Dr. Ebenezer Ako Adjei (17 June 1916 – 14 January 2002)
was a
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
ian
statesman,
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
,
lawyer and
journalist
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...
. He was a founding member of the
United Gold Coast Convention
The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was a political party founded in 1947 whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from their British colonial masters after the Second World War. The United Gold Coast Convention appointed its leade ...
(UGCC), the first political party of
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
(then
Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
). As a founding father of Ghana, he was one of the leaders of the UGCC who were detained during the height of Ghana's struggle for political independence from
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
, a group famously called
The Big Six
''The Big Six'' is the ninth book of Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series of children's books, published in 1940. The book returns Dick and Dorothea Callum, known as the Ds, to the Norfolk Broads where they renew their friendship with ...
.
Born in Adjeikrom, a small village in the
Akyem Abuakwa
Akyem Abuakwa is one of the four states of Akyem in 14th century Africa. Currently, it is part of Ghana. Historically, the Akyem were part of the Adansi Kingdom, which was the first nation to build buildings out of mud. They were therefore were ...
area, Ako Adjei had his tertiary education in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. After his studies abroad, he returned home to join the movement of Gold Coast's struggle for political independence by joining the
United Gold Coast Convention
The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was a political party founded in 1947 whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from their British colonial masters after the Second World War. The United Gold Coast Convention appointed its leade ...
(UGCC) as a founding member. Ako Adjei was instrumental in introducing
Kwame Nkrumah into Ghana's political scene when he recommended him for the full time post of Organising Secretary of the UGCC.
Following
Ghana's Independence, Ako Adjei served in various political portfolios including being the first
Minister for Interior and Justice for the newly born nation,
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
. He also became Ghana's first
Minister of Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...
when the portfolio was changed from Minister for External Affairs to Minister for Foreign Affairs in May 1961. Ako Adjei's political career was however precluded after his detention for allegedly plotting to assassinate the then president Kwame Nkrumah in the Kulungugu bomb attack in 1962.
After his release in 1966, Ako Adjei spent the rest of his life in relative obscurity. He remained unseen or unheard in the Ghanaian national and political discourse. He resolved to focus on his family and his career as a legal practitioner. In 1992 he published a biography of the Ghanaian businessman and statesman
Mr.George Grant. In 1997 he was awarded the
Order of the Star of Ghana
The Order of the Star of Ghana is the highest award given by the Government of Ghana to any individual who had helped the cause of the country in one way or the other. Recipients of this award are decorated at a state function, chaired by the Pr ...
award – the highest national award of the Republic of Ghana, for his contribution to the struggle for Ghana's independence. Ako Adjei died after a short illness in 2002.
Ako-Adjei can be applauded for his contributive effort for considering the Organising Secretary post in UGCC to be given to
Kwame Nkrumah.
Ako-Adjei teaches us to be people who refer or bring individuals whose goal are like ours and can help us in achieving them together. Ako-Adjei is celebrated for his role for introducing
Kwame Nkrumah, who played a significant role in Ghana's Independence.
Early life and education
Gold Coast
Ebenezer Ako Adjei was born on 17 June 1916 in Adjeikrom in
Akyem Abuakwa
Akyem Abuakwa is one of the four states of Akyem in 14th century Africa. Currently, it is part of Ghana. Historically, the Akyem were part of the Adansi Kingdom, which was the first nation to build buildings out of mud. They were therefore were ...
land.
[ Adjeikrom is a small farming community found in the Eastern Region of ]Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
(then the Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
). His father was Samuel Adjei, a farmer and trader, whom Ako Adjei's place of birth is thought to be named after, and his mother was Johanna Okaile Adjei. Both parents were from La, a settlement near the coastal sea at Accra. He had many brothers and sisters but was the youngest of his father's children.
His early education began in the Eastern Region at the Busoso Railway Primary School, where he walked 14 miles to school and back home. He was taken to Accra where he continued his education at the La Presbyterian Junior School starting in class 3. He was unable to speak the Ga language
Ga is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. There are also some speakers in Togo, Benin and Western Nigeria. It has a phonemic distinction between three vowel lengths.
Classification
Ga is a Kwa language, part of ...
which was his mother tongue, however, he could read and write Twi
Twi () is a dialect of the Akan language spoken in southern and central Ghana by several million people, mainly of the Akan people, the largest of the seventeen major ethnic groups in Ghana. Twi has about 17-18 million speakers in total, includ ...
, and speak Dangme. He continued in the La Presbyterian Senior School until 1933 when he got to Standard Six. In March 1933 he won a scholarship to study at Christ Church Grammar School, a private secondary school which was on the point of winding up. He returned to the La Presbyterian Senior School after a month at Christ Church Grammar School because he did not like the school.
