Theresa Kufuor

First Lady of Ghana (1935–2023)

Theresa Kufuor
First Lady of Ghana
In role
7 January 2001 – 7 January 2009
PresidentJohn Kufuor
Preceded byNana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings
Succeeded byErnestina Naadu Mills
First Lady of African Union
In office
30 January 2007 – 31 January 2008
PresidentJohn Kufuor
Preceded byAntoinette Sassou Nguesso
Succeeded bySalma Kikwete
Personal details
Born
Theresa Mensah

(1935-10-25)25 October 1935
Wenchi, Brong Ahafo, Gold Coast
Died1 October 2023(2023-10-01) (aged 87)
Peduase, Ghana
NationalityGhanaian
Political partyNew Patriotic Party
Spouse
John Kufuor
​
(m. 1962)​
RelationsJ. H. Mensah (brother)
Alma materUniversity of London
OccupationNurse, Midwife

Theresa Kufuor (née Mensah; 25 October 1935 – 1 October 2023) was the wife of John Kufuor, the second President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, and First Lady of Ghana.[1] She was a nurse and midwife.[2]

Education

Kufuor, the youngest child in her family, was born Theresa Mensah was born on 25 October 1935.[3] Her older brother was the economist and New Patriotic Party politician, Joseph Henry Mensah.[4]

She started her education at the Catholic Convent, OLA, at Keta in the Volta Region of Ghana. She later went to London, where she was educated as a Registered General Nurse, in the Southern Hospital Group of Nursing. Edinburgh, Scotland.[5]

After further study at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and Paddington General Hospital, London, she qualified as a State Certified Midwife with a Certificate in Premature Nursing.[5]

Personal life

Theresa married John Kufuor when he was at age 23 after they met at a Republic Day Anniversary Dance in London in 1961. They got married in 1962.[6] She had five children with John Kufuor, former president of Ghana;[7] J. Addo Kufuor, Nana Ama Gyamfi, Saah Kufuor, Agyekum Kufuor and Owusu Afriyie Kufuor.[8] She was a mother of five, and a grandmother of eight. She was a devout Roman Catholic.

Despite being the first lady of Ghana for eight years between 2001 and 2009, she managed to maintain a low profile in the political arena.[9][self-published source] In 2007 she pushed for policy changes in the Government's white paper on Educational Reforms towards the implementation of UNESCO's Free compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE) program for kindergarten children.[10]

Kufuor founded the Mother and Child Community Development Foundation (MCCDF), a non-governmental organisation operating in Ghana and Canada that supports work in prevention of mother to child transmission.[11][12]

Death

Theresa Kufuor died at her home in Peduase on 1 October 2023, at the age of 87.[13][14][15]

Funeral Rite

On November 16, the funeral for Theresa Aba Kufuor, the former First Lady, took place at Accra's State House. The ceremony included hymns and tributes, followed by the transportation of her remains to Kumasi for the final stage of the three-day funeral at Heroes Park, culminating in her burial in the Ashanti Regional capital.[16][17]

Honours

On 25 October Pope Benedict XVI conferred on her husband President John Kufuor, the Papal Award of Knight Commander of St. Gregory the Great, for his dedicated service to mankind and the Catholic Church in general.[18] Theresa Kufuor, on her part was awarded the Papal Award Dame of St Gregory the Great for her commitment to the plight of poor children and their mothers.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Former First Lady Mrs. Theresah Kufour Is Not Dead!". wordpress. 233 News. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Throwback Photo: Mrs Theresah Aba Kufour (then and now)". ghanaweb. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Former First Lady Theresa Kufuor @ 80". Kessben FM. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Profile of the late Joseph Henry Mensah". ghanaweb. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b "First Ladies - Ghana's First Lady". ghanadiplomaticguide. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  6. ^ "How Kufuor met his wife and married at age 23 - MyJoyOnline.com". myjoyonline. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ^ "John Agyekum Kufuor Biography - family, children, history, wife, school, mother, young, born, college, tall". Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  8. ^ "President's Kufuor Family". Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  9. ^ Amamoo, Joseph Godson (16 December 2011). Ghana: 50 Year of Independence. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1-4628-3761-8.
  10. ^ Online, Peace FM. "Early Childhood Dev't In Ghana: Day Care Centre's Now A Business Venture?". Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  11. ^ "Mrs. Kufour Launches Mother & Child Foundation". ModernGhana.com. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  12. ^ "Rebecca, Samira will clean up Lordina & Matilda's mess - Janet Anane". Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  13. ^ "Former first Lady Theresa Kufuor passes on". Graphic Online. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Former First Lady Theresa Kufuor dead". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Former First Lady Theresa Kufuor dead". GhanaWeb. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  16. ^ modernghana.com (18 November 2023). "Final funeral rites for late Theresa Kufuor to be held in Kumasi today".
  17. ^ graphic.com.gh (18 November 2023). "Theresa Kufuor's funeral in Kumasi today".
  18. ^ "POPE HONOURS FORMER PREZ. KUFOUR & WIFE". Adepa Radio. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Catholic Church honours Kufuor, wife". Modern Ghana. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2019.