Samia Nkrumah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samia Nkrumah
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Nkrumah in 2009
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| Chairperson of the Convention People's Party | |
| In office September 2011 – September 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Ladi Nylander |
| Succeeded by | Edmund N. Delle |
| Member of Parliament for Jomoro constituency |
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| In office 7 January 2009 – 6 January 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Lee Ocran |
| Succeeded by | Francis Kabenlah Anaman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah
23 June 1960 Aburi, Ghana |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Michele Melega |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents | Kwame Nkrumah (father) Fathia Nkrumah (mother) |
| Relatives | Gamal Nkrumah (brother) |
| Alma mater | School of Oriental and African Studies |
| Website | Party website |
Honourable Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah (born on June 23, 1960) is a Ghanaian politician. She was the first woman to lead a major political party in Ghana. This party was the Convention People's Party (CPP).
In the 2008 election, she won a seat in the Jomoro area. She is the daughter of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who was Ghana's first President.
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Early Life and Education
Samia was born in Aburi, Ghana, in 1960. When she was young, her family had to leave Ghana. This happened in 1966 after a military coup.
Her family moved to Egypt. Later, in 1975, they returned to Ghana. Samia attended Achimota School there. She left Ghana again in the early 1980s.
She went to London and studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies. This is part of the University of London in the United Kingdom. She earned a degree in Arabic Studies in 1991. She also completed a Master's degree at the same school in 1993.
Career and Work
Samia Nkrumah began her career as a bank clerk. She worked at the London branch of the Bank of India in 1984. After that, she became a journalist.
From 1989, she worked for Al-Ahram, a newspaper. In 2024, she started a project for a coconut factory. This factory is in the Jomoro area. The goal is to make Jomoro a global center for coconut processing. This project aims to improve the lives of people there.
Political Journey
Samia Nkrumah's impact on politics has been noted. The Huffington Post once called her "The new Mandela is a woman." She helped start Africa Must Unite. This group works to promote the ideas of her father, Kwame Nkrumah.
She decided to become active in Ghanaian politics. In 2023, she planned to run for the Jomoro seat. She ran as an independent candidate in the 2024 Ghanaian general election.
Samia Nkrumah has spoken out on important issues. She urged the president to reject a bill. She called it "brutal, harsh, and unjust." This bill was passed by Ghana's parliament in February 2024. It increased penalties and criminalized certain actions. It also criminalized not reporting people or sharing content that promoted prohibited activities.
Many important people, including Samia Nkrumah, asked the president to reject the bill. Ghana's finance minister also warned that the bill could harm the country's economy.
Member of Parliament
In December 2008, she ran for the Jomoro seat. This is in the Western Region of Ghana. She won against the person who held the seat before. That person was Lee Ocran from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Samia won with a majority of 6,571 votes. She received about 50% of all the votes. She was the only CPP member in parliament. She chose to work with the NPP. They were the minority party in the 5th Parliament of Ghana's 4th Republic. She served as the representative for Jomoro from 2009 to 2013.
Chairperson of CPP
Samia Nkrumah made history by becoming the first woman to lead a major political party in Ghana. This was the Convention People's Party (CPP). Her victory, along with three other women in the party, was seen as a new beginning for the CPP. It also showed the party's long history of supporting women's rights.
She was elected as the first woman chairperson of the CPP on September 10, 2011. She won with 1,191 votes. The person she ran against received 353 votes. She held this important role until 2015.
Personal Life
Samia is the second child of Kwame Nkrumah and Fathia Nkrumah. Kwame Nkrumah was Ghana's first Prime Minister and President of Ghana. He led Ghana to become independent from Britain in 1957.
Her father was a strong supporter of pan-Africanism. This idea promotes unity among African people. He helped create the Organization of African Unity. He also won the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962.
Samia has two brothers, Gamal Nkrumah and Sekou Nkrumah. She also has an older half-brother, Professor Francis Nkrumah. He is a retired doctor and lecturer. He worked at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Ghana. In July 2023, she had a discussion with her brother Sekou about their father.
After her father was overthrown in 1966, Samia, her mother, and brothers had to leave Ghana. They went to Cairo, Egypt. This was arranged by Egyptian President, Gamal Abdel Nasser. Her father went to live in Guinea.
Samia is married to Michele Melega, who is Italian-Danish. They have a son named Kwame Thomas Melega. Samia can speak Arabic, Italian, Danish, and English. She has worked as a journalist and media consultant for many years. She also supports ending child marriage and helping women.