His father was then persuaded to send him to the Accra Academy, then a private secondary school trying to find its feet through the help of enterprising young men. In April 1933 he entered the Accra Academy and he liked it there. He walked four miles from La to Jamestown (where the school was then situated), because he could not afford the bus fare which was about two pence. In 1934 he sat for the Junior Cambridge examination and passed it. While at the Accra Academy, he found difficulty in meeting the cost of books, however, a member of the staff, Mr. Halm Addo (one of the four founders of the school), used to help him with money for books. In December, 1936 he was one of the candidates presented by the Accra Academy for the Cambridge Senior School leaving Certificate Examination. Among the candidates who passed the examination, only two obtained exemption from the London Matriculation Examination Board. One of these students was Ako Adjei.
He taught for a while at the Accra Academy in 1937 before joining the Junior Civil Service in June 1937. From June 1937 to December 1938 he was a Second Division Clerk in the Gold Coast Civil Service. He was assigned to assist Harold Cooper, a European Assistant Colonial Secretary, and 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
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was established by law in 1968 with a triple mandate as a State Broadcaster, Public Service Broadcaster, and a Commercial Broadcaster in Ghana. Headquartered in the capital city, Accra, it is funded by gra ...
.
While studying at the Accra Academy Ako Adjei had taken an interest in journalism, he wrote for the '' African Morning Post'', a newspaper that belonged to Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), usually referred to as "Zik", was a Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966. Considered a driving force behind the ...
, who later became the first president of Nigeria
The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the head of state and head of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Nigeri ...
. Azikiwe also took an interest in him and arranged for him to study at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. In November 1938, he resigned from the Civil Service and left for England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in December that year.
United States
In January 1939, he arrived at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
to the welcome of K. A. B. Jones-Quartey, a student from the Gold Coast whom Ako Adjei had known due to his work with the ''Accra Morning Post''. Jones-Quartey had been accompanied to welcome him by another Gold Coast student who was introduced as Francis Nwia Kofi Nkrumah ( Kwame Nkrumah). At Lincoln University he was housed at Houston Hall and played football (soccer) for the university. He registered for courses in Political Science, Economics, Sociology, English, Latin and Philosophy.
Ako Adjei shared the same room at Houston Hall with Jones-Quartey and their room was opposite Nkrumah's room, which was larger in size due to Nkrumah being a postgraduate student. Ako Adjei formed a close relationship with Nkrumah despite the age gap that apparently existed between them. 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 Jones-Quartey, Ozuomba Mbadiwe, Nwafor Orizu
Prince Abyssinia Akweke Nwafor Orizu (17 July 1914 – 1999) was a Nigerian of Igbo origin who served as President of the Nigerian Senate from 1963 to 15 January 1966, during the Nigerian First Republic. Orizu was also Acting President of Nig ...
and Ikechukwu Ikejiani.
After one and half years at Lincoln, he won a Phelps-Stokes Fund
The Phelps Stokes Fund (PS) is a nonprofit fund established in 1911 by the will of New York philanthropist Caroline Phelps Stokes, a member of the Phelps Stokes family. Created as the Trustees of Phelps Stokes Fund, it connects emerging leade ...
scholarship to attend Hampton Institute
Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missionary Association aft ...
in Virginia, and transferred there to complete his university degree. He won another scholarship to the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is located in Pulitzer Hall on the university's Morningside Heights campus in New York City.
Founded in 1912 by Joseph Pulitzer, Columbia Journalism School is one of the oldest journalism s ...
and obtained a master's degree in June 1943. He gained employment as a lecturer at the African Studies Department at Fisk University through the assistance of Dr. Edwin W. Smith
The Reverend Edwin William Smith FRAI (1876 – 1957) was a Primitive Methodist missionary/anthropologist and author who was born in South Africa, studied at Elmfield College from 1888, and then worked in Africa. The scholar of African Christian ...
, a missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
. Dr. Smith had come from England to establish the new department and invited Ako Adjei to be his assistant at its founding.
United Kingdom
Ako Adjei moved to the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. His teaching job at the Fisk University had provided him finances to enroll at the Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...
in early May 1944. Even though he had saved enough to begin the course he needed more money to complete it. His father leased a small family house located at the Post Office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional ser ...
Lane in Accra to a Lebanese merchant for £10 a year for fifty (50) years and took thirty (30) years' rent in advance. His father died before the negotiations were completed so he and his brothers had to sign the papers before the sum of £300 was paid by the Lebanese merchant.
In Britain, Ako Adjei took an active interest in colonial politics. Following the end of the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, a number of British colonies in Asia had gained independence, this made colonial students from West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...
more concerned about the conditions at home and caused them to demand for the abolition of colonialism in West Africa.
