Kojo Botsio

Hon. Kojo Botsio
5thMinister for Foreign Affairs (Ghana)
In office 1963–65
President	Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by	Kwame Nkrumah
Succeeded by	Alex Quaison-Sackey
2ndMinister for External Affairs
In office 1958–59
Prime Minister	Kwame Nkrumah
Preceded by	Kwame Nkrumah
Succeeded by	Ebenezer Ako-Adjei
Personal details
Born	21 February 1916
Died	6 February 2001(2001-02-06)(aged 84) Accra,Ghana
Nationality	Ghanaian
Political party	Convention People's Party
Spouse	Ruth Botsio (née Whittaker)
Children	Kojo, Merene
Alma mater	Fourah Bay College Brasenose College,Oxford University
Profession	Educationist

Kojo Botsio(21 February 1916 – 6 February 2001)was aGhanaiandiplomatandpolitician.He studied in Britain, where he became the treasurer of theWest African National Secretariatand an acting warden for theWest African Students' Union.He served as his country's first Minister of Education and Social Welfare from 1951, asMinister for Foreign Affairstwice in the government ofKwame Nkrumah,and was a leading figure in the rulingConvention People's Party(CPP).

Early life and education

Kojo Botsio attendedAdisadel College,Cape Coastand then theAchimota CollegeinAccra.He proceeded toSierra Leone,where he obtained his first degree from theFourah Bay University College,the onlyuniversityinWest Africaat the time. He then went to theUnited Kingdomin 1945 and attendedBrasenose College,Oxford University,where he was awarded a postgraduate degree in Geography and Education.

Career

Botsio was a teacher at theSt. Augustine's Collegeand the London City Council Secondary School in the United Kingdom. He was also once Vice-Principal ofAbuakwa State CollegeatKibiin Ghana. Some of his students have beenKofi BaakoandP. K. K. Quaidoowho were both ministers in Nkrumah's government.

Politics

Botsio first met Nkrumah in 1945 while inLondon,who he would eventually help form theConvention People's Party.In 1945 he attended the FifthPan-African CongressinManchesterorganised by Nkrumah along withPeter Abrahams,which was attended by names such asW. E. B. Du Bois,Amy Ashwood GarveyandRaphael Armattoeto name just a few.

He first entered theLegislative Assembly of Ghanawhen he won the Winneba seat at the1951 Gold Coast legislative electionand served underKwame Nkrumahwho was the leader of government business. He continued to be in the legislative assembly until 1957, when he became aMember of parliament(MP). He remained an MP until 1966 when theParliament of Ghanawas suspended by theNational Liberation Councilwhich had overthrown the CPP government of Kwame Nkrumah. He was with Nkrumah when he died in 1972.He initially served as the Minister for Trade and Industry in the CPP government.He was also at various times, minister for Foreign Affairs, Social Welfare, Transport and Communications, Agriculture, Trade and Development.

Family

Kojo Botsio was married to Ruth Whittaker. They had two children, Kojo and Merene, bothbarristers.