Prof. Akosua Perbi of the Department of History, University of Ghana, Legon has revealed that Ghanaian missionary and educationist, James Emmanuel Kwegyir Aggrey’s popular statement on education has been misquoted.

According to the Associate Professor at the Department of History at the University of Ghana the phrase “educate a man and you educate an individual, educate a woman and you educate a family” is a conventional mistake which has been passed on from 1954.

Narrating the history behind the accepted error she indicated that the phrase came about after “Ms Mabel Dove was nominated by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to represent the Ga rural constituency at the displeasure of the men who were present at a CPP meeting.

An elderly man present reminded all the men that at one time in their lives each and every one of them depended on the motherly cares of a woman…”

“An elated Nkrumah filled with great happiness delivered the following statement as part of his speech at the Broadcasting House, Accra 1954... I think that’s where the issue of the nation has come in. To my countrywomen I say a special word, the election of your first women member to the legislation assembly fills me with hope for your achievement. I trust that you’ll take an ever increasing interest in the conduct of our affairs and I recall with pride the words of Aggrey “educate the woman and you educate a nation”, and it seems to me that that is what has been ringing after Nkrumah said this in 1954, we’ve all been quoting nation but the historical documents show that it is family”. Dr. Perbi noted.



Over the years the phrase has been used to promote the education of the girl-child in order to improve development of the country.

Prof. Akosua Adoma Perbi encouraged Ghanaians to reorient their minds in order to adopt the correction.

She delivered the keynote address at the sixth edition of Achimota Speaks which was held at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in Accra.