Ako Adjei played a prominent role in the (WASU) and became its president. Nkrumah arrived in Britain in 1945, a few weeks after his arrival in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, Ako Adjei run into him during one of his rounds as the president of WASU. Nkrumah was then facing accommodation problems and he consequently hosted him at his No.25 Lauvier Road, until he found accommodation for him (Nkrumah) at No. 60 Burghley Road, near Tufnel Park Tube Station. Nkrumah was resident there until he left London in 1947. Ako Adjei then introduced Nkrumah to WASU and Kojo Botsio who later became Nkrumah's right-hand man. Recalling his WASU days, Ako Adjei recounted, "When Nkrumah arrived in London I was then President of the WASU. I took Nkrumah to the WASU Secretariat where I introduced him to Kankam Boadu and Joe Appiah, who were other members of the executive committee of WASU, and to Kojo Botsio who we had then engaged as warden of the student's Hostel, at No.l South Villas, Camden Town, London N. W. I. I must say that Nkrumah's arrival and active participation in the work of WASU invigorated the Union. It was against this background that we organised the Fifth Pan-African Congress which was held in Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
in 1945 with George Padmore
George Padmore (28 June 1903 – 23 September 1959), born Malcolm Ivan Meredith Nurse, was a leading Pan-Africanist, journalist, and author. He left his native Trinidad in 1924 to study medicine in the United States, where he also joined the Com ...
and Nkrumah as Joint Secretaries and myself as one of the active organisers."
Ako Adjei enrolled at the London School of Economics and Political Science
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a public university, public research university located in London, England and a constituent college of the federal University of London. Founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidn ...
for his M.Sc. degree programme while studying law at the Inner Temple. His topic for the dissertation, ''The Dynamics of Social Change'' was approved, however, the course, coupled with his political activities precluded his research due to time constraints.
Ako Adjei passed all his Bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
examinations and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in January 1947.
Return to the Gold Coast
Ako Adjei returned to the Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
in May 1947 and in June 1947, he enrolled at the Ghana bar. His initial intention was to set up a "chain of newspapers" to continue the agitation for self-rule, a course he had committed himself to while in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. He was however, unable to start the newspapers due to his financial circumstances then, he subsequently joined the Adumoa-Bossman and Co. chambers to practise as a private legal practitioner.
United Gold Coast Convention
After staying in Accra for a couple of days, he visited J. B. Danquah
Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah (18 December 1895 – 4 February 1965) was a Ghanaian politician, scholar, lawyer, and one of the founding fathers of Ghana. He played a significant role in pre- and post-colonial Ghana, which was former ...
who was then with others discussing the possibility of forming a national political movement and Ako Adjei joined in the discussions. Ako Adjei like most Gold Coast students in Britain at the time was fed up with the British newspaper reportage that created the impression that the Gold Coast was the most loyal colony. Danquah assured him that a lot of work was being done to establish a national political front.
Within four days of his arrival home he was taken by J. B. Danquah to a meeting of the Planning Committee of the United Gold Coast Convention
The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was a political party founded in 1947 whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from their British colonial masters after the Second World War. The United Gold Coast Convention appointed its leade ...
(UGCC). He then became a member of the committee and on 4 August 1947 when the convention was inaugurated at Saltpond
Saltpond is a town and the capital of the Mfantsiman Municipal District in the Central Region of South Ghana. Saltpond has a population of 24,689 people.
Economy
History
Saltpond was in a state of economic decline since the landing beach was a ...
, he became one of the leading members. On 22 August 1947, the Accra branch of the convention was inaugurated and he was elected secretary with Edward Akufo-Addo
Edward Akufo-Addo (26 June 1906 – 17 July 1979) was a Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the " Big Six" leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and one of the founding fathers of Ghana who engaged in the fight for ...
as president and Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey
Emmanuel Odarkwei Obetsebi-Lamptey (26 April 1902 – 29 January 1963) was a political activist in the British colony of the Gold Coast. He was one of the founding fathers of Ghana and one of the founders and leaders of the United Gold Coast C ...
together with J. Quist-Therson as the vice-presidents. As membership of the convention grew, the leading members decided it was best to convert the movement to a political party. As a result, there was the need for a full-time secretary. J. B. Danquah suggested Ako Adjei, however, he declined the offer for reasons of running his ''African National Times'' newspaper and practising law alongside. He subsequently suggested Kwame Nkrumah who was then running the West African National Secretariat The West African National Secretariat (WANS) was a Pan-Africanist movement founded by Kwame Nkrumah, based in Britain.
Nkrumah founded WANS in December 1945, immediately following the Pan-African Congress#5th Pan-African Congress, Manchester Pan-Af ...
(WANS) at 94 Grays' Inn, London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.
According to Ako Adjei he recommended Kwame Nkrumah because he had grown to know his organisational capabilities and that he knew he will be interested in the job. This was because, before he left London for Accra Nkrumah had told him: "Ako you're going ahead of me. When you get to the Gold Coast and there is a job which you think I can do, let me know right away so that I would come and work for sometime; save some money and then return to London to complete my studies in law at Gray 's Inn."
