Benjamin Quartey-Papafio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benjamin Quartey-Papafio
MRCS (Lond)
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Quartey-Papafio, c. 1878 – c. 1894
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Benjamin William Quarteyquaye Quartey-Papafio
25 June 1859 |
| Died | 14 September 1924 (aged 65) |
| Nationality | British subject |
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Benjamin William Quarteyquaye Quartey-Papafio (born June 25, 1859 – died September 14, 1924) was a pioneering doctor and politician from the Gold Coast. This area is now known as Ghana. He was the very first Ghanaian to earn a medical degree. He was also the first to work as a modern-trained doctor in his home country.
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Early Life and Education
Benjamin Quartey-Papafio was born into an important family in Accra. His father was Chief William Quartey-Papafio. His mother, Momo Omedru, was a successful businesswoman.
Benjamin went to school in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He attended the CMS Grammar School and Fourah Bay College. After that, he traveled to Britain to continue his studies.
Becoming a Doctor
In Britain, Benjamin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Durham University. He then began studying medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College in 1882. Soon after, he moved to Edinburgh University.
He graduated from Edinburgh in 1886 with medical degrees (M.B. and M.Ch.). He also became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1896, he earned a special research medical degree (M.D.) from Edinburgh. His research paper was about a type of fever common in the Gold Coast.
His Brothers' Achievements
Benjamin had two notable brothers. Emmanuel William Kwate Quartey-Papafio was involved in farming and trade. Another brother, Arthur Boi Quartey-Papafio, became a lawyer. Arthur studied at Christ's College, Cambridge and was called to the Bar in London. He wrote many important works about the history and traditional laws of the Ga people in Accra. He also helped start the National Congress of British West Africa.
Career and Family Life
After finishing his studies, Benjamin Quartey-Papafio returned to the Gold Coast. He worked as a medical officer for the government from 1888 to 1905. He also had his own private medical practice.
Benjamin had three children with Hannah Maria Ekua Duncan. Later, in 1896, he married Eliza Sabina Meyer in London. They had six children together.
Public Service and Politics
Beyond his medical work, Benjamin was active in public life. He was a member of the Accra Town Council from 1909 to 1912. In 1911, he was part of a group that went to London to protest a new law called the Forest Bill. From 1919 to 1924, he served as a member of the Legislative Council. This council helped make laws for the Gold Coast. He was also a practicing Anglican Christian.
His Children's Contributions
Benjamin Quartey-Papafio made sure his children received good education in Britain. His daughters, Mercy, Ruby, and Grace, became teachers in the Gold Coast.
- Mercy ffoulkes-Crabbe was a trailblazer. She became the first Ghanaian headmistress at Cape Coast Government Girls School. She also helped Kwame Nkrumah and others work towards Ghana's independence. Her daughter, Nana Ffoulkes Crabbe-Johnson, became the first Ghanaian Professor and Head of Department in Anaesthesiology at a foreign medical institution. She was also the first female President of the West African College of Surgeons.
- Ruby Quartey-Papafio became an economist and a successful Headmistress at Accra Girls High School.
- His son, Percy, also trained as a doctor. However, he could not practice due to vision problems.
Benjamin Quartey-Papafio was also one of the key people who helped establish Achimota College. This famous school has played a big role in Ghana's education.
