Former President John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor is 78 years old today Thursday 8 December.

Mr Kufuor served as president of Ghana from 2001 to 2009. He was also chairperson of the African Union from 2007 to 2008.

His victory over the late John Atta Mills after Jerry John Rawlings had ended his second term as president marked the first peaceful democratic transition of power in Ghana since independence in 1957.

Mr Kufuor served as a minister in the Progress Party government led by Kofi Abrefa Busia during Ghana's Second Republic.

In the Fourth Republic he led the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as its flag bearer in the 1996 election, and then led the party to victory in 2000 and 2004.

He is considered a senior statesman, and is affectionately known to majority of Ghanaians as Gentle Giant.