HOME / SOCIAL / WHAT’S MY BRANDING/ THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE ERA / THE AFRICAN LEGACY

GOLD COAST GHANA,

THE STORY OF DR EBENEZER AKO ADJEI,By  Dr Ebenezer AKO Adjei, 1916-2002

Updated, 17 February 2026, 09:46AM GMT

THE STORY ISN'T ABOUT WHO IS EDUCATED WHO ISN'T EDUCATED. ITS ABOUT WHO ORCHESTRATED GHANA. THE FOUNDATION AND PILLARS OF GHANA

Just After the 2nd World war 1945, The quest and desire by the British to continue steering the Affairs of their Colonies had decreased because they would want to focus on themselves being exhausted by helping poor people and also being exhausted with propaganda.

GOVERNOR GORDON GUGGISBERG, THE SURVEYOR WAS THE FIRST AMONG ALL THE GOVERNORS THAT PRECEEDED HIM TO START A REAL GOVERNMENT IN THE GOLD COAST SETTING UP A REAL ADMINISTRATION SYNONYMOUS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AFTER THE ASHANTIS WERE DEFEATED AND THE COUNTRY WAS COMPLETE. THE MAP OF GHANA WAS BEING COMPLETED BY GUGGISBERG, 1905-. HE TRAINED SIR ALBERT OBBU, THE MARINE ENGINEER WORKING WITH HIM,(EDUCATED SEAMAN) Wikipedia- Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg 

 Here in Ghana, Sir Albert Obbu had returned to Ghana from Nigeria, 1938 just at the onset of the 2nd world War. Obbu returned to Ghana from Nigeria in 1938 working in Ghana. He returned from Nigeria working with Sir Alan Burns who also based in Nigeria when Sir Obbu was in Nigeria. Sir Gordon Guggisberg, the then Governor of the Gold Coast took Obbu to Nigeria,1909/10 Obbu married the Princess of Warri, Mama Ebeji in Nigeria working in Port Harcourt. Obbu travelled to Singapore from Nigeria, Singapore where Guggisberg was Governor to further his education as a Marine Engineer all being orchestrated by Guggisberg.  Guggisberg, a surveyor worked on map surveys in Ghana and Nigeria at the same time in Government as Governor. After Albert Obbu returning from Singapore to Nigeria, he worked in Nigeria for a while with the British Consulate, High Commission in Nigeria as a Marine Engineer and Senior British Government Boss Administrator and finally returned to Ghana in 1938 with 3 out of 7 of his kids. Sir Albert Obbu had been active with the British since 1909/10. He consolidated the work in Ghana till the end of the 2nd world War. As a Marine Engineer he patrolled Ghana and Nigeria with Ship working. He was in Ghana till the end of the 2nd World War when some educated people, like Kwame Nkrumah,Kojo Botsio, Ako ADJEI,etc began trouping in after 1945. The country Gold Coast Ghana in 1945 had gained grounds like a nation and some educated African people were needed to fill the employment sector vacancies in the different arms of Government.  Ghanaian educated people from England, USA, etc began to return to Ghana as expatriates to work and get money for themselves. The institution of a political party system had began like all the civilized countries around the world at the time. Gold Coast was no exception. Many employment vacancies were also around for educated people. Obbu left for Nigeria to work just at the time Nkrumah was born. Once Sir Albert Obbu is Ghanaian and some other Ghanaians with him, you should understand that the British would always work with the black community training them in different endeavors.
Obbu, a senior mathematician, Singapore Marine Engineer and British Education. 

 Ghanaians were not in bondage to England when Nkrumah came in and had not been in bondage. Nkrumah looked for a campaign message to win over the UGCC. Something that will ginger the citizens to vote for him. It worked. He won massively over the UGCC when he formed the CPP with that trick campaign message. Taxes collection called Lampo had began and the people felt they were in bondage. They didn't understand what taxes was then when they gave their monies to government for national development in the country. Whiles Nkrumah looks at bondage from his perspective, the people will look at it from taxes. I believe if there was a campaign message to carefully explain taxes (Lampo), Nkrumah won't have won the election. 