This was a promise he had made thus when he heard of the full time general-secretary job he did not hesitate to recommend him. The convention accepted his suggestion and he wrote to Nkrumah about it and later sent him £100 which was provided by George Alfred Grant
George Alfred Grant, popularly known as Paa Grant (15 August 1878 – 30 October 1956), was a merchant and politician in the Gold Coast , the founder, president and financier of the UGCC for his trip to the Gold Coast. Upon the arrival of Nkrumah, Ako Adjei introduced him to the leading members of the party: "He arrived in December 1947 and I introduced him to G. A. Grant, J. B. Danquah, R. S. Blay and other members of the UGCC."
The Big Six
When Nkrumah assumed office as general-secretary of the UGCC he began initiating moves to expand the convention colony-wide and increase its membership. The leading members of the UGCC had also taken particular interest in the plight of the ex-servicemen who had not received their emoluments after the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. They were invited by the world war veterans for their war veterans’ meetings and at various times been made guest speakers. Due to the goodwill and rapport built between the two parties, the lawyers among the politicians of the UGCC helped the ex-servicemen draft their petition to the governor. The presentation of the petition on 24 February 1948 led to crossroad shooting which at the time had coincided with the Nii Kwabena Bonnie III (Osu Alata Mantse) led boycott campaign resulting in the 1948 Accra Riots.
Ako Adjei and other leading members of the UGCC namely J. B. Danquah
Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah (18 December 1895 – 4 February 1965) was a Ghanaian politician, scholar, lawyer, and one of the founding fathers of Ghana. He played a significant role in pre- and post-colonial Ghana, which was former ...
, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey
Emmanuel Odarkwei Obetsebi-Lamptey (26 April 1902 – 29 January 1963) was a political activist in the British colony of the Gold Coast. He was one of the founding fathers of Ghana and one of the founders and leaders of the United Gold Coast C ...
, Edward Akufo-Addo
Edward Akufo-Addo (26 June 1906 – 17 July 1979) was a Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the " Big Six" leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and one of the founding fathers of Ghana who engaged in the fight for ...
, William Ofori Atta
William Ofori Atta (10 October 1910 – 14 July 1988), popularly called "Paa Willie", was a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and one of the founding fathers of Ghana, as one of " The Big Six" detained by the British co ...
and Kwame Nkrumah, who were later famously referred to as the Big Six were consequently arrested and blamed by the then British government for the unrest in the colony and Ako Adjei was detained at Navrongo
Navrongo is a town and the capital of Kassena-Nankana District in the Upper East Region of northern Ghana, adjacent to the border with Burkina Faso. Navrongo is the capital of Kassena-Nankana District – which is within the Upper East Region of ...
. The release of the Big Six saw a separation between Nkrumah and the other members of the UGCC and Nkrumah eventually broke away in 1949 to found the Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UG ...
(CPP). Ako Adjei however stayed with the UGCC and subsequently became critical of Nkrumah in his newspapers, the ''African National Times'' and the ''Star of Ghana''.
1951 election and the Ghana Congress Party
During the 1951 Gold Coast legislative election, Ako Adjei stood on the ticket of the UGCC to represent the Accra Central Municipal Electoral District in the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly. He pulled 1,451 votes as against Nkrumah's (CPP) 20,780, T. Hutton Mills' (CPP) 19,812, and Emmanuel Obetsebi Lamptey's (UGCC) 1,630 votes. Following the poor showing of the UGCC in the elections, he joined others to urge for a merger of the opposition parties. He became the Secretary of the Ghana Congress Party (GCP) when it was formed in May 1952. After sometime with the GCP, Ako Adjei refused to attend meetings as constant criticisms were levelled against him for introducing Nkrumah to disorganise the UGGC.
Convention People's Party
In March 1953 Ako Adjei succumbed to pressure from friends such as E. C. Quaye, Sonny Provençal and Paul Tagoe, and agreed to join the Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UG ...
. In early March 1953 he was introduced in a huge rally at Arena, Accra where he delivered his first speech on the platform as a member of the CPP.
During the 1954 Gold Coast legislative election, he stood on the ticket of the CPP to represent Accra East in the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly. He polled 11,660 votes against Nai Tete's 768, Kwamla Armah-Kwarteng's 471, and Nii Kwabena Bonnie III
Nii Kwabena Bonnie III (1888 – 1968), also known as Kwamla Theodore Taylor, was a Ghanaian (Ga) traditional ruler in Gold Coast, a British colony in West Africa, in 1947. He was a chief of Osu Alata Mantse and Oyokohene of Techiman.
Life an ...
's 317 votes. He entered parliament on 15 June 1954.
