Seventy-seven years ago today, a woman named Adeline Sylvia Eugenia Ama Yeboakua Akufo-Addo gave birth to a baby boy and called him Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In the nearly eight decades between that day in an Accra hospital and today, that baby boy would grow up, graduate from the University of Ghana, then through other higher institutions of studies.
He started out humbly within political anals before climbing to be one of the most powerful men in Africa.
The Akufo-Addo presidency, which spanned from 2016 to 2024, has brought with it path-changing legislative victories, and vastly improved the international reputation of Ghana. He can also be touted as a great orator.
There were many times when Akufo-Addo made us stop and listen.
Which is one of the many reasons that everyone can draw inspiration and wisdom from his quotes.
As the president celebrates his 77th birthday we treat you with a collection of 5 of his memorable quotes.
Be citizens and not spectators
“I ask you to be citizens: citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens building your communities and our nation. Let us work until the work is done.”
The above is an excerpt of the speech delivered by H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the 7th of January 2017. It was a clarion call of H. E. Nana Akuffo Addo on the day of his inauguration as the 5th president of the Republic, and Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
Though people doubt the originality of his speech, there is nothing new under the sun. And when you see something that touches or inspires you, you can copy or adopt it but make sure you acknowledge your source.
“We know what to do to bring our economy back to life. What we do not know how to do is to bring people back to life”
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the President periodically addressed Ghanaians on government’s initiatives to get the virus under control. In one of these addresses, President Akufo-Addo said: “We know how to bring the economy back to life. What we do not know is how to bring people back to life”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization acknowledged the powerful message by Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, thanking him for his words to the world for a healthier, safer and fairer world.
Professor and chair of Global Public Health at The University of Edinburgh Devi Sridhar quoted the president’s tweet with literally what can be termed ‘Nana Addo to the world. Hashtag leadership’.
Same-sex marriage will never happen under my Presidency
President Akufo-Addo gave the strongest indication about his position on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) activities in the country.
As far as the President is concerned, legislation of same-sex marriage to become lawful is not a matter he will ever consider.
“I have said it before, and let me stress it again, that it will not be under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo that same-sex marriage will be legal,” he said.
He made these comments at the installation of the 2nd Archbishop of the Anglican Church held in Asante Mampong.
“I’m mindful of the next generation and not the next elections.”
The NPP-led administration was accused of relaxing the COVID-19 measures in order to plan for the 2020 general elections. In a response, President Akufo-Addo famously said: “I’m mindful of the next generation and not the next elections.”
“Mahama campaign nu ato nsuo mu”
The President and his party fought for a narrow victory in the just-ended 2020 general elections. The campaign had some fierce exchanges between the Nana Addo and his main rival John Mahama. In one of those subliminals, the President said: “Mahama campaign nu ato nsuo mu,” to wit, the progress of John Dramani Mahama’s campaign was bleak.
