Edward Akufo-Addo

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Edward Akufo-Addo
Edward Akufo-Addo

Akufo-Addo


In office
August 31, 1970 – January 13, 1972
Prime Minister Dr. K. A. Busia (1969-1972)
Preceded by Nii Amaa Ollennu
Succeeded by Gen. I.K. Acheampong

3rd Chief Justice of Ghana
(15th including Gold Coast)
In office
1966 – 1970
Preceded by J. Sarkodee-Addo
Succeeded by Edmund A.L. Bannerman

Born June 26, 1906(1906-06-26)
Dodowa, Ghana
Died July 17, 1979 (aged 73)
Accra, Ghana
Nationality Flag of Ghana Ghanaian
Political party non-partisan
Spouse Mrs. Adeline Y. Akufo-Addo
Children Nana Addo Dankwa
Profession Judge / Lawyer
Religion Christian
Ceremonial President with executive powers vested in Prime Minister

Edward Akufo-Addo (26 June 190617 July 1979) was a politician and lawyer in Ghana. He was one of the Big Six in the fight for Ghana's independence. He also became the Chief Justice and later President of the Republic of Ghana.

Contents

[edit] Education

Akufo-Addo was born at Dodowa.[1] He had his basic education at Presbyterian Primary and Middle Schools at Dodowa.[1] In 1929, he entered Achimota College, from where he won a scholarship to St Peter's College, Oxford University, where he studied Mathematics, Politics and Philosophy.[1]

[edit] Pre-political career

Akufo-Addo was called to the Middle Temple Bar, London, UK in 1940[1] and returned to what was then the Gold Coast to start a private legal practice a year later.

[edit] Early political career

In 1947, he became a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and was one of the "Big Six" detained after disturbances in Accra. From 1949–1950, he was a member of the Gold Coast Legislative Council and the Coussey Constitutional Commission.

[edit] Post-independence career

After independence (1962–1964), Akufo-Addo was a Supreme Court Judge (One of three Judges who sat on Treason trial involving Tawiah 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). From 1966–1970, he was appointed Chief Justice by the National Liberation Council (NLC) regime as well as Chairman of the Constitutional Commission (Commission that drafted the 1969 Second Republican Constitution). He was also head of the NLC Political Commission during this same time period. From August 31, 1970 until his deposition by coup d'état on January 13, 1972, Akufo-Addo was President of Ghana in the Second Republic. He was a ceremonial President and had no executive powers as all powers lay with the Prime Minister, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia. On July 17, 1979, Akufo-Addo died of natural causes.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Leaders of Ghana:Edward Akuffo Addo. Official website for the 50th Independence Anniversary Celebrations of Ghana. Ghana government. Retrieved on 2007-04-15.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Legal offices
Preceded by
J. Sarkodee-Addo
Chief Justice of Ghana
1966–1970
Succeeded by
Edmund A.L. Bannerman
Political offices
Preceded by
Nii Amaa Ollennu
President of Ghana
1970–1972
Succeeded by
Gen. I. K. Acheampong
Languages