Following his record at the polls during the 1954 election, Ako Adjei was made a member of the Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
cabinet on 28 July 1954 by Nkrumah, who was then prime minister and head of government business. He was appointed Minister of Trade and Labour. One of the reasons for his appointment was the fact that he belonged to a class under-represented in the CPP, he being an intellectual and professional in the middle class, the move was regarded as a strategy to pull people of his status to the CPP. As Minister of Trade and Labour, he was responsible for many aspects of the country's life, he over oversaw the Agricultural Produce Marketing Board, the Cocoa Marketing Board, the Industrial Development Corporation, Trade Unions
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
and Cooperatives.
On 29 February 1956, he was appointed Minister for Interior and Justice, a position that was initially held by Archie Casely-Hayford
Archibald "Archie" Casely-Hayford (1898 – 20 August 1977) was a British-trained Ghanaian barrister and politician, who was involved in nationalist politics in the former Gold Coast (present-day Ghana). Having joined the Convention People's Par ...
. That same year, he was re-elected in the 1956 Gold Coast legislative election
General elections were held in the Gold Coast (soon to become Ghana) on 17 July 1956. The result was a victory for Kwame Nkrumah's Convention People's Party, which won 71 of the 104 seats. Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (19 ...
to represent the Accra East district electoral area in the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly.
Post Ghanaian independence
Minister for Interior and Justice
Following Ghana's independence on 6 March 1957, major appointments were made at cabinet level by the then Prime Minister Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ako Adjei was however, maintained as Minister for Interior and Justice, a portfolio that was separated about six months later. In August 1957, the Ministry of Interior and Justice was separated into the Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
and the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Interior was headed by Krobo Edusei
Krobo Edusei (26 December 1914 – 13 February 1984) was a Ghanaian politician and a high-profile member of Kwame Nkrumah's government.
He was a popular, outspoken and prominent Ashanti activist and at the forefront of the Ghanaian independenc ...
while Ako Adjei was made Minister of Justice. It was rumoured then that this move was made by Nkrumah, the then prime minister, because Ako Adjei though a Ga himself was seen as "too gentlemanly" to deal with the problems created by the Ga-Adangbe Shifimo Kpee (a tribal organisation), which had been inaugurated not long ago in Accra. Others remained positive about his new appointment believing he was in a better position to deal better with matters affecting Ghana's judiciary as a trained lawyer. As Minister for Justice, he was responsible for the functions of the Land Boundaries Settlement Commission, financial and ministerial matters with relation to the Supreme Court, local court and Customary Law, and foreign processes.
Minister for Labour and Cooperatives
A year later, Ako Adjei was moved to the Ministry of Labour and Cooperatives. As Minister of Labour and Cooperatives, he aided the labour movement of Ghana in forming new structures that have persisted till this today. While serving in this capacity he often led the Ghanaian delegations to the United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
.
Resident Minister in Guinea and Minister for Foreign Affairs
In February 1959, Ako Adjei replaced Nathaniel Azarco Welbeck
Nathaniel Azarco Welbeck (1915–1972) was a Ghanaian politician and a diplomat. He was a founding member of the Convention People's Party and minister of state in the first republic. He was briefly resident minister of Ghana in Guinea and also ...
as the Resident Minister of Guinea. While serving as Ghana's chief representative in Guinea, he was appointed Minister of External Affairs in April that year. He occupied both positions as Ghana's resident minister in Guinea and Ghana's Minister of External Affairs until September 1959 when he was relieved of his duties in Guinea. He was replaced by J. H. Allassani as Resident Minister of Guinea.
On 8 April 1961, Ako Adjei was in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
when Nkrumah the then president of Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
announced in a dawn broadcast that he had removed African Affairs from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of External Affairs thereby appointing Imoru Egala as the Minister of State for African Affairs, a position Egala held for a brief period of time with no successor. Ako Adjei returned to Ghana without permission to plead his course for a more coordinated foreign policy. He believed that the goal of African unity would be unrealistic if African relations were detached from his ministry. His efforts, however, to revert the president's decision proved futile.
In May 1961 the portfolio of the Minister of External Affairs was consequently changed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ako Adjei thus became Ghana's first Minister of Foreign Affairs in the first republic. As Ghana's first foreign minister, he played a prominent role in formulating the country's foreign policy and level of international engagements. According to Sheikh I. C. Quaye, he "assisted to lay the foundations of our international relations at the height of the cold war when the country needed to walk the diplomatic tight rope unflinchingly". Kwesi Armah reflecting on Ako Adjei's time in office said he "presented a very sober image of Ghana and powerfully presented Ghana's stand to the UN and other international conferences."
