Kofi Abrefa Busia remains one of Ghana’s most distinguished intellectuals and statesmen, a figure whose influence on the country’s political landscape and governance continues to be debated.
As a scholar, Busia championed African studies and social change, and as a politician, he served as Ghana’s prime minister from 1969 to 1972.
His tenure was marked by ambitious economic policies, an emphasis on democracy and an attempt to decentralise governance. However, his government was short-lived, as he was overthrown in a military coup.
Despite this, Busia’s legacy as a scholar-politician is one of significant impact, shaping Ghana’s post-independence trajectory.
Early life and education
Born on 11 July 1913 in Wenchi, a town in what is now known as the Bono Region of Ghana, Busia came from a royal lineage of the Bono people.
He excelled in his early education, attending Methodist and government schools before securing a scholarship to study at Achimota College, one of Ghana’s premier institutions of learning at the time.
Busia’s academic prowess led him to the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, where he became the first African to earn a doctorate from the university. His PhD in social anthropology focused on Ghanaian societies and governance.
He later used his academic work to critique both colonial rule and post-independence governance structures in Africa. His time at Oxford cemented his reputation as a formidable scholar and advocate for African self-governance.
Academic and political activism
Before venturing into full-time politics, Busia was a respected academic and public intellectual.
He lectured at the University of Ghana and became one of the earliest African scholars to conduct systematic studies on traditional African political systems. His work on chieftaincy and governance was instrumental in understanding the transitions African societies underwent during and after colonial rule.
Politically, Busia was a staunch critic of Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP), which he viewed as too centralised and authoritarian.
He was a key figure in the opposition United Party (UP), which later evolved into the Progress Party (PP). Busia’s opposition to Nkrumah’s one-party rule led to his exile in 1959. During this period, he continued his academic career, working in international institutions, writing extensively on democracy in Africa, and advocating for multiparty governance.
Prime minister of Ghana
With Nkrumah’s government overthrown in 1966 by the military, Ghana entered a period of transition. In 1969, the country held elections under a new constitution with the CPP banned, and Busia’s Progress Party won decisively, making him Ghana’s prime minister. His government pursued policies focused on economic liberalisation, rural development and administrative decentralisation.
Busia sought to address Ghana’s economic woes by implementing structural reforms, cutting government expenditure and encouraging foreign investment.
One of his most controversial decisions was the “Aliens Compliance Order” of 1969, which led to the expulsion of thousands of undocumented West African immigrants, primarily Nigerians, from Ghana. This policy, aimed at creating more job opportunities for Ghanaians, remains a contentious part of his legacy.
Busia also attempted to de-emphasise state control over industry, promoting private sector growth. However, his government faced economic hardship, leading to dissatisfaction among civil servants and the military. His decision to devalue the Ghanaian cedi in 1971 exacerbated the economic challenges, making his administration unpopular.
Overthrow and later years
On 13 January 1972, Busia’s government was toppled in a coup led by Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
Busia was out of the country for medical treatment at the time and unable to return. He spent his remaining years in exile, mainly in the United Kingdom, where he continued to write and lecture.
He passed away on 28 August 1978, but his intellectual contributions and political vision remain relevant in discussions of governance and democracy in Ghana.
Legacy
Kofi Abrefa Busia’s life was a blend of academia and politics, and he remains a towering figure in Ghanaian history.
His advocacy for democracy, his scholarly contributions to African studies and his attempts at economic reform continue to shape Ghana’s political discourse.
Though his tenure as prime minister was brief, his ideas on governance and democracy have had a lasting impact on the country’s political landscape.
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