INCOME TAXES WAS INTRODUCED IN THE GOLD COAST GHANA IN 1943 DURING THE 2NDVWORLD WAR. FOUR YEARS LATER, A POLITICAL PARTY IS FORMED. NAME, THE UNITED GOLD COAST CONVENTION, UGCC FOLLOWED BY THE CONVENTION PEOPLE'S PARTY,CPP

GUGGISBERG DID SO MUCH FOR GHANA WHEN INCOME TAXES WASN’T YET INTRODUCED IN THE GOLD COAST. EVERYONE THAT WORKED FOR THE COUNTRY’S DEVELOPMENT WERE PAID SALARIES BY BRITISH WITHOUT INCOME TAX. FROM SURVEY WORK FROM TAKORADI TO VOLTA, ACCRA TO WA, CONSULTANCY ENGINEERING FIRMS, ADMINISTRATORS, NATIONAL STRUCTURES ALL BEGAN WITH GUGGISBERG. THEY PAID THEM ALL WITHOUT COLLECTING INCOME TAX FROM INDIVIDUALS. GOLD COAST WORKING POPULATION INCREASED FROM 1910 – 1943 AND THEY WERE ALL PAID BY BRITAIN WITHOUT INCOME TAX. EVERY ACHIEVEMENT OF THE BRITISH INCLUDING MONEY LEFT FOR NKRUMAH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH INCOME TAX.

THE STORY OF DR EBENEZER AKO ADJEI. A TOP GHANAIAN STATEMAN. THE STORY OF GHANA

LIFE OF GHANAIAN POLITICAL STATESMEN BEFORE 1957. GHANAIAN POLITICAL STATESMEN OF UGCC, CPP WERE NOT AROUND AND DIDN'T TAKE PART IN BUILDING THE COUNTRY, GHANA BEFORE 1947. THEY WERE STUDENT GRADUATES. WHAT GHANA (GOLD COAST) DID THEY COME IN TO MEET?
 *Ebenezer Ako-Adjei*

*Ebenezer Ako-Adjei* was born on June 17,1916 in Adjeikrom in Akyem Abuakwa land. *Adjeikrom* is a small farming community found in the Eastern Region. His father was *Samuel Adjei,* a farmer and trader, whom Ako Adjei's place of birth is thought to be named after, and his mother was *Johanna Okaile Adjei.* Both parents were from La. He had many brothers and sisters but was the youngest of his father's children.

His early education began in the Eastern Region at the *Busoso Railway Primary School*, where he walked *14 miles* to school and back home. He was taken to Accra where he continued his education at the *La Presbyterian Junior School* starting in class 3. He was unable to speak the Ga language which was his mother tongue, however, he could read and write Twi, and speak Dangme. He continued in the La Presbyterian Senior School until 1933 when he got to Standard Six.

In March 1933 he won a scholarship to study at *Christ Church Grammar School*, a private secondary school which was on the point of winding up. He returned to the La Presbyterian Senior School after a month at Christ Church Grammar School because he did not like the school.

His father was then persuaded to send him to the *Accra Academy,* then a private secondary school trying to find its feet through the help of enterprising young men. In April 1933 he entered the Accra Academy and he liked it there. He walked four miles from *La to Jamestown* (where the school was then situated), because he could not afford the bus fare which was about two pence. In 1934 he sat for the *Junior Cambridge examination* and passed it. 

While at the Accra Academy, he found difficulty in meeting the cost of books, however, a member of the staff, *Mr. Halm Addo* (one of the four founders of the school), used to help him with money for books. In December, 1936 he was one of the candidates presented by the Accra Academy for the *Cambridge Senior School leaving Certificate Examination*. Among the candidates who passed the examination, only two obtained exemption from the London Matriculation Examination Board. One of these students was *Ako Adjei.*

He taught for a while at the Accra Academy in 1937 before joining the *Junior Civil Service* in June 1937. From June 1937 to December 1938 he was a *Second Division Clerk* in the Gold Coast Civil Service. He was assigned to assist *Harold Cooper*, an European Assistant Colonial Secretary, and J E. S. de Graft-Hayford* to organise and establish the Gold Coast Broadcasting Service.* These were the beginnings of what is now the 
*Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.*

While studying at the Accra Academy, *Ako Adjei* had taken an interest in journalism. He wrote for the 
*African Morning Post,* a newspaper that belonged to Nnamdi Azikiwe,* who later became the first president of Nigeria. Azikiwe also took an interest in him and arranged for him to study at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, United States. Nnamdi Azikiwe was in Accra because of Sir Albert Obbu. In November 1938, Ako Adjei resigned from the Civil Service and left for England in December that year.

