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J.B. Danquah Memorial Lectures
J.B. Danquah

The J. B. Danquah Memorial Lecture Series was instituted in 1968 in memory of a foundation member of the Aca-demy, Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah, who died in prison in February 1965, fighting for freedom in all its manifestations. Described as the ‘doyen of Gold Coast politics’, J. B. Danquah was a lawyer, statesman, philosopher, scholar, novelist, dramatist, and journalist. In the words of Mr. Justice Nii Armaah