Theresa Kufuor: All about the former First Lady of Ghana
Ghana has produced some notable politicians. Among them is John Kufuor, a Ghanaian politician who served as the President of Ghana from 2001 to 2009. His wife, Theresa Kufuor, the former First Lady of Ghana, helped serve the people in various capacities. The news of her death in late 2023 left many appalled, trying to find more answers about her death and more.
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Theresa Kufuor is famous for her role in the political scene as the wife of the Second President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. She served for two terms in the same capacity but maintained a low profile in the political scene.
Profile summary
| Full name | Theresa Mensah Kufuor |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 25 October 1935 |
| Date of death | 1 October 2023 |
| Age | 87 (at the time of her death) |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Place of birth | Wenchi, Brong Ahafo, Gold Coast |
| Died | Peduase, Ghana |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Mother | Rose Mensah (née Maame Abena Tabuaa) |
| Father | Joseph Henry Mensah (Snr) |
| Siblings | Nine |
| Marital status | Married |
| Husband | John Kufuor |
| Children | Five |
| School | Catholic Convent, OLA |
| College | Southern Hospital Group of Nursing |
| Profession | Nurse, midwife |
Theresa Kufuor's biography
Theresa Aba Mensah was born on 25 October 1935 in Kumasi. She died on 1 October 2023. Theresa Kufuor's age at death was 87. Theresa's parents are the late Joseph Henry Mensah (Snr), a colonial civil servant originally from Elmina and Rose Mensah (née Maame Abena Tabuaa).
Theresa Kufuor has nine siblings. His late older brother Joseph Henry Mensah, born in 1928 and died on 12 July 2018, was a Ghanaian politician and economist.
Educational background
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Theresa attended St Benedict's before transitioning to Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) girls' boarding school in the Volta Region. After Standard 7, she decided to work at Komfo Anokye Hospital as a staff nurse. Theresa would later go to London to improve her nursing skills.
Between 1958 and 1961, she trained as a registered general nurse at the Edinburgh Southern Hospitals School of Nursing. She completed her Midwifery (Part I) in Oxford in 1962, followed by Part II at Paddington General Hospital in London.
Theresa also undertook a course in premature baby nursing in 1963 and obtained a certificate in advanced nursing administration from the Royal College of Nursing in 1980.
Career
Theresa Kufuor had a remarkable career in the nursing and social work fields. She worked as a registered nurse and midwife in the UK and Ghana. After returning to Ghana in 1965, Theresa began working at Tech Hospital on the University of Science and Technology campus. In 1973, she joined the newly established Cocoa Clinic as the first matron.
She quit in 1981 following political tensions in the country, going into self-employment.
In 2000, Theresa became the first lady of Ghana following her husband's victory in the country's general elections. During her tenure, from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009, Theresa spearheaded several projects aimed at social development. Here are some of her notable projects:
- Mother and Child Community Development Foundation (MCCDF): Founded in 2002, the MCCDF is a non-governmental organization operating in Ghana and Canada. The foundation supports work in the prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission from mother to child.
- Policy changes in education: In 2007, she pushed for policy changes in the Government's white paper on educational reforms towards implementing UNESCO's Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) program for kindergarten children.
Marriage and family
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Theresa married John Agyekum Kufuor in 1962—Kufuor was 23, and she was 27. The couple had met at a Republic Day Anniversary Dance in London in 1961. They had five children: J. Addo Kufuor, Nana Ama Gyamfi, Saah Kufuor, Agyekum Kufuor, and Owusu Afriyie Kufuor. The couple had a long and fruitful marriage, lasting 61 years.
John Agyekum Kufuor is a Ghanaian businessman and politician who served as the President of Ghana from 2001 to 2009. He was educated at Prempeh College in Kumasi and Great Britain and was called to the bar in 1961 at Lincoln's Inn, London. After completing his education, Kufuor returned to Ghana and launched his political career.
He helped found the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and, in 1996, became the party's candidate for president. John won the runoff election in 2000, capturing 57 per cent of the vote, starting his presidential term on 7 January 2001. How old is Kufuor? As of November 2023, he is 84, having been born on 8 December 1938.
Is Theresa Kufuor alive?
The former first lady died in Peduase, Ghana, on 1 October 2023. She was buried on 18 November 2023 in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana, following a memorial mass and state funeral at the forecourt of the state at State House on 16 November 2023.
What was Theresa Kufuor's cause of death?
The cause of her death was reportedly related to a declining health condition in recent years. According to ex-President Kufuor's spokesperson, Theresa had been facing health challenges for nearly eight years leading up to her passing.
FAQs
- How old was Theresa Kufuor? She was 87 years old at the time of her death on 1 October 2023. She was born on 25 October 1935.
- What is Theresa Kufuor's hometown? Theresa was born in Wenchi, a town in the Bono region of Ghana.
- How old is President Kufuor? As of November 2023, he is 84 years old, having been born on 8 December 1938.
- Who is ex-President Kufuor's wife? The ex-President's wife was Theresa Kufuor. She was the First Lady of Ghana during his presidency from 2001 to 2009.
- Who was Theresa Kufuor's husband? Theresa was married to former President John Kufuor.
- Did Theresa Kufuor have any children? Theresa had five children: J. Addo Kufuor, Nana Ama Gyamfi, Saah Kufuor, Agyekum Kufuor, and Owusu Afriyie Kufuor.
- What was Theresa Kufuor's profession? Theresa was a registered nurse and midwife. She worked in both the UK and Ghana.
Theresa Kufuor is a former Ghanaian nurse and midwife famously known as the wife of the second President of the Republic of Ghana. Despite her position as the first lady of Ghana for eight years, Theresa maintained a low profile in the political arena. Theresa Kufuor died at the age of 87 at her home in Peduase, Ghana, on 1 October 2023.
Yen.com.gh published Samira Bawumia's biography. Samira Bawumia is famous for her role in the political scene—she is the wife of the vice president of Ghana. She has been a constant feature on the scene after her husband won the elections in Ghana twice.
Samira Bawumia is a Ghanaian politician and the Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana. Her husband is the fifth Vice President of the Fourth Ghanaian Republic. But aside from her career as a renowned politician and second lady, what else do you know about her?
Source: YEN.com.gh
