This government was in place till they handed over to a democratically elected government on October...
(NLC) regime as well as Chairman of the Constitutional Commission (Commission that drafted the 1969 Second Republican Constitution). He was also head of the NLC Political Commission during this same time period. From 31 August 1970 until his deposition by coup d'état on 13 January 1972, Akufo-Addo was President of Ghana
President of Ghana
The President of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana. Officially styled President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. The current President of Ghana is Prof. John Atta Mills, who took office in January...
in the Second Republic. He was a ceremonial President and had no executive powers as all powers lay with the Prime Minister, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia
Kofi Abrefa Busia
Kofi Abrefa Busia was Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969–72. He was born in Wenchi, in the then British colony of Gold Coast . He was educated at Methodist School, Wenchi, Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, then at Wesley College, Kumasi from 1931–32. He later became a teacher at Achimota Secondary...
. On 17 July 1979, Akufo-Addo died of natural causes.
Family
Akufo-Addo married Nana Yeboakua Ofori-Atta, Abontendomhemma and a daughter of Nana Sir Ofori Atta I, a former Okyenhene of the Akyem Abuakwa state in the Eastern Region of Ghana. His son, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-AddoNana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. He was one of the founding members of the centrist New Patriotic Party in 1992, and was also the founder and first chairperson of the Ghana Committee on Human and People's Rights...
came second in the Ghanaian presidential election
Ghanaian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Ghana on 7 December 2008, at the same time as a parliamentary election. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo and John Atta...
in 2008.
See also
- The Big SixThe 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...
- Chief Justice of GhanaChief Justice of GhanaThe Chief Justice of Ghana is the highest judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana. The Chief Justice is also the head of the Judiciary of Ghana and is responsible for its administration and supervision...
- Heads of state of GhanaHeads of state of GhanaPrior to independence in 1957, Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. Before then it had been divided among a number of states, by far the largest of which was the Ashanti Empire, whose rulers were known as the Asantehene....
- List of Ghana Heads of state by age