Kojo Botsio
Kojo Botsio ( born February 21, 1916 Winneba, Ghana; † 6 February 2001) was one of the most famous politicians and diplomats of the former British colony of the Gold Coast and in the early days of what is now Ghana. Kojo Botsio was considered an important proponent of the Ghanaian independence movement and was a member of the first Ghanaian Cabinet after independence on 6 March 1957.
Training
Botsio visited both the Catholic primary school and the secondary school in Cape Coast. Later he attended the Adisadel College, where he obtained the Cambridge degree ( Cambridge School Certificate ) to switch to the Achimota College. At Achimota College, where he was trained as a teacher.
First Botsio worked as a teacher at St. Augustine 's College and later transferred to the University of Sierra Leone ( Fourah Bay College ) in Sierra Leone in order to deposit his Bachelor. In Sierra Leone, he taught in Freetown at St. Edward's Secondary School to switch later to Brasenose College, Oxford University in Great Britain. At Oxford he graduated in Geography and Education.
Career
Already during his studies in the UK learned Botsio other Ghanaians know and quickly joined the independence movement, in which he played an important role. Botsio was treasurer of the Association of West African National Secretariat. Also, the West African Students ' Union Botsio joined with the demand for Ghana's independence from the colonial power.
After studying in the UK Botsio went back to Ghana and became a member of the first party of the Gold Coast, the United Gold Coast Convention ( UGCC ) with further independence fighters such as JB Danquah, Kwame Nkrumah, William Ofori - Atta and others. In 1948, the leadership of politicians struggle for independence began to drift apart. Nkrumah then left the UGCC and founded on June 12, 1949 his own radical aligned Convention People's Party. Botsio and Komla Agbeli Gbedemah followed Nkrumah in the new party and were the closest confidant to the forming opposition from old companions.
On 9 January 1950 the CPP organized a national strike of the masses, the people rose against the British colonial power. British products were boycotted by the masses, but the resistance should be settled peacefully. Despite the call for peaceful resistance, two policemen were shot during the resting of. The leaders of the CPP, including Nkrumah, Botsio and Gbedemah were detained in prison in Accra James Fort on 21 January 1950. Was justified, the adhesive with the deadly consequences of organized by the CPP leadership strikes. This adhesive made the CPP leadership to national heroes, the number of followers increased. After his release, the CPP leadership continued to work on the other founding of the state of independent Ghana. Elections brought an overwhelming majority. Nkrumah, and with him Botsio and Gbedemah were leading members of the first Ghanaian Cabinet after independence on 6 March 1957.
Botsio was among Ghana's Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah Minister of Trade and operation between 1957 and 1958. Afterwards he went to the official successor of Nkrumah, Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs 1958-1958. Kkrumah had initially exercised this post in addition to his duties as prime minister himself. Botsio was replaced by Ebenezer Ako Adjei - in office. Kojo Botsio was considered a right hand Nkrumah while Komla Agbeli Gbedemah (Finance Minister) was designated as the left hand of the president.
In 1961 Botsio held the office of Minister of Agriculture after Nkrumah had become now after the Constitution of 1960 the first President of Ghana. Already in 1963 appointed Nkrumah Botsio again as foreign minister. A post he held until 1965.
In addition to the positions as Foreign Minister and Minister of Trade and Labor Botsio was temporarily Minister of Education and Social Services, Minister of Transport and Communications and Minister of Construction.
After the coup against Nkrumah and the seizure of power by the National Liberation Council (NLC ) Botsios political career seemed over. But it was after the transfer of the military dictatorship of the NLC in the second republic under the government of Kofi Busia Abrefa to the opponent Busia. Botsio regarded as supporters of the second military coup by Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
Family and death
The parents of Botsio were Edward Kojo Botsio from Elmina and Ama Amina from Apam.
Botsio was married to Ruth Botsio and had with her two children together. His wife supported her husband's politics, and was himself politically active in the women's work of the ruling party CPP. Ruth Botsio wore her travels in the rural areas of the country crucial to the spread of the freedom movement in colonial times at.
Botsio was given after his death on 6 February 2001, a state funeral at the cemetery in Osu ( Osu Cemetery ), in Accra.