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Ashanti prince Kwasi Boakye was the first black Mining Engineer in the world
Ghana

Ashanti prince Kwasi Boakye was the first black Mining Engineer in the world

by  Nathaniel Crabbe 2 min read

Born a royal in April 24, 1827, Kwasi Boakye, was the oldest son of Kwaku Dua, king of the Ashanti Kingdom and the eventual African prince of the Ashanti empire, who was sent to the Netherlands to receive training in Engineering.

Kwasi Boakye was a Mining Engineer who was born a Prince of the Ashanti Empire to king of the Ashanti Kingdom, Kwaku Dua and was later sent to the Netherlands to receive training in Engineering.

Together with his cousin Kwame Poku, he was sent in 1837 by his king to the Netherlands to receive education, as part of larger negotiations between Ashanti about the recruitment of Ashanti soldiers for the Dutch East Indies army.

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Although Kwame Poku did return to the Gold Coast as planned, Kwasi Boakye stayed in the Netherlands.

Ashanti prince Kwasi Boakye was the first black Mining Engineer in the world
Prince Kwasi Boakye. Photo credit: UGC
Source: UGC

He was trained as a Mining Engineer at the fore-runner of Delft University, where he graduated in 1847. In July, 1847, he heard lectures at the Bergakademie at Freiberg, Germany.

During his studies, he stayed with Caroline Geudtner at Petersstrasse.

In 1850, he was sent to the Dutch East Indies, where he was discriminated against by his superior, Cornelius de Groot van Embden, for which he received financial compensation in 1857.

As part of the compensation, he was awarded an estate in Bantar Peteh, south of Buitenzorg.

Prince Kwasi Boakye died on this estate in 1904.

Meanwhile, for those who by virtue of the circumstances surrounding their birth have been moved to inquire into the ‘who’ and ‘what’ ‘Ananse’ can possibly be, YEN.com.gh is more than glad to share with you some tales.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Nathaniel Crabbe avatar

Nathaniel Crabbe (Human-Interest editor) Nathaniel Crabbe is a journalist and editor with a degree in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, where he graduated in 2015. He earned his master's from UPSA in December 2023. Before becoming an editor/writer of political/entertainment and human interest stories at Asaase Radio, Crabbe was a news reporter at TV3 Ghana. With experience spanning over ten years, he now works at YEN.com.gh as a human interest editor. You can reach him via nathaniel.crabbe@yen.com.gh.

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