As part of Max Morning Dew’s agenda to educate Ghanaians on history, lawyer Frimpong Anokye, the renowned lawyer and historian and regular guest on the show revealed the contributions of JB Danquah.
JB Danquah, as told by lawyer Yaw Frimpong Anokye, was born into an Akyem Abuakwa royal family at Bepong in Kwahu. He had his early education at Kyebi and then Begoro.
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He later worked as an assistant to many lawyers which sparked his interest in law and decided to study abroad at the University of London where he earned his first degree and Ph.D. and achieved the record for the first West African to acquire a Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of London.
He returned to the Gold Coast after his studies in 1927. He established an association with Casely Hayford that aimed at aiding students which was the Gold Coast Youth Conference, where JB Danquah served as secretary general.
In 1946 he got involved in politics and governance and served as a member of the legislative council, present day parliament.
JB Danquah was a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), a political party that aided in gaining independence for Gold Coast, now Ghana.
Danquah stood as a presidential candidate against Kwame Nkrumah in April 1960 but lost the election. On 3 October 1961, Danquah was arrested under the Preventive Detention Act, on the grounds of involvement with alleged plans to subvert the CPP government. He was released on 22 June 1962. He was later elected president of the Ghana Bar Association.
Danquah was again arrested on 8 January 1964, for allegedly being implicated in a plot against the President. He suffered a heart attack and died while in detention at Nsawam Medium Prison on 4 February 1965.
