Modjaben Dowuona

Modjaben Dowuona was a Ghanaian educationist, academic, and public servant.[1] He was the first Registrar of the University of Ghana,[2] he also served as Ghana's Commissioner of Education (Minister of Education) from 1966 to 1969.[3][4][5]

Modjaben Dowuona
Minister of Education
In office
1966–1969
Appointed byJoseph Arthur Ankrah
Preceded byKwaku Boateng
Succeeded byWilliam Ofori Atta
Personal details
Born(1908-01-11)January 11, 1908
Osu, Gold Coast
DiedNovember 1991
NationalityGhanaian
Alma mater
  • St. Peter's College, Oxford
  • University of London Institute of Education
ProfessionTeacher

Early life and education

Dowuona was born at Osu on 11 January 1908.[6][7] His father was Solomon Noi Dowuona and his mother was Theodora Naa-Lomotso Dowuona, all of the Osu Royal Family in Accra.[6] Dowuona was named "Annan" eight days after his birth.[6] The name, according to Ga custom, is given to the fourth successive male son of a couple.[6] His family was in Calabar, Nigeria,[8] before his first birthday when his grandfather wrote to the family asking for his name to be changed to "Modjaben" (what sort of blood).[9] According to his grandfather, every fourth male born child had passed on during their infancy based on his research into the family's history.[9] In his grandfather's opinion, an odd name could prevent the spirits from taking his life at his infancy.[9] Dowuona entered Thompson's Kindergarten School at Osu in 1909.[6] There, he was baptised as Theophilus Albert Modjaben Dowuona.[6] He later dropped the Christian names when he was at Oxford University, in an attempt to Africanise the name.[6] Dowuona proceeded to St. John's School at Nsawam and later moved to the Scottish Mission Primary School also at Nsawam.[10] In 1920, he enrolled at the Scottish Mission (Presbyterian) Middle School (now Osu Salem School, Scottish missionaries took over the supervision of Presbyterian schools in the Gold Coast after the World War I).[7][10][11] With a year to complete his primary education, Dowuona was moved to CMS Grammar School, Freetown, Sierra Leone where he had his secondary education.[7][12] He graduated the school in December 1926 with his school certificate and exemptions from the University of London Matriculation and the Oxford University Responsions. In January 1929 he entered Achimota College to study for his Intermediate Bachelor's degree, there he was the first to be awarded the Achimota Council scholarship to study at the University of Oxford.[7] At Oxford (St. Peter's College, which was then St. Peter's Hall), he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics.[7] He graduated with his Bachelor's degree in 1934 and pursued a one-year postgraduate certificate in Education which he obtained from the University of London Institute of Education in 1935.[7] In 1948, he was awarded his Master's degree from Oxford University as part of an extra mural program which was being run by the Gold Coast Government on an experimental basis.[13]

Career

Dowuona taught in various schools between 1928 and 1946.[14] From 1945 to 1948, he was the deputy warden and lecturer at Achimota College.[14] He was appointed Registrar of the University of Ghana in 1950, and consequently became the first Registrar of the University.[2][14][15] He served in this capacity until 1961.[14] He later joined the staff of Ahmadu Bello University as Registrar of the University until his political appointment in 1966.[14][15][16] Dowuona served as Ghana's Commissioner for Education (Minister for Education) from 1966 to 1969.[3][17][18][19] At the inception of the Second Republic later in 1969, he was appointed the Chairman of the National Commission for higher education.[3][20] He held this post until 1971.[3] He died in November 1991.[21]

Awards and honours

References
  1. West Africa. West Africa Publishing Company Limited. 1992.
  2. Vieta, Kojo T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians. Ena Publications. ISBN 978-9988-0-0138-4.
  3. Agbodeka, Francis (1998). A History of University of Ghana: Half a Century of Higher Education (1948-1998). Woeli Pub. Services. ISBN 978-9964-978-56-3.
  4. Ghana Official Handbook. Information Services. 1968.
  5. Towards Civil Rule in Ghana. State Publishing Corporation. 1968.
  6. Vieta, Kojo T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians. Ena Publications. ISBN 978-9988-0-0138-4.
  7. New Ghana. 1966.
  8. Vieta, Kojo T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians. Ena Publications. ISBN 978-9988-0-0138-4.
  9. Vieta, Kojo T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians. Ena Publications. ISBN 978-9988-0-0138-4.
  10. Vieta, Kojo T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians. Ena Publications. ISBN 978-9988-0-0138-4.
  11. Miescher, Stephan F.; Miescher, Stephan (2005). Making Men in Ghana. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-21786-8.
  12. Vieta, Kojo T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians. Ena Publications. ISBN 978-9988-0-0138-4.
  13. New Ghana. 1966.
  14. New Ghana. 1966.
  15. Overseas Challenge. Ministry of Overseas Development. 1965.
  16. Akyeampong, Henry Kwasi (1967). Tributes to Dr. J.B. Danquah. State Publishing Corporation.
  17. Ofori, Henry (1969). Daily Graphic: Issue 5,754 April 1 1969. Graphic Communications Group.
  18. Ghana News. Embassy of Ghana.
  19. Ghana Today. 1961.
  20. Jones-Quartey, K. A. B. (1972). Education and Revolution. Ghana Universities Press.
  21. West Africa. West Africa Publishing Company Limited. 1992.
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