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Sally Mugabe (center) Photo by James F. Clawson – Wikimedia

Top 10 Most Famous Ghanaian people

There are people whose voices matter in every society. They are not only an influence in their country but far and beyond too. Their influence brings with it great opportunities for society.

Ghana, formerly the gold coast, is home to some of the most influential and famous people in the world.

This country is popularly known for its cacao production, jollof rice and the traditional Kinte fabric.

It is also a cultural hotspot with several ethnic groups, each distinct from the other. The people here have influenced the world to be it in politics, sports, literature, entertainment or activism.

It is no doubt that these people have left an indelible mark all over the world. From a UN Secretary-General, Nobel Laureate and award-winning actors, the list goes on.

 I have put together a list of the top 10 most famous Ghanaians below.

1. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo – President

Photo by Graham Carlow – Wikimedia

We start with the man at the top, the 5^th President of Ghana.  

Nana Addo Akuffo-Addo is one of the most famous Ghanaians, not just because of his political position but other humanitarian and activism he led.

He also acts as the champion for Gender and Development in the African Union. President Nana has been at the forefront fighting for justice and equal rights for the poor.

As a trained lawyer, he has led several protests calling for better living standards for Ghanaians. These are some of the attributes that got him elected as president.  

His campaign in 2019, the Year of Return, saw hundreds of African-Americans travel to Ghana to reconnect with their roots. The country collected revenue of 1.9 billion that year.  Way to go Mr President.

2. Shatta Wale – artist

Wale, as he is popularly known, is one of the most successful artists from Ghana. He is also not short of controversies.

Born Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jnr., he has gone to be famous not only in Ghana but also worldwide. He has a large following on social media.

Wale is known to speak his mind and call out production houses in Accra that did not award deserving artists.

He is also known to rub shoulders with his fellow artists, it is such incidences that get him in the gossip blogs.     

Event organizers never miss to include him in their shows since he pulls the crowd and tickets sale out.

Shatta Wale has been featured in Beyoncé’s Lion King album. He also gives back to society through his philanthropy work.  

3. Kofi Annan – Diplomat

Photo by By Hecker – Wikimedia

Kofi Annan was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.

Annan was the founder and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation. His foundation strives to act as a catalyst for lasting peace and human rights.

In 2001, he and the UN received the Nobel Peace Prize. He launched the UN Global Compact and worked to combat HIV/AIDS.

One of his greatest achievements is said to be setting targets such as reducing poverty and child mortality in the Millennium Development Goals.  

Kofi Annan died in August 2018 at the age of 80 in a hospital in Bern, Switzerland, after a brief illness.

4. Asamoah Gyan – footballer

One of the most celebrated professional footballers in Ghana is Asamoah Gyan. His influence is not only in his home country but worldwide too.

He played for NorthEAst United and was at one time the captain of the Black Stars, Ghanaian National Football Team.

Gyan has played in 3 FIFA World Cups. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Gyan missed a penalty that saw his team kicked out of the finals.

Other than excelling on the football field, Gyan is a philanthropist and spends his spare time inspiring young people.

AS part of the Black Stars, loves boxing too and has hosted a couple of boxing events.

5. Van Vicker – Actor

Photo by HarleyBruce – Wikimedia

When it comes to the film industry in Ghana, one name that is synonymous with that scene is Joseph van Vicker. He is a household name not only in Ghana but in Africa and globally.

Van Vicker is not only an actor but also a film director. He owns a film production company.

In 2008, he received two nominations for “Best Actor in a Leading Role” and “Best Upcoming Actor” at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.

He also doubles up as a radio presenter. In all his movie roles, Van Vicker always takes the leading role depicting his romantic demeanour.

6. Jackie Appiah – Actress

Appiah is a Canadian-Ghanaian is best known for her roles in Ghanaian movies. She is also one of the Ghanaian celebrities with the most followers on social media.

AS one of the most successful Ghanaian actresses, Appiah has received several awards and nominations. In 2010, she bagged the Best Actress Award in a Leading Role.

She has also been nominated as the Best Upcoming Actress at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.

In 2013, she won the Best International Actress award at the Papyrus Magazine Screen Actors Awards (PAMSAA) 2013 which was held in Abuja, Nigeria.

7. Michaela Coel – Screen Writer/ Producer/ Actress

Photo courtesy of Peabody Awards – Wikimedia

Michaela Coel is a British-Ghanaian actress, screenwriter, director, producer and singer. Her sitcom Chewing Gum that was aired on Netflix was one of the most-watched shows.

This TV Series got her the BAFTA Awards for Best Female Comedy Performance. In 2021, she won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for her role in the series I May Destroy You.

Her series I May Kill You made Michaela the first black woman to win-win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special.

8. Esther Afua Ocloo – Business Woman

Another famous Ghanaian woman is Esther Ocloo. She is a successful businesswoman and also the founder of Women’s World Banking.

Esther started small by selling marmalade in Ghanaian streets before moving to England. She studied agriculture and food technology and later opened a micro-lending business.

Through this platform, Esther was able to lobby for the economic empowerment of poor women and their families. Her dream was to see women in Ghana economically independent.

She is one of the most celebrated entrepreneurs in Ghana. Her efforts to raise the living standards of women in Ghana garnered her world-world recognition.

In 1975, Esther was invited to the first United Nations World Conference on Women.

9. Yaa Gyasi – Author

Photo courtesy of Bank Square Books – Wikimedia

Yaa Gyasi was born in Mampong, Ghana. Her father is a professor of French at the University of Alabama while her mother is a nurse. She grew up in Huntsville, Alabama.  

Gyasi is popularly known for her novel Home Going. Growing up in Alabama, she found solace in books and was close to her brothers.

Inspired by Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, Gyasi was certain she wanted to pursue a writing career.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University and later a Master of Fine Arts from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a creative writing program at the University of Iowa.

Her novel has been selected for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Award, the PEN/Hemingway Award for the best first book, and the American Book Award for contributions to diversity in American literature.

10. Sally Mugabe – Political Activist

Sally Mugabe (centre) Photo by James F. Clawson – Wikimedia

Although born and bred in Ghana, Sally got married to Robert Mugabe and was the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1987 to 1992. Zimbabweans referred to her as Amai, meaning mother.

She came from a political family and was part of the nationalist politics in the colonial Gold Coast. Sally trained as a teacher and met her husband, Mugabe, at Takoradi Teacher Training College.

While working as a teacher in Zimbabwe, Sally continued her activism and mobilized women to challenge the Southern Rhodesian constitution.

In 1967, Sally went into exile in London 1967. She spent 8 years fighting for the release of political detainees in Rhodesia. Her husband was detained for 10 years.

She died in 1992.