In January 1939, he arrived at Lincoln University, 
Pennsylvania to the welcome of *K. A. B. Jones-Quartey,* a student from the Gold Coast whom *Ako Adjei* had known due to his work with the Accra Morning Post. Jones-Quartey had been accompanied to welcome him by another Gold Coast student who was introduced as *Francis Nwia Kofi Nkrumah* (Kwame Nkrumah). At Lincoln University he was housed at Houston Hall and played *football* (soccer) for the university. He registered for courses in Political Science, Economics, Sociology, English, Latin and Philosophy.

*Ako Adjei* shared the same room at Houston Hall with *Jones-Quartey* and their room was opposite *Nkrumah's* room, which was larger in size due to Nkrumah being a postgraduate student. *Ako Adjei* formed a close relationship with Nkrumah* despite the age gap that apparently existed between them. Together with a group of students, they often had long heated discussions (known as *bull sessions)* about the *emancipation of African countries* from colonial domination. Among the African students who regularly took part in these discussions were *Jones-Quartey,*Ozuomba Mbadiwe, Nwafor Orizu* and Ikechukwu Ikejiani.*

After one and half years at Lincoln, he won a 
*Phelps-Stokes Fund Scholarship* to attend Hampton Institute in Virginia, and transferred there to complete his university degree. He won another scholarship to the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and obtained a master's  degree in June 1943. He gained employment as a lecturer at the *African Studies Department* at Fisk University through the assistance of Dr. Edwin W. Smith,* a missionary. Dr. Smith had come from England to establish the new department and invited *Ako Adjei* to be his assistant at its founding.

*Ako Adjei* moved to the United Kingdom to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a *lawyer.* His teaching job at the Fisk University had provided him finances to enroll at the Inner Temple in early May 1944. Even though he had saved enough to begin the course he needed more money to complete it. His *father* leased a small *family house* located at the Post Office Lane in Accra to a Lebanese merchant for *£10* a year for fifty (50) years and took thirty (30) years' rent in advance. His father died before the negotiations were completed so he and his brothers had to sign the papers before the sum of *£300* was paid by the Lebanese merchant.

In Britain, *Ako Adjei* took an active interest in colonial politics. Following the end of the Second World War, a number of British colonies in Asia had gained independence, this made *colonial students from West Africa* more concerned about the conditions at home and caused them to demand for the *abolition of colonialism* in West Africa.

*Ako Adjei* played a prominent role in the 
*West African Students Union* (WASU) and became its president. *Nkrumah* arrived in Britain in 1945, a few weeks after his arrival in London, *Ako Adjei* run into him during one of his rounds as the president of WASU. *Nkrumah* was then facing accommodation problems and he consequently hosted him at his *No.25 Lauvier Road*, until he found accommodation for him (Nkrumah) at *No. 60 Burghley Road*, near Tufnel Park Tube Station.
Nkrumah was resident there until he left London in 1947. 

*Ako Adjei* then introduced Nkrumah to WASU and 
*Kojo Botsio* who later became Nkrumah's right-hand man. Recalling his WASU days, *Ako Adjei* recounted, 

"When *Nkrumah* arrived in London I was then President of the WASU. I took Nkrumah to the WASU Secretariat where I introduced him to *Kankam Boadu* and Joe Appiah*, who were other members of the executive committee of WASU, and to *Kojo Botsio* who we had then engaged as warden of the student's Hostel, at No.l South Villas, Camden Town, London N. W. I. I must say that Nkrumah's arrival and active participation in the work of WASU invigorated the Union. It was against this background that we organised the Fifth *Pan-African Congress* which was held in Manchester in 1945 with George Padmore* and Nkrumah as Joint Secretaries and myself as one of the active organisers."

*Ako Adjei* enrolled at the London School of Economics and Political Science for his M.Sc. degree programme while studying law at the Inner Temple. His topic for the dissertation, 
*"The Dynamics of Social Change"* was approved, however, the course, coupled with his political activities precluded his research due to time constraints.

*Ako Adjei* passed all his Bar examinations 
and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in January 1947. *Ako Adjei* returned to the Gold Coast in May 1947 and in June 1947, he enrolled at the Ghana bar. His initial intention was to set up a *"chain of newspapers"* to continue the agitation for *self-rule,* a course he had committed himself to while in London. He was however, unable to start the newspapers due to his financial circumstances then, he subsequently joined the Adumoa-Bossman and Co. chambers* to practise as a private legal practitioner.

After staying in Accra for a couple of days, he visited J. B. Danquah* who was then with others discussing the possibility of forming a national political movement and *Ako Adjei* joined in the discussions. *Ako Adjei* like most Gold Coast students in Britain at the time was fed up with the British newspaper reportage that created the impression that the *Gold Coast* was the most loyal colony. *J.B Danquah* assured him that a lot of work was being done to establish a national political front.