As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he announced a complete boycott of South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
n goods, ships and airlines into the country, he also maintained that South Africans will only be allowed in the country if they declared opposition to apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
. During his tenure in the Ministry, Ako Adjei called for "a Union of African States, to provide the framework within which any plans for economic, social and cultural cooperation can in fact, operate to the best advantage of all." During a meeting of African Foreign Ministers in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...
in June 1960, he proposed the concept of a "complete political union" for Africa and pushed for the establishment of Africa Customs Union, Africa Free Trade Zone, and Africa Development Fund; policies that were along the lines of these proposals were adopted by the Organisation of African Unity
The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; french: Organisation de l'unité africaine, OUA) was an intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 32 signatory governments. One of the main heads for OAU's ...
(OAU) which was birth while he was in prison in 1963 and the Africa Union
The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African ...
(AU) which succeeded the OAU in 2001.[
Ako Adjei remained in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until August 1962 when he was charged with treason in relation to the Kulungugu bomb attack, a failed assassination attempt on the then president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's life on 1 August 1962. Nkrumah replaced him by assuming the portfolio of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1962.
]
Treason trial and detention
Kwame Nkrumah travelled to Tenkodogo
Tenkodogo is the capital city of Boulgou Province and the Centre-Est Region of Burkina Faso with a population of 61,936 (2019).
Economy
The villages surrounding Tenkodogo are primarily based around animal husbandry.
The main market takes place e ...
on 31 July 1962 to have a meeting with Maurice Yameogo the president of Upper Volta now Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to ...
. The meeting was to discuss further plans to eliminate customs barriers between Ghana and the Upper Volta. A move that was seen as a small step towards Pan-African unity. An unusually heavy downpour complicated the return trip from Tenkodogo on 1 August 1962, causing the usual order of the convoy to be in disarray over the poor road that connected the two countries. A bomb was reportedly thrown at the president in Kulungugu, a town in the Upper Region of Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
when he was forced to stop to receive a bouquet from a young boy.[
Ako Adjei, then ]Minister of Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...
, together with Tawia Adamafio, then Minister of Information, Hugh Horatio Cofie Crabbe, then CPP Executive Secretary, Joseph Yaw Manu
Joseph Yaw Manu was a Ghanaian Civil service, civil servant and politician of the First Parliament of the Second Republic representing the Mampong South Constituency in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He was a deputy minister for transport during the ...
, a civil servant and alleged member of the United Party (UP) and Robert Benjamin Otchere, former UP member of parliament, were accused of plotting to assassinate the president.[
Ako Adjei, Tawiah Adamafio and Cofie Crabbe were tried and acquitted by the Supreme Court on the basis that the evidence presented against them was rather circumstantial and fraudulent, and centred more on the dissensions in the ]Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UG ...
(CPP) as the basis of their accusation.[
A member of the ]Ghana Parliament
The Parliament of Ghana is the legislative body of the Government of Ghana.
History
Legislative representation in Ghana dates back to 1850, when the country was a British colony known as Gold Coast. The body, called the Legislative Council, ...
described their guilt as such:
A retrial was said to have been necessitated by the evidence of a fetish priest who also accused the three of conniving to kill the president.[
The three judges who had acquitted the three men – Justice Sir. Kobina Arku Korsah, Justice ]Edward Akufo-Addo
Edward Akufo-Addo (26 June 1906 – 17 July 1979) was a Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the " Big Six" leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and one of the founding fathers of Ghana who engaged in the fight for ...
(a Big Six) and Justice Kofi Adumua Bossman – were subsequently forced to resign. Two other judges, William Bedford Van Lare and Robert Samuel Blay (a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention
The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was a political party founded in 1947 whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from their British colonial masters after the Second World War. The United Gold Coast Convention appointed its leade ...
) were dismissed for protesting the dismissal of the three judges. Nkrumah then empaneled a 12-man jury headed by Justice Julius Sarkodee-Addo
Justice Julius Sarkodee-Adoo (8 September 1908 – January 1972) was the second Chief Justice of Ghana during the First Republic.
He studied law at King's College London, was admitted to Inner Temple in 1928, and was called to the Bar in ...
, who found the acquitted, guilty based largely on the evidence of the fetish priest. Ako Adjei and the two others were consequently sentenced to death, however, the sentence was commuted by the president to a life imprisonment sentence and later, a 20-year imprisonment sentence in an address to parliament on 26 March 1965.
Ako Adjei reflecting on the event of 1 August 1962 had this to say:"I was innocent and I know that my two friends, Tawia Adamafio and Cofie Crabbe were also innocent. What happened was that I accompanied Nkrumah in my capacity as Foreign Minister to a miniature summit between President Nkrumah and President Yameogo at Tenkudugu at the northern boundary between Togo, Ghana and Upper Volta on July 31, 1962. On our return journey, I was in the President's party which made an unscheduled stop at a small school at Kulungugu. Within minutes after the President alighted and received a bouquet from a young school boy, a hand grenade was thrown at him. The innocent boy received a direct hit and was killed instantly. Fortunately, the hand grenade missed the President although some pellets found their way to his back. We got the Osagyefo to Bawku
Bawku is a town and is the capital of the Bawku Municipal District, district in the Upper East region of north Ghana, adjacent to the border with Burkina Faso. Bawku has a 2012 settlement
Settlement may refer to:
*Human settlement, a community ...
where he was later sent to Tamale
A tamale, in Spanish tamal, is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tam ...
