As part of this year’s Heritage Month celebrations, the On-Air Series turns the spotlight on Sir Edward Okyere Asafu-Adjaye (1903–1976), a towering figure in Ghana’s political and diplomatic history.
Born in 1903 in the Ashanti Region, Sir Edward Asafu-Adjaye made history as the first Ashanti lawyer, breaking barriers in a colonial era where access to education and professional opportunities for Africans were limited.
His legal career laid the foundation for his later contributions to Ghana’s struggle for independence and its emergence as a sovereign nation.
Another personality who was also discussed and celebrated was His Lordship Justice Henry Kwasi Prempeh (1912–1997), a Ghanaian judge who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana from 1971 to 1972.
Born on 27 March 1912, he was the son of King Prempeh I, the 13th Asantehene (ruler of the Ashanti), during his father’s exile in the Seychelles. Prempeh began his education in the Seychelles and continued in Kumasi after his family’s return to Ashanti when he was 14.
He attended Adisadel College for secondary education and later studied at King’s College London. His career culminated in his appointment to Ghana’s highest court, marking a significant contribution to the nation’s judiciary.