Within four days of his arrival home he was taken by *J. B. Danquah* to a meeting of the Planning Committee of the United Gold Coast Convention 
*(UGCC)*. He then became a member of the committee and on *4 August 1947* when the convention was inaugurated at Saltpond, he became one of the leading members. On 22 August 1947, the Accra branch of the convention was inaugurated and he was elected secretary with 
*Edward Akufo-Addo* as president and 
*Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey* together with *J. Quist-Therson* as  vice-presidents. 

As membership of the convention grew, the leading members decided it was best to convert the movement to a *political party*. As a result, there was the need for a full-time secretary. J. B. Danquah suggested *Ako Adjei,* however, he declined the offer for reasons of running his 
*African National Times newspaper* and practising law alongside. He subsequently suggested 
*Kwame Nkrumah* who was then running the 
*West African National Secretariat* (WANS) at 94 Grays' Inn, London.

According to *Ako Adjei*, he recommended *Kwame Nkrumah* because he had grown to know his organisational capabilities and that he knew he will be interested in the job. This was because, before he left London for Accra *Nkrumah* had told him:

*"Ako* you're going ahead of me. When you get to the Gold Coast and there is a job which you think I can do, let me know right away so that I would come and work for sometime; save some money and then return to London to complete my studies in law at Gray 's Inn."

This was a promise he had made thus when he heard of the full time general-secretary job he did not hesitate to recommend him. The convention accepted his suggestion and he wrote to *Nkrumah* about it and later sent him *£100* which was provided by George Alfred Grant,* the founder, president and financier of the UGCC for his trip to the Gold Coast. Upon the arrival of Nkrumah, *Ako Adjei* introduced him to the leading members of the party:

"He arrived in December 1947 and I introduced him to *G. A. Grant, J. B. Danquah, R. S. Blay* and other members of the UGCC."

THE REASON FOR THIS ESSAY IS TO EXTRAPOLATE RIGHTLY, FAIRNESS. YOU CAN’T UNDERMINE THE BRITISH WORK IN GHANA GOLD COAST. ITS DEVILISH. YOU PRAISE THE BRITISH AND THEIR STAFF OF BLACKS  AND WHITE THAT ORIENTED A NATION OUT OF THE GOLD COAST SAME WAY YOU TALK ABOUT HOW POLITICAL ACTIVIST WON ELECTIONS AND BECAME PRESIDENTS. THE FORMER PLACED IN LIFE PAINING EFFORTS TO COMBAT IGNORANCE TO GET THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY TOGETHER AS A SINGLE ENTITY. THEY WORKING TIRELESSLY THROUGH SURVEYS TO ASSEMBLE GEOGRAPHICALLY THE NATION TOGETHER. SYNCING A NATION PARI PASU IN UNITED NATIONS STANDARD. Can you go to a locality today and work for primitive people and get the locality together to register as a nation in the United Nations? You register your business, right? Can you get a locality together, mold, refine and groom them and register them as a nation in the United Nations same way you groom your business the elite style and register them at the revenue authority? THE BRITISH WON’T RISE IN ANGER 1949 BECAUSE FINALLY THEY HAD ACHIEVED THEIR HUMANITARIAN EXPLOIT FOR GHANAIANS IN GHANA, CONSTRUCTING A NATION LIKE THE CIVILISED COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD AT THE TIME OUT OF THE MONKEY STYLE. THEY WILL DEFINITELY NEED QUALIFIED EDUCATED GHANAIANS TO CONTINUE WORK WITH THEM AS THEY NATION KEEPS GETTING CUMBERSOME IN ACTIVITIES. NKRUMAH, BOTSIO, AKO AGYEI, ETC SHOULD BE THEIR FAVORITES BECAUSE OF SCHOLARSTIC BUT NOT ON THE PROPAGANDA LEVEL.

You say blacks needed education. Who was around to teach. Who will come down to teach and when.  Researchers both private and government came here to west Africa first followed by companies they felt could do business here. Humanitarian activities begins with companies, indegions. Setting up a system government to control humanitarian activities. Attacks – police and military, education – teachers, infrastructure engineers, 1st crop of workers in the country will be completely white. What will be the highest education level for indigions within a long time span? Level 9 to high school. Only few get tertiary chance. Its same today only few get tertiary chance. To understand up to level 9 is still honorable today.