Okyeame Kwame urges President Mahama, Jane Naana to honour Ghana’s founding mothers

Ghanaian musician and cultural advocate Okyeame Kwame has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang to lead a national campaign to recognise women who contributed to Ghana’s independence and nation-building.

In an open letter dated Wednesday, 21st October 2026, Okyeame Kwame proposed four interventions to honour Ghana’s founding mothers, including reforms to history education, a national recognition programme, initiatives to empower women and girls, and public art commemorating their contributions.

Addressing the President and the Vice President, he said they were well positioned to lead the initiative, citing the historic decision by Mr Mahama to select a woman as his running mate, who subsequently became Vice President.

“I write to you (Your Excellency John Dramani Mahama and Your Excellency Mrs. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang) because I believe that in this material moment, you are the best-positioned duo with the will to lead the charge to empower women in Ghana,” he wrote.

Okyeame Kwame argued that women played significant roles in Ghana’s independence struggle but their contributions have received less recognition than those of their male counterparts.

“Ghana’s freedom was not won by men alone. Women organised communities, financed political movements, challenged colonial authority, communicated ideas of freedom, and helped shape our institutions and national identity,” he stated.

He warned that the underrepresentation of women in the country’s historical narrative has implications beyond recognition, affecting gender equality, national development and the aspirations of future generations.

As part of his Ayekoo (Big Up) campaign, the musician highlighted five women whose contributions he believes deserve greater recognition: Susanna Al-Hassan, Rebecca Naa Dedei Aryeetey, popularly known as Dedei Ashikishan, Theodosia Salome Okoh, Mabel Dove Danquah and Ama Nkrumah.

He described Susanna Al-Hassan as a pioneering public servant who served in ministerial roles and contributed to education and social welfare; Rebecca Naa Dedei Aryeetey was a businesswoman whose resources and influence supported the independence movement.

Theodosia Salome Okoh designed Ghana’s national flag, while Mabel Dove Danquah was a pioneering journalist, writer and political figure elected to the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly in 1954. Ama Nkrumah, he said, was a political activist and organiser whose work demonstrated the importance of grassroots mobilisation.

He stressed that the women did not represent an exhaustive list, adding that Hannah Kudjoe, Oforiwaa Tagoe and other women who contributed to independence and early nationhood should also be recognised.

Okyeame Kwame acknowledged existing efforts to honour distinguished women, including naming public facilities after them, but called for a broader national programme. He said the proposal was not intended to diminish the contributions of Ghana’s founding fathers, but to provide a fuller account of the country’s history.

Among his recommendations is a review of the history curriculum by the Ministry of Education, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), the Ghana Education Service and historical experts to ensure women’s contributions are taught accurately and consistently.

He also proposed establishing a National Founding Mothers Recognition Programme to coordinate historians, educators, women’s organisations, traditional authorities, museums and local assemblies in documenting women’s contributions, verifying historical records and developing exhibitions and educational resources.

The programme, he said, should adopt a transparent, evidence-based approach to selecting women for recognition, ensuring that the process is not determined by political affiliation or popularity.

The musician further called for greater access to mentorship, leadership development, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, technical and vocational training, financial literacy and enterprise support for women and girls.

He recommended that the initiative have measurable objectives, adequate funding and periodic public reporting. He also suggested commissioning historically informed murals and graffiti on suitable bridges and other public spaces, while naming selected roundabouts and new infrastructure after women whose contributions have helped shape Ghana.

Okyeame urged the President’s Office to designate a lead institution to coordinate the proposals and make recognition of the founding mothers a lasting national commitment.

“Let us honour the women who helped make Ghana possible by remembering their contributions and creating conditions in which the next generation of Ghanaian women can help shape the country’s future,” he wrote.

Okyeame Kwame's 'Big Up' song which features Jah Lead is now available on various streaming platforms.