Edward Akufo-Addo

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Edward Akufo-Addo Template:Post-nominals (26 June 1906 – 17 July 1979)<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Ghana History Moments">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He became the Chief Justice (1966–70), and later ceremonial President (1970–72), of the Republic of Ghana.<ref name=GhanaWeb>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He is the father of the former (executive) President of Ghana, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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<ref name=OldAchimotan /> and returned to what was then the Gold Coast to start a private legal practice a year later in Accra.<ref name=GhanaWeb />

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.<ref name=OldAchimotan /> From 1949 to 1950, he was a member of the Gold Coast Legislative Council and the Coussey Constitutional Commission.<ref name=GhanaWeb />

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.<ref name="Ghana History Moments" />

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).<ref name=OldAchimotan>"Akora Justice Edward Akufo-Addo"Template:Dead link, Old Achimotan Association.</ref> He was also head of the NLC Political Commission during this same time period.<ref name=GhanaWeb />

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. His role was largely ceremonial, with real power vested in the prime minister, Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia. On 17 July 1979, Akufo-Addo died of natural causes.<ref>"Edward Akufo-Addo" Template:Webarchive, Ghana Nation.</ref>

Personal life

Adeline Yeboakwa Akufo-Addo was the wife of Edward Akufo-Addo<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and they had four children.

Awards and honors

• Honorary Doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1971.

See also

• The Big Six
• List of judges of the Supreme Court of Ghana
• Chief Justice of Ghana
• Heads of state of Ghana

External links

• "Dr. Edward Akufo Addo", Ghana Nation, 15 November 2011.

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