. Back in Accra everything moved on smoothly. And in the latter part of July 1962 I received a note from Dr. Okechuku Ekejeani, a former colleague at Lincoln University and a mutual friend of Nkrumah and myself. He was travelling from London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and sent a cablegram on board his ship to the President and myself. When I showed my cable to Nkrumah, he told me to go for him and send him to my house and entertain him on his behalf. I was to bring him the following day to the Flagstaff House
Flagstaff House, built in 1846, is the oldest example of Western-style architecture remaining in Hong Kong.Antiquities and Monuments OfficeDeclared Monuments in Hong Kong: Flagstaff House It is located at 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central – w ...
for another reception before he left for Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
in the afternoon. We were entertaining him on that Wednesday, August 29, 1962 when I was arrested and taken away. For the next four years only God knew what happened to me."
Ako Adjei together with his three colleagues were among many political prisoners that were released by the National Liberation Council
The National Liberation Council (NLC) led the Ghanaian government from 24 February 1966 to 1 October 1969. The body emerged from a ''coup d'état'' against the Nkrumah government carried out jointly by the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Armed For ...
after the overthrow of president Nkrumah and the First Republican Government on 24 February 1966. He was released from his detention in the Nsawam Medium Security Prison on 6 September 1966 by an amnesty from the National Liberation Council.
Later life
On the eve of his release from the Nsawam Prison in 1966, Ako Adjei completely forswore politics after the whole experience; what he believed to have been a false accusation and the prison term. After his release, he devoted himself to his family and his legal life.
He gave much attention to his wife and children. According to him, his wife and children were very supportive during the period when he was trialled, retrialled and subsequently imprisoned.
He also reorganised his professional life, succeeded in reorganising his chambers, Teianshi Chambers, and resumed private practice as a legal practitioner.
Following the second military coup in Ghana, Ako-Adjei was made a member of the commission by the Supreme Military Council in 1978 to draft a constitution for the Third Republic of Ghana.
According to ''The Ghanaian Chronicle
''The Ghanaian Chronicle'' is an English-language daily newspaper published from Accra, Ghana. It has a circulation of 45,000 copies, making it the biggest private newspaper in Ghana.Kuehnhenrich, Daniel (2012). ''Entwicklung oder Profit? Die staa ...
'', the last time Ako Adjei was seen in any high-profile gathering was in the senior citizens get together organised by the ex-President Rawlings during the latter period of his tenure as president. Due to his condition at the time, his relatives denied reporters an opportunity to interview him.
Death and state burial
Ako Adjei was the last member of the famous Big Six to die. After a short illness, he died on 14 January 2002 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital
Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) is a public teaching hospital located in the Ablekuma South Metropolitan District in Accra, Ghana. It is the only public tertiary hospital in the southern part of the country. It is a teaching hospital affiliate ...
, at the age of 85 years. He was survived by his wife and four children.[
His death drew tributes from statesmen including the then president of Ghana, ]John Agyekum Kufour
John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born 8 December 1938) is a Ghanaian politician who served as the President of Ghana from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009. He was also Chairperson of the African Union from 2007 to 2008.
Kufuor's career has been spe ...
who declared that he will be given a State burial
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of ...
. He said "the nation owes Dr. Ako-Adjei gratitude as a hero, who served the country as a young man, for democratic rule in future. As one of the Big Six in Ghana's political history, the death of Dr. Ako-Adjei marks the end of the first cycle of history in terms of the harsh political atmosphere in the country at that time. But the memory of that era cannot be erased". He also added that "They launched a political party system of which the government is a beneficiary. Ghanaians benefiting from this great legacy and achievement owe it a duty to rally behind the bereaved family to offer Dr. Ako-Adjei a fitting state burial".
The then Attorney General and Minister for Justice and current president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ( ; born 29 March 1944) is a Ghanaian politician who has served as the president of Ghana since 7 January 2017. In 2020, he was re-elected for his second term, which will end on 6 January 2025. Akufo-Addo previously ...
paying tribute said; "the death of Dr. Ako-Adjei has marked the end of the era of the founding fathers of the nation and Ghanaians are now left on their own to survive." He added that "the vision that energised them to ensure free democratic rule now prevailes in the country, they did a great deal of work for our country and he is one of the heroes of this country". While the late Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey
Jacob "Jake" Lantei Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey (4 February 1946 – 20 March 2016) was a Ghanaian politician and advertising businessman. He was co-owner and general manager of Lintas W.A. (later Advantage Group) from 1974 before his assumption of cab ...
