The Anum Traditional Council in Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region has bemoaned failure by the state to build a deserving monument in honor of the illustrious daughter of the land – Theodosia Okoh, the woman who designed the Ghana Flag.
The traditional council says naming a hockey pitch after she is woefully inadequate to serve as a memorial monument for generations.
The acting President of Anum Traditional Council Okogyeaman Nenye Kwasi Anyane speaking to Mybrytfmonline.com said the community with support from Thomas Ampem Nyarko, then DCE for the area erected a statue in Anum Community to honor the late Theodosia Okoh when she passed on in 2015 however the monument needs to upgrade to become a tourist center.
He appealed to the government to construct a befitting monument in the hometown of Theodosia Okoh to honor and inspire future generations.
“Apart from the Hockey pitch named after her, there is nothing monumental done for Theodosia Okoh. Even the statue at Anum- her hometown was built by ourselves we want the government to help us build a museum to preserve the historic contribution of the Theodosia Okoh to inspire generations”. Okogyeaman Nenye Kwasi Anyane said.
Gov’t failed to support her funeral
The Anum Traditional Council in Asuogyaman revealed that the government of Ghana did not support the burial and funeral rite of the late Theodosia Okoh the Ghanaian woman who designed the Ghana flag.
The acting President of Anum Traditional Council Okogyeaman Nenye Kwasi Anyane speaking to Mybrytfmonline.com on 6th March 2021 said the state burial and other expenses of the funeral were borne by the family stating that the government failed to fulfill a GHc20,000 promised made to support the family of Theodosia Okoh for the funeral.
The Chief said “during her funeral government didn’t even help the family, Government promised to give the family Ghc20,000 but it never came we paid for everything including the grave at Osu Cemetery government didn’t give us a penny”
Theodosia Salome Abena Kumea Asihene was born the eighth child of her parents, on 13 June 1922, in Effiduase, in the Gold Coast. Her father was Reverend Emmanuel Victor Asihene( the first black moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana) and her mother was Madam Dora Asihene.
Both parents were from Anum in the Asuogyaman district of the Eastern Region.
She attended Ashanti Efiduasi primary school, Basel Mission for her Middle school, later the Achimota School, and finally the teacher training school in Agogo. She was trained for three years in fine art.
Theodosia Oko got married to Enoch Kwabena Okoh the Head of Civil Service in Kwame Nkrumah’s regime whom she had three children.
Kwame Nkrumah chose her design out of many submitted to become the national flag of Ghana. Her design has been Ghana’s flag design since March 6, 1957.
Madam Okoh was the first female Chairperson of the Ghana Hockey Association.
Ghana first qualified for both the Hockey World Cup and Olympic Games during her tenure
Theodosia Salome Okoh passed on in April 19, 2015 at age 92.
She was buried in May 2015.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
