11 July 1913 – 28 August 1974
Wife: Naa Morkor Ausia
Education & Career Pattern
Methodist School, Wenchi, Brong Ahafo Region; Mfantsipim College, Cape Coast, Central Region. 1931 – 1932: Wesley College, Kumasi, Ashanti Region 1936 – 1939 : Teacher, Achimota College, (Gained first Degree with Honours in Medievial and Modem History from the University of London, through correspondence during this period) 1941 : Oxford University – BA (Hons) (Oxon) Politics, Philosophy & Economics; MA (Oxon), Ph. D.Social Anthropology 1949 – 1954: Appointed first lecturer in African Studies (His thesis for Doctorate on “The Position of the Chief in the Modern Political System of Ashanti” is regarded as one of the best on the subject and is often quoted in scholarly works). He became the first African to occupy a Chair in the University of Gold Coast 1951: Elected by the Ashanti Confederacy to the Legislative Council 1952: Leader of Ghana Congress Party (The Congress Party merged with the other opposition parties to form the United Party) 1959: As leader of the opposition against Nkrumah,Busia felt his life threatened and fled the country. Became Professor of Sociology and Culture at the University of Leiden in the Hague, Netherlands. 1966(March): Returned to Ghana after coup and appointed Chairman of the National Advisory Committee of the NLC 1967 – 1968: Chairman, Centre for Civic Education (Combed the length and breath of the country as Chairman of the CCE and sold himself as the next leader) 1968: Member, Constitutional Review Committee (When the NLC lifted the ban on politics, Busia, together with friends in the defunct UP formed the Progress Party, PP) 1969: PP won the parliamentary elections of that year with 104 of the 105 seats contested 1969(October): Sworn-in as Prime Minister (Busia continued with NLC’s anti-Nkrumaist stance and adopted a liberalised economic system. The Alliance Compliance Order which forced about half million Nigerians out of Ghana and the devaluation of the cedi by 44 per cent in 1971 met with a lot of resistance from the public. While in Britain for a medical check-up, the army under Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong overthrew his government on January 13, 1972.