James Mercer (17 January 1916 – 17 September 1985) was a Ghanaian diplomat who was Ambassador to Israel during the 1960s. He was also a prominent lawyer and businessman, becoming the founding chairman of the now-defunct

Ghana Airways Ghana Airways Limited was the flag carrier of Ghana, with its main base of operation and hub at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. The airline ceased operations in 2004, although plans were discussed to revive it in 2020 in partnership wit ...

Early life

Mercer was born in

Sekondi-Takoradi Sekondi-Takoradi is a city in Ghana comprising the twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. It is the capital of Sekondi – Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly and the Western Region of Ghana. Sekondi-Takoradi is the region's largest city and an indus ...

, Ghana on 17 January 1916. His twin brother was Thomas Mends Kodwo-Mercer (1916–2003), and both attended Adisadel College,

Cape Coast Cape Coast is a city, fishing port, and the capital of Cape Coast Metropolitan District and Central Region of Ghana. It is one of the country's most historic cities, a World Heritage Site, home to the Cape Coast Castle, with the Gulf of Guinea ...

, as did many of his siblings, children and grandchildren, a long-standing tradition of his family. James Mercer Gate

Career

Mercer was a prominent lawyer, working during the government of

Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah (born 21 September 190927 April 1972) was a Ghanaian politician, political theorist, and revolutionary. He was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957. An in ...

and beyond. Mercer was a barrister-at-law at the Sekondi Bar, Chairman of the Ghana/Ivory Coast Border Commission and first chairman of the now-defunct

. *From 24 May 1962 to 1963 he was

ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...

Peking } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

. *From 1 July 1964 to 24 February 1966 he was ambassador to

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

( Ghana–Israel relations).

Personal life and death

James Mercer was the father of Andrew Egypa Mercer, a current member of parliament for Sekondi and Esther Mercer. He was also the brother of Thomas Mends Kodwo-Mercer, the first Ghanaian High Commissioner to Britain from 1954 to 1956 and uncle of the former Minister of Trade and Industry,

Ekwow Spio-Garbrah Ekwow Spio-Garbrah (born 1953) is a Ghanaian politician who was Minister for Trade and Industry from 2014 to 2017 in the Mahama administration. He was formerly Minister of Communications, Minister of Education and Acting Minister of Mines & ...

. James Mercer was also the uncle of late

Sally Hayfron Sarah Francesca "Sally" Mugabe (née Hayfron; 6 June 1931 – 27 January 1992) was the first wife of Robert Mugabe (former President of Zimbabwe) and the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1987 until her death in 1992. She was popularly known as ''Amai ...

, first wife of

Robert Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the ...

. James Mercer died on 17 September 1985, at the age of 69.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, James (diplomat) 1916 births 1985 deaths 20th-century Ghanaian lawyers Alumni of Adisadel College Ambassadors of Ghana to China Ambassadors of Ghana to Israel Ghanaian twins 20th-century Ghanaian businesspeople People from Takoradi Fante people