Nana Sir Ofori Atta I
Encyclopedia
Nana Sir Ofori Atta I was the Okyenhene
or King of Akyem Abuakwa
, one of the largest and wealthiest kingdoms of the then Gold Coast Colony
, from his election in 1912 until his death in 1943.
Ofori Atta was educated in Basel Mission
schools and at its Akuropon seminary. He worked as a clerk, and then served in the West African Frontier Force, fighting during the Yaa Asantewaa War. Elected Omanhene of Akyem Abuakwa in 1912, he became the first African member of the Legislative Council in 1916 to represent the Gold Coast. "Ofori Atta was the son of a senior official of the palace; his mother was the descendant of one of the founders of the kingdom... Once in power, he was determined to return Akyem Abuakwa to its former glory. His approach to politics was a mix of educational modernism
and aristocratic nepotism
that gave as much importance to merit as it did to blood." He created a dynasty
by privileging education both amongst his sons and daughters, through two paths, “one firmly rooted in a concern for binding the state by the traditionally sanctioned method of multiple marriage and the other rooted in his strong case for ‘modernisation’ and ‘progress’.”
He was the brother of Dr. J. B. Danquah
(a founder of the United Gold Coast Convention
), and the father of Aaron Ofori Atta (a Minister of Communications and Minister of Local Government), William Ofori Atta
(a Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Dr. Susannah Ofori Atta (the first female Doctor in West Africa).
Okyenhene
Okyenhene is the title of His Royal Majesty, the king of Akyem Abuakwa, an ancient powerful kingdom in the Eastern Region of Ghana...
or King of Akyem Abuakwa
Akyem Abuakwa
Akyem Abuakwa describes a traditional geo-political entity in Eastern GhanaAkyen Abuakwa is one of the three independent states along with Akyem Bosome and Akyem Kotoku that forms the Akyem Mansa. This nation state with a non-contiguous land mass exists in the Eastern and Ashanti region of...
, one of the largest and wealthiest kingdoms of the then Gold Coast Colony
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...
, from his election in 1912 until his death in 1943.
Ofori Atta was educated in Basel Mission
Basel Mission
The Basel Mission is a Christian missionary society active from 1815 to 2001, when it was merged into Mission 21, the successor organization of Kooperation Evangelischer Kirchen und Missione founded in 2001....
schools and at its Akuropon seminary. He worked as a clerk, and then served in the West African Frontier Force, fighting during the Yaa Asantewaa War. Elected Omanhene of Akyem Abuakwa in 1912, he became the first African member of the Legislative Council in 1916 to represent the Gold Coast. "Ofori Atta was the son of a senior official of the palace; his mother was the descendant of one of the founders of the kingdom... Once in power, he was determined to return Akyem Abuakwa to its former glory. His approach to politics was a mix of educational modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
and aristocratic nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
that gave as much importance to merit as it did to blood." He created a dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
by privileging education both amongst his sons and daughters, through two paths, “one firmly rooted in a concern for binding the state by the traditionally sanctioned method of multiple marriage and the other rooted in his strong case for ‘modernisation’ and ‘progress’.”
He was the brother of Dr. J. B. Danquah
J. B. Danquah
Nana Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah was a Ghanaian statesman, pan-Africanist, scholar and historian. He played a significant role in pre and post colonial Ghana. In fact, he is credited with giving Ghana its name...
(a founder 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....
), and the father of Aaron Ofori Atta (a Minister of Communications and Minister of Local Government), William Ofori Atta
William Ofori Atta
Nana William Ofori Atta was a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention and was one of "The Big Six" detained by the British colonial government in Ghana...
(a Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Dr. Susannah Ofori Atta (the first female Doctor in West Africa).