Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia served as Ghana’s Prime Minister from 1969 to 1972 and was key in transitioning the country from military to civilian rule.

Born a prince of Bono in the traditional Kingdom of Wenchi, Busia was an educated man whose pursuit of education made him the first African student to enrol at the University College of Oxford.

He was also the first African to occupy a chair at the University College of the Gold Coast (now the University of Ghana).

In 1952, he became the leader of the Ghana Congress Party, which later merged with other opposition parties to form the United Party (UP).

Busia was the opposition leader against Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and his Convention People’s Party.

He fled the country on the grounds of his life being under threat. He later returned to Ghana in 1966 after Nkrumah’s government was overthrown.

While serving as prime minister, Busia’s government was overthrown by the army under Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong on January 13, 1972, while he was away in Britain for a medical check-up.

Busia remained in exile in England until his death from a heart attack in 1978.

Read a September 2, 1978 publication by the Daily Graphic announcing the death of Busia below:

Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia is dead. He died of heart attack at Oxford, England, at the age of 65, according to reports received yesterday from Reuters.

He was Prime Minister of Ghana from September 1969 until January 1972, when he was overthrown in a military coup led by General I. K. Acheampong, then Colonel who was dismissed from office over a month Dr Busia, a scholar, democrat and devout christian lived as an exile in Europe during most of the rule of the late President Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the first leader of Independent Ghana.

When President Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966, Dr Busia left the cloisters of Oxford University and came back to Ghana.

He became the chairman of the National Liberation Advisory Couneil from 1966-1969. He was the leader of the Progress Party in 1969 and won the general elections in September that year.

He subsequently became the Prime Minister of the Second Republic.

He held that position till he was overthrown in 1972 while on a medical check-up in Britain. So Dr Busia went into exile again in 1972.

The coup leader in 1972, Colonel Ignatius Acheampong, issued an order for his arrest on charges of trying to mastermind a counter coup. and offered a 20,000 sterling reward for his capture.

From his home in Oxford, Dr Busia said he hoped the military gov-emment would "never dare disturb me while I am here under British protection.”

According to his secretary, Mr Michael Boye Anawomah, Dr Busia was admitted to Oxford's Radcliffe infirmary hospital last Friday night and died on Monday.
Dr Busia, born at Wenchi, was educated at Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, Achimota College, and at London and Oxford Universities.

He was a former Professor of Sociology at the University College of the Gold Coast and a visiting Professor to several Universities in Europe.

Dr Busia left behind a widow and four children.

GA/SEA