Edward Akufo-Addo

Edward Akufo-Addo JSC (26 June 1906 – 17 July 1979)[1][2] 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 Ghana's independence.[3] He became the Chief Justice (1966–70), and later ceremonial President (1970–72), of the Republic of Ghana.[4] He was the father of the current (executive) President of Ghana, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo. Edward Akufo-Addo being a trained lawyer helped him to play his role well in Ghana's Independence. He use his profession to contribute in building the nation. He used his profession to help maintain law and order in the country and help in the establishment of rule of law.[5]

Edward Akufo-Addo
JSC
Edward Akufo-Addo
President of Ghana
In office
31 August 1970 – 13 January 1972
Prime MinisterKofi Busia (1969–1972)
Preceded byNii Amaa Ollennu
Succeeded byGen. I. K. Acheampong
3rd Chief Justice of Ghana
(15th including Gold Coast)
In office
1966–1970
Preceded byJ. Sarkodee-Addo
Succeeded byEdmund A. L. Bannerman
 Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana
In office
1962–1964
PresidentKwame Nkrumah
Personal details
Born(1906-06-26)26 June 1906
Dodowa, Gold Coast
Died17 July 1979(1979-07-17) (aged 73)
Accra, Ghana
NationalityGhanaian
Political partyNon-partisan
SpouseAdeline Y. Akufo-Addo (née Nana Yeboakua Ofori-Atta) (d. 2004)
Children4, including Nana Akufo-Addo
EducationPresbyterian Training College, Akropong
Achimota College
St Peter's College, Oxford
Middle Temple
Profession
  • Judge
  • Lawyer
ReligionPresbyterian
  • Ceremonial President with executive powers vested in Prime Minister

Early life and education

Akufo-Addo was born on 26 June 1906 at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region to William Martin Addo-Danquah and Theodora Amuafi. Both of his parents were from the southern Ghanaian town of Akropong.[6] He had his primary education at Presbyterian Primary and Middle Schools at Akropong. He continued to Presbyterian Training College, Akropong and Abetifi Theological Training College. In 1929, he entered Achimota College, where he won a scholarship to St Peter's College, Oxford. He studied mathematics, Politics and Philosophy and he went on to graduate with honours in philosophy and politics in 1933.

Pre-political career

Akufo-Addo was called to the Middle Temple Bar, London, UK, in 1940[7] and returned to what was then the Gold Coast to start a private legal practice a year later in Accra.[4]

Early political career

In 1947, he became a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and was one of the "Big Six" (the others being Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Kwame Nkrumah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and William Ofori Atta) detained after disturbances in Accra in 1948.[7] From 1949 to 1950, he was a member of the Gold Coast Legislative Council and the Coussey Constitutional Commission.[4]

Post-independence career

After independence (1962–64), Akufo-Addo was a Supreme Court Judge, one of three judges who sat on the 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.[2]

From 1966 to 1970, Akufo-Addo was appointed Chief Justice by the National Liberation Council (NLC) regime, as well as Chairman of the Constitutional Commission (which drafted the 1969 Second Republican Constitution).[7] He was also head of the NLC Political Commission during this same time period.[4]

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. Real power rested with the prime minister, Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia. On 17 July 1979, Akufo-Addo died of natural causes.[8]

Awards and honors

See also

References
  1. Goldsworthy, David (1973). "Ghana's Second Republic: A Post-Mortem". African Affairs. 72 (286): 8–25. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a096326. ISSN 0001-9909. JSTOR 720579.
  2. "August 28, 1970: Edward Akuffo-Addo is named President of the 2nd Republic". Ghana History Moments. Edward A. Ulzen Memorial Foundation. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. Ngnenbe, Timothy (4 August 2020). "Ghana pays tribute to founders' - Graphic Online". www.graphic.com.gh. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  4. "Edward Akufo-Addo". Ghana Web. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  5. "Big Six Enduring Lessons From The Founding Fathers Of Ghana". Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  6. Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. 2 February 2012. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-195-38207-5.
  7. "Akora Justice Edward Akufo-Addo", Old Achimotan Association.
  8. "Edward Akufo-Addo" Archived 11 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Ghana Nation.

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