Samia Nkrumah
Encyclopedia
Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah (born 23 June 1960) is a Ghana
ian politician and Chairwoman of the Convention People's Party
. In the 2008 parliamentary election, she won the Jomoro constituency
seat at her first attempt and recently became the first female to chair a major political party in the country. She is also a freelance journalist
and his Egypt
ian wife Fathia Rizk. She was born at Aburi
in the Eastern Region
of Ghana in 1960. She was forced to leave Ghana with her mother
and brothers on the day of the 1966 coup.They were resettled in Egypt by the Egyptian government. She returned with her family in 1975 at the invitation of General Acheampong's National Redemption Council
government and attended the Achimota School
. She however left the country again when her mother decided to return to Egypt in the early 1980s. She proceeded to London
, later completing her studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies
of the University of London
in the United Kingdom
, where she obtained the degree of Bachelor Arabic Studies in 1991. She also completed a Master's degree
at the same institution in 1993.
as a journalist in various capacities starting from 1989.
with a majority of 6,571, winning about 50% of the total valid votes cast.She was elected as the first woman chairperson of the Convention People's Party on Saturday 10th September 2011. She won the poll with 1,191 votes, and her nearest contender, the incumbent, polled 353 votes.
By this feat, she became the first woman to ever head a major political party in Ghana. Her victory, along with three other female members of the party, is hailed as marking the renaissance of the ailing C.P.P., and an affairmation of the parties long held tradition of promoting women's rights
. Parallels are already being drawn between her and "Yaa Asantewaa"-the fabled Asante heroin, for her bravery, and in more contemporary times, Sonia Ghandi of the Congress party in India.
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...
ian politician and Chairwoman of the Convention People's Party
Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party is a socialist political party in Ghana, based on the ideas of former President Kwame Nkrumah.The CPP was formed in 1949 by Kwame Nkrumah to campaign for the independence of the Gold Coast. It ruled Ghana from 1957 to 1966...
. In the 2008 parliamentary election, she won the Jomoro constituency
Jomoro (Ghana parliament constituency)
Jomoro is one of the constituencies represented in the Parliament of Ghana. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. Jomoro is located in the Jomoro District of the Western Region of Ghana.-Boundaries:...
seat at her first attempt and recently became the first female to chair a major political party in the country. She is also a freelance journalist
Early life and education
She is the daughter of the first president of Ghana, Kwame NkrumahKwame 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 his Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian wife Fathia Rizk. She was born at Aburi
Aburi
Aburi is a town north east of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. It is famous for the Aburi Botanical Gardens. Aburi is home to Aburi Presbyterian Technical Secondary School, which is linked to The Sixth Form College, Farnborough in Hampshire, England. Aburi has a relatively small population and is...
in the Eastern Region
Eastern 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 in 1960. She was forced to leave Ghana with her mother
Fathia Nkrumah
Fathia Nkrumah , was an Egyptian and the First Lady of the newly independent Ghana as the wife of the Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, its first president....
and brothers on the day of the 1966 coup.They were resettled in Egypt by the Egyptian government. She returned with her family in 1975 at the invitation of General Acheampong's National Redemption Council
National Redemption Council
The National Redemption Council was the ruling Ghana military government in from January 13, 1972 to October 9, 1975. Its chairman was Colonel I.K. Acheampong. He was also the Head of state of Ghana due to his chairmanship.-Duration of rule:...
government and attended the Achimota School
Achimota School
Achimota School , is an elite and highly selective co-educational secondary school located at Achimota in Accra, Ghana. It was established and commenced operations in 1924 and formally opened in 1927 by Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg -- then governor of the Gold Coast...
. She however left the country again when her mother decided to return to Egypt in the early 1980s. She proceeded to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, later completing her studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where she obtained the degree of Bachelor Arabic Studies in 1991. She also completed a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
at the same institution in 1993.
Career
Samia started work as a bank clerk with the London branch of the Bank of India in 1984. She then worked with the Al-AhramAl-Ahram
Al-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
as a journalist in various capacities starting from 1989.
Politics
She is one of the founders of Africa Must Unite which aims to promote Kwame Nkrumah's vision and political culture. As part of this philosophy, she decided to go into active politics in Ghana. She contested the Jomoro constituency seat in the Western Region of Ghana and beat the incumbent MP, Lee Ocran of the National Democratic CongressNational Democratic Congress (Ghana)
The National Democratic Congress is a social democratic political party in Ghana, founded by Jerry John Rawlings, who was Head of State of Ghana from 1981 to 1993 and the President of Ghana from 1993 to 2001. The NDC was formed ahead of elections in 1992 and 1996 returned Jerry John Rawlings to...
with a majority of 6,571, winning about 50% of the total valid votes cast.She was elected as the first woman chairperson of the Convention People's Party on Saturday 10th September 2011. She won the poll with 1,191 votes, and her nearest contender, the incumbent, polled 353 votes.
By this feat, she became the first woman to ever head a major political party in Ghana. Her victory, along with three other female members of the party, is hailed as marking the renaissance of the ailing C.P.P., and an affairmation of the parties long held tradition of promoting women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
. Parallels are already being drawn between her and "Yaa Asantewaa"-the fabled Asante heroin, for her bravery, and in more contemporary times, Sonia Ghandi of the Congress party in India.