A nephew of Ghana’s national flag designer, Theodosia Okoh, has raised concerns over the portrait featured on the new GH¢50 banknote, claiming that the woman depicted is his mother, Dr Letitia Obeng.
Dr Eddie Obeng, a Ghanaian academic, said he initially welcomed the news that his aunt, Theodosia Okoh, would be honoured on one of the Bank of Ghana’s new Heritage Series banknotes.
However, after examining the note more closely, he said he realised that the portrait appeared to be that of his mother instead.
In a LinkedIn post, Dr Obeng recounted his surprise at the discovery.
“Imagine my surprise when I took a look and realised that they have used a picture of my mother instead. She’s famous for being the country’s first lady PhD,” he wrote, adding: “You can’t make it up.”
Dr Letitia Obeng is a renowned Ghanaian zoologist widely recognised as the first Ghanaian woman to obtain a doctorate. She was the sister of Theodosia Okoh.
Dr Obeng said the discovery had left him amused, describing it as something that had given him “a wry smile on my face that won’t go away,” while occasionally making him shake his head or giggle.
Theodosia Okoh, a teacher and artist, designed Ghana’s national flag, which features the red, gold and green colours and the black star. The flag was adopted when Ghana gained independence in 1957.
Beyond her contribution to Ghana’s national identity, Okoh also played a significant role in promoting hockey in the country. She died in April 2015.