, the then Minister for Information also had this to say: "the chapter on the era of the Big Six has not been erased with the death of Dr. Ako-Adjei because their experiences are available for future generations. There were a lot of other Ghanaians with the Big Six, who championed the cause of democracy. If you do your best for your country, you would be remembered."
State burial
On the day of his burial, all flags flew at half-mast in his honour. The state funeral service was held at the forecourt of the state house. Present at the ceremony were politicians, parliamentarians, ministers of state, members of the Council of State
A Council of State is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head o ...
, the diplomatic corps, chiefs, relatives, friends and sympathisers.
A wreath was laid by the then president, Kufour on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman
Hackman Owusu-Agyemang (born November 22, 1941) is a Ghanaian politician and former member of Parliament for New Juabeng North constituency of the eastern region of Ghana. He is a member of the 3rd parliament of the 4th republic of Ghana and a ...
, then Minister for Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
laid another on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Paul Adu-Gyamfi, who was then president of the Ghana Bar Association laid the third wreath on behalf of the association while a family member laid the fourth wreath on behalf of the bereaved family.
Joseph Henry Mensah
Joseph Henry Mensah (31 October 1928 – 12 July 2018) was a Ghanaian politician and economist.
Education
In his early education, J. H. Mensah attended Achimota School. He proceeded to the University of the Gold Coast (now the University of Gha ...
, then the Senior Minister, read the government's tribute, saying: ''"Dr. Ako Adjei was among those who articulated the dream of African unity and political agitation in the country. After the break away of the Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), Dr. Ako-Adjei became the bridge between the two political groupings. Ghana has lost a gem because it could not benefit from his experiences and undoubted wisdom. When we learn from his life we resolve never again to have a person of his stature to suffer his fate."''
Following the State burial, a private burial was held at the mausoleum of the Holy Trinity Church of God, Okoman, Dome, in Accra.
Personal life
Ako Adjei was married to Theodosia Ako Adjei (''née'' Kote-Amon) and together they had four daughters. He was a Christian and a member of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. As a Christian, he believed and emphasised as his philosophy of life that God controlled all affairs and had a purpose for everybody on earth. "What every individual must do therefore is to allow God to use him as a tool to serve Him."
Honours
*In 1946, he was made a member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs
*In 1952 he was made a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
*In 1962 he was awarded with an Honorary degree of Doctor of Laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ...
from his alma mater, Lincoln University, Pennsylvania
Lincoln University (LU) is a public state-related historically black university (HBCU) near Oxford, Pennsylvania. Founded as the private Ashmun Institute in 1854, it has been a public institution since 1972 and was the United States' first de ...
, United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
*On 7 March 1997 as part of Ghana's 40th Independence Day anniversary celebrations, Ako Adjei was awarded Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana
The Order of the Star of Ghana is the highest award given by the Government of Ghana to any individual who had helped the cause of the country in one way or the other. Recipients of this award are decorated at a state function, chaired by the Pr ...
– the highest national honour of the Republic of Ghana by the then president Jerry John Rawlings
Jerry John Rawlings (22 June 194712 November 2020) was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who led the country for a brief period in 1979, and then from 1981 to 2001. He led a military junta until 1992, and then served two terms as the de ...
for his "contribution to the struggle for Ghana's independence" [
*In 1999, he was given the Millennium Excellence Award for Outstanding Statesmen.]
Legacy
The Ako Adjei Interchange in Accra, which used to be Sankara Interchange, was renamed after him. There is also an Ako-Adjei Park in Osu, Accra
Located about east of the central business district, Osu is a neighborhood in central Accra, Ghana. It is locally known as the "West End" of Accra. Bounded to the south by the Gulf of Guinea, Osu's western boundary is the Independence Aven ...
.
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."
See also
*The Big Six
''The Big Six'' is the ninth book of Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons series of children's books, published in 1940. The book returns Dick and Dorothea Callum, known as the Ds, to the Norfolk Broads where they renew their friendship with ...
*Nkrumah government
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and first President of Ghana. Nkrumah had run governments under the supervision of the British government through Charles Arden-Clarke, the Governor-General. His first government under colonial ...
Sources
External links
*Biography
;
Ghana Home Page
s9.com
La Hall of Fame
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ako-Adjei, Ebenezer
1916 births
2002 deaths
Ga-Adangbe people
Alumni of the Accra Academy
Alumni of the London School of Economics
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni
Foreign ministers of Ghana
Ghanaian Freemasons
Ghanaian MPs 1951–1954
Ghanaian MPs 1954–1956
Ghanaian MPs 1956–1965
Ghanaian MPs 1965–1966
Hampton University alumni
Interior ministers of Ghana
Justice ministers of Ghana
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) alumni
United Gold Coast Convention politicians
Convention People's Party (Ghana) politicians
Recipients of the Order of the Star of Ghana
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20th-century Ghanaian lawyers
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