Eldest son of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, dies at 89

The eldest son of Ghana’s first president Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Professor Francis Nkrumah, has passed on.

Indian author and editor Vijay Prashad announced his demise in a post on X on Sunday, June 30, 2024.

🧵Dr. Francis Nkrumah (1935-2024) has just died. He was the oldest son of Kwame Nkrumah. He spent his life as a paediatrician, highly loved by his patients. Dr. Nkrumah remained in Ghana after the coup against his father, and continued to work as a doctor and scientist. pic.twitter.com/fKM0h6mM52

— Vijay Prashad (@vijayprashad) June 30, 2024

He was 89 years old.

Taking to Facebook, the youngest son of the late president, Sekou Nkrumah, shared a picture with Professor Francis Nkrumah.

Although his photo did not include a message, the post has attracted goodwill and commiseration messages from some social media users.

Professor Francis Nkrumah’s passing marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to medical research and public health in Ghana and beyond.

Professor Francis Nkrumah was born to Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Madam Fanny Miller, who hailed from Elmina in the Central Region.

Professor Francis Nkrumah was the firstborn of the historic leader.

Dr Nkrumah met Miss Miller while teaching at a middle school in Amisano, near Elmina.

Their relationship blossomed, leading to the birth of Francis before Dr Nkrumah left Ghana to study at Lincoln University in the United Kingdom.

Upon Dr Nkrumah’s return to Ghana, his son Francis had already distinguished himself academically, attending St. Augustine’s College and excelling in his O Levels. By 1952, Dr Nkrumah had risen to become the leader of government business and was living with Francis in Accra New Town.

He secured a Cocobod scholarship for Francis to study medicine in Germany.

Professor Francis Nkrumah was the longest-serving Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).

He was highly regarded for his contributions to eradicating poliomyelitis in Africa and his pivotal role in establishing the Pediatric Association of Ghana and the West African College of Physicians.

In recognition of his efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region honoured Professor Nkrumah in October 2016 for his dedication to poliomyelitis eradication.

He received three awards for his service on the Africa Regional Certification Committee (ARCC), his work with the WHO Ghana office, and his tenure as chairman of the Regional Task Force on Immunization (TFI).