Father’s Day: Kojo Oppong Nkrumah Recalls Tough Love Lessons From Strict Dad

• Kojo Oppong Nkrumah shared a touching Father's Day tribute, recalling the strict upbringing by his late father, Kwame Oppong
• The Ofoase-Ayirebi MP reflected on fatherhood, mentioning father figures like Mensa Otabil, Kwasi Twum, and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
• The Ghanaian politician acknowledged the impacts of his father figures and how they shaped his relationship with his four children

Ghanaian politician and lawyer, Kojo Vincent Oppong Nkrumah, in celebration of World Father's Day, shared an emotional tribute by reflecting on the life lessons he learned from his 'strict' father.

Many Ghanaians marked Sunday, June 15, as a day of honouring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

On Sunday, June 15, 2025, people from all walks of life around the world proudly marked Father's Day, showing appreciation for their dads and honouring the vital role fathers play in society.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Member of Parliament for the Ofoase-Ayirebi constituency, recounted the days when his father, Kwame Oppong Nkrumah, was still alive.

The 43-year-old politician, during an interview, spoke about how strict his father was when he was young. Describing his father as having a military man personality, he also recounted the name his family used in identifying him.

"My name is Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofaose Ayirebi and the ranking member on the committee on Economy and Development in Parliament."

"I had a very strict, almost military captain kind of father. We used to call him a killer at home," the legislator said via his official social media platforms.

According to the politician, his father, Kwame Oppong, came from a poor background while growing up, and all he wanted was to raise his children in the right way. However, he was very tough as he wanted to protect his kids from the harsh realities of life.

He said:

"He had grown up from a very poor background and had been very tough on himself, and wanted to ensure that he raised us right. So he was a very strict, difficult-to-please, almost impossible-to-please kind of father."

Politician Kojo Oppong speaks on father figures

The father of four also spoke of how he has a lot of father figures he looks up to for guidance and advice.

He mentioned Mensa Otabil, a Ghanaian theologian, motivational speaker, and the founder of International Central Gospel Church, in Accra, Ghana as one of the men he counts on to guide him in the right direction.

He also mentioned Mr Kwasi Twum, a visionary and founder of The Multimedia Group, Ghana's largest independent commercial broadcasting and publishing stable. According to him, he goes to Mr Kwasi to seek direction on important matters and to consult on issues before coming up with crucial decisions.

Kojo also mentioned former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) bigwig Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, whom he described as a brother, as one of his mentors.

In his words;

"I have a number of father figures in my life. So somebody like Dr. Mensa Otabil is somebody I try to spend some time with to get guidance and advice."

"My former boss, Mr. Kwasi Twum, is like a father figure in my life. Every now and then I, myself, and my family will go to him, maybe generally but also specifically on some matters I'm contemplating or looking for direction on as well. And then, for example, somebody like Dr. Bawumia is like a father figure to me. He is more like a big brother, you know, to me."

Watch the video of his interview below:

Who is Kojo Oppong Nkrumah?

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is an influential Ghanaian politician, lawyer, and former journalist. As the Minister for Information, and MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi (in the Eastern region of Ghana), he has been involved in government communications and interactions with the public during the presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Kojo was born on April 5, 1982, and became a known personality in Ghana as a journalist and as a morning show host with Joy FM (a leading radio station in Ghana). He subsequently trained as lawyer and politician upon being called to the Ghana Bar and obtaining a law degree. He also has an MBA in Marketing and has obtained degrees from both The University of Cape Coast and The University of Ghana.

He has been commended for his eloquent, calm and strategic approaches to public communication in the practice of governance, especially during national occasions like elections, health crises and economic matters. As the Minister for information, he has been a pivotal figure at the forefront of government transparency, and has engaged actively in government relations with the media.

He might also be categorized as part of the next generation of Ghanaian political leadership--articulate, educated, media wise, and active in matters of policy and public interest.

Anthony Joshua, Mahama share Father’s Day gifts

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that in celebration of World Father's Day, two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, on Sunday, June 15, joined President John Dramani Mahama and his children at the Ringway Gospel Centre-Assemblies of God Church to celebrate Father’s Day.

After the service, President Mahama and Anthony Joshua gifted boxes to male congregants as a gesture of appreciation.

They were joined by Sharaf, Farida, and Shahid Mahama, while several dignitaries, including GACL Deputy Manager Obuobia Darko-Opoku, were also present.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh