Ghanaian statesman, politician, lawyer and journalist
Hon.
Ako Adjei
O.S.G
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office May 1961 – August 1962
President
Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by
New portfolio
Succeeded by
Kwame Nkrumah
Minister for External Affairs
In office April 1959 – May 1961
Prime Minister
Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by
Kojo Botsio
Succeeded by
Portfolio changed
Resident Minister to Guinea
In office February 1959 – September 1959
Prime Minister
Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by
Nathaniel Azarco Welbeck
Succeeded by
J. H. Allassani
Minister for Labour and Cooperatives
In office 1958 – February 1959
Prime Minister
Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by
Nathaniel Azarco Welbeck
Succeeded by
Nathaniel Azarco Welbeck
Minister for Justice
In office August 1957 – 1958
Prime Minister
Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by
New
Succeeded by
Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta (Minister for Justice and Local Government)
Minister for Interior and Justice
In office 29 February 1956 – August 1957
Governor General
Charles Arden-Clarke
Prime Minister
Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by
Archie Casely-Hayford (Minister for Interior)
Succeeded by
Krobo Edusei (Minister for Interior)
Minister for Trade and Labour
In office 1954 – 29 February 1956
Governor General
Charles Arden-Clarke
Prime Minister
Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by
New
Succeeded by
Edward Okyere Asafu-Adjaye
Member of the Ghana Parliament for Accra East
In office 15 June 1954 – August 1962
Preceded by
New
Succeeded by
Ehi Wanyalolo Note Dowuona
Personal details
Born
Ebenezer Ako Adjei
17 June 1916 Adjeikrom, Akyem Abuakwa, Ghana
Died
14 January 2002(2002-01-14) (aged 85) Accra, Ghana
Political party
Convention People's Party
Other political affiliations
United Gold Coast Convention
Spouse
Theodosia Kotei-Amon
Children
3
Residence(s)
Accra, Ghana
Education
Accra Academy
Alma mater
Hampton Institute
Lincoln University
Columbia University
London School of Economics and Political Science
Occupation
Politician
Signature
One of "The Big Six" in Ghana's independence struggle
Ako Adjei (17 June 1916 – 14 January 2002),[1] was a Ghanaian statesman, politician, lawyer and journalist. He was a member of the United Gold Coast Convention and one of six leaders who were detained during Ghana's struggle for political independence from Britain, a group famously called The Big Six.[2][3] He has been recognized as a founding father of Ghana for his active participation in the immediate politics of Ghana's pre-independence era. Adjei became a member of parliament as a Convention People's Party candidate in 1954 and held ministerial offices until 1962 when as Minister for Foreign Affairs he was wrongfully detained for the Kulungugu bomb attack.[4]
Born in Adjeikrom, a small village in the Akyem Abuakwa area, Ako Adjei had his tertiary education in the United States and the United Kingdom. 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 (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.[5]
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. He also became Ghana's first Minister of Foreign Affairs 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.[6] In 1997 he was awarded the Order of the Star of Ghana 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.[7]
^Duodu, Cameron (March 2002). "Ako Adjei--the Walking History of Ghana:Cameron Duodu on One of the Founding Fathers of Ghanaian Independence Who Died in Accra on 14 January". New African. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
^"Big six enduring lessons from the founding fathers of Ghana". GhanaWeb. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^Afful, Aba (16 October 2019). "Meet Dr. Ako-Adjei the only Big Six member who lived through 9 governments". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^"Ghana pays tribute to founders' - Graphic Online". graphic ghana. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
^Ellison, Kofi (22 February 2002). "Dr. Ebenezer Ako Adjei - An Appreciation". Ghana Web. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
^Adjei, Ako (1992). Life and work of George Alfred Grant (Paa Grant). Accra: Waterville Pub. House. ISBN 978-9964-5-0233-1. OCLC 32650474.
^"Big Six Enduring Lessons From The Founding Fathers Of Ghana". Retrieved 26 August 2021.
AkoAdjei (17 June 1916 – 14 January 2002), was a Ghanaian statesman, politician, lawyer and journalist. He was a member of the United Gold Coast Convention...
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Sammy Adjei (born 1980), Ghanaian footballer Samuel Adjei (born 1992), Swedish footballer Simon Adjei (born 1993), Swedish footballer Ebenezer Ako-Adjei (1916–2002)...
run the party, and their choice fell on Nkrumah at the suggestion of AkoAdjei. Nkrumah hesitated but realized that the UGCC was controlled by conservative...
for honor Denomination Obverse or reverse In circulation since Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Francis Nwia Kofie Kwame Nkrumah...
claimed the lives of the 'big six', Ghanaian leaders Edward Akufo Addo, Dr. AkoAdjei, William Ofori Atta, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi Lamptey...
Usshertown Makola High Street Rawlings Park Osu Ringway Estates Kuku Hill Osu-AkoAdjei Osu-Alata/Ashante Osu-RE Osu Kinkawe Cantonments El-Wak East Cantonments...
invitation to become the UGCC General Secretary. Big Six member Ebenezer Ako-Adjei recommended inviting Nkrumah, whom he had met at Lincoln University. Nkrumah...
was elected UGCC secretary general, after being recommended by Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, and Grant paid Nkrumah's £100 boat fare to return to Ghana from Liverpool...
activists in the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) party (namely Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, J. B. Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and William...
the Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Presidential affairs, AkoAdjei, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and H.H. Cofie-Crabbe, Executive Secretary...
R): J. H. Allassani, N. A. Welbeck, Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta, Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, J.E. Jantuah, Imoru Egala Sitting (L to R): A. Casely-Hayford, Kojo Botsio...
people staying around Osu and La. A private school was established in the AkoAdjei Area. At independence, the first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, realized...
Reference Camille Akeju Art Art historian and museum administrator Ebenezer Ako-Adjei African studies Ghanaian politician and founding member of the United...
Afriyie, British Conservative Party politician and businessman Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, nationalist politician and one of The Big Six Edward Akufo-Addo, former...
Gbedemah. After a bomb attempt on Nkrumah's life in August 1962, Adamafio, AkoAdjei (then minister of foreign affairs), and Cofie Crabbe (all members of the...
Lucie Bongo Omar Bongo George Kingsley Acquah Abdul Wahab Adam Ebenezer Ako-Adjei Francis Allotey Kwesi Amissah-Arthur Kofi Annan Vincent Cyril Richard...