Elizabeth Ohene

Elizabeth Ohene is a trailblazing figure in African journalism and Ghanaian public life, a pioneering newspaper editor, veteran BBC broadcaster and government minister whose career has broken barriers across more than five decades.

Early life and education

She was born Elizabeth Akua Ohene on 24 January 1945 in Ho. She attended Mawuli School and the University of Ghana, graduating in English in 1967, and later studied mass communication in the United States and held a press fellowship at Cambridge.

Pioneering journalism

She worked at the Daily Graphic and in 1979 made history as the first woman in Africa to edit a major national daily newspaper. Forced into exile in 1982, she joined the BBC, becoming a key member of the acclaimed Focus on Africa team and deputy editor of the BBC's Africa Service, and served as the broadcaster's correspondent in South Africa during the pivotal transition from apartheid.

Politics

She returned to Ghana and entered government under President Kufuor, serving as a minister of state with responsibility for tertiary education, bringing her sharp, independent voice into the political arena.

Standing

A respected columnist and commentator to this day, known for her wit and candour, Elizabeth Ohene stands as one of the most distinguished journalists Ghana has produced and a genuine pioneer for women in African media.