ELIZABETH AKUA OHENE

The Voice of Conscience and Courage

Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Akua Ohene was born on January 24, 1945, in Ho, in Ghana’s Volta Region — a land of rolling hills and deep intellectual traditions. Growing up during the final years of British colonial rule, she belonged to a generation that witnessed Ghana’s emergence as the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence. The spirit of self-determination and civic duty that characterized this era deeply influenced her sense of purpose.

Ohene attended Mawuli School in Ho, one of the premier secondary schools in the region, where her gift for words and her sharp intellect quickly set her apart. In 1964, she entered the University of Ghana, Legon, studying English, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in 1967. Her university years coincided with the political turbulence that followed the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah — a period that sharpened her awareness of political narratives, propaganda, and truth-telling. Her academic excellence and curiosity about media power led her to the University of Indiana, Bloomington in the United States, where she obtained a Certificate in Mass Communication. Later, she pursued further training at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, as a Press Fellowin 1983. Her time abroad gave her a global perspective on journalism’s role in democracy, justice, and nation-building ideals she would later bring home to Ghana.

Breaking Barriers in Journalism

Elizabeth Ohene began her career at The Daily Graphic, Ghana’s leading national newspaper. At the time, journalism was a male-dominated field, and women were often confined to covering social issues or lifestyle topics. But Ohene defied these boundaries. Her incisive writing, balanced analyses, and moral clarity distinguished her as a fearless journalist who held those in power accountable. In 1979, she made history as the first woman in Africa to become editor of a major national daily newspaper — a monumental achievement in a time when few African women held leadership positions in the press. Her appointment represented a symbolic victory for women’s empowerment and journalistic integrity across the continent. As editor, Ohene used the Daily Graphic as a platform for national introspection. She wrote and published pieces that questioned authority and exposed systemic abuses. Her courage, however, came at great personal risk.

Exile and the Fight for Press Freedom

During the turbulent years of Jerry Rawlings’ military rule, Ghana’s press was under siege. Journalists who challenged the regime’s authoritarianism were detained, silenced, or killed. Ohene’s editorials criticizing Rawlings’ government made her a marked woman. Her commitment to truth was unyielding, and she refused to be silenced or to publish state propaganda. Faced with the threat of arrest, she was forced to flee Ghana in the early 1980s. She went into political exile in London, joining the growing African diaspora of intellectuals and freedom fighters who resisted military dictatorships from abroad. In London, Ohene continued her mission of truth-telling by founding Talking Drums, a weekly news magazine, with two colleagues who had also escaped persecution. The publication became a critical voice for democracy and human rights in Ghana and across West Africa. Through it, she exposed corruption, torture, and censorship — providing an alternative channel of information at a time when independent media in Ghana had been crushed.

Her exile years were not merely a period of survival; they were a period of evolution. She joined the BBC World Service, where she rose to become Deputy Editor of Daily Programmes in the African Service. She became one of the most respected African voices on international radio, bringing clarity and depth to global audiences on issues affecting Africa. For 19 years, London became her second home — a city of refuge and professional triumph. Yet even as she thrived abroad, her heart remained anchored in Ghana. She once reflected fondly on her years in exile, acknowledging the safety and opportunity they brought, but her writings always carried the ache of displacement and the longing to see her homeland free and democratic.

Return to Ghana and Political Service

After nearly two decades in exile, Elizabeth Ohene returned to Ghana in the late 1990s when democracy was restored and freedom of expression began to take root. Her return marked not just a personal homecoming but a symbolic re-entry of the free press into Ghana’s public life. In 2001, under the presidency of John Agyekum Kufuor, she was appointed Minister of State for Tertiary Education in the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sports. She also served as Government Spokesperson, where her credibility and communication skills helped bridge the gap between the public and the state. Her transition from journalism to politics reflected a lifelong belief that ethical leadership and informed governance must go hand in hand. She championed educational reform, academic freedom, and transparency in higher learning institutions. In 2021, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed her as Chairperson of the Board of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) one of Ghana’s most critical public institutions. This appointment affirmed her reputation as a woman of integrity, intellect, and experience.

Advocacy, Integrity, and Thought Leadership

Throughout her career, Elizabeth Ohene has remained an outspoken advocate for freedom of the press, good governance, and ethical politics. Her writings continue to appear in major Ghanaian newspapers and online platforms, where she addresses issues of corruption, gender, and national development with her trademark candor. She has consistently argued that corruption is not a political issue but a moral one, insisting that it should be called what it truly is — “stealing.”She believes that public office is a sacred trust and that leaders must embody accountability and humility. As a writer and commentator, she has not shied away from controversy. In 2022, she challenged aspects of Ghana’s Affirmative Action Bill, arguing that it faces resistance because it threatens entrenched male privilege an observation that sparked national debate. She also critiqued sensational forms of journalism, such as undercover exposés, warning against narratives that mislead the public. Her position is rooted in a belief that journalism must inform and empower, not manipulate or sensationalize.

Legacy and Influence

Elizabeth Ohene’s life is a testament to the power of words in the service of truth. She stands among a distinguished line of Ghanaian intellectuals who used media as a tool of liberation from J. B. Danquah and Kofi Badu, to Komla Dumor and Anas Aremeyaw Anas but her legacy is unique in its combination of moral authority, feminine resilience, and historical continuity. She broke gender barriers in journalism, redefined the role of the press in postcolonial Africa, and helped build Ghana’s reputation as one of the continent’s freest media landscapes. Her work paved the way for younger generations of journalists especially women to speak truth to power. Today, Ghana consistently ranks among the top African nations in press freedom, a transformation she helped to catalyze through courage and sacrifice. It was no coincidence that World Press Freedom Day 2018 was hosted in Ghana a symbolic recognition of a nation that once silenced journalists but now celebrates them. Her story also reflects a broader truth: that democracy in Africa has often been defended not only by politicians and soldiers but by writers, journalists, and intellectual mothers of conscience.

Conclusion

Elizabeth Akua Ohene embodies the archetype of the Mercurial Sage — a communicator, reformer, and truth-teller whose voice bridges the worlds of journalism and politics. Her life’s work demonstrates that integrity in speech and courage in conviction are the twin pillars of public service.From the newsroom to the cabinet room, from exile to national leadership, her journey traces the evolution of Ghana itself — from repression to freedom, from fear to expression.She remains, above all, a guardian of truth: one who reminds her nation that democracy is not a destination but a daily discipline; that the pen, when guided by conscience, is as mighty as any revolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Akua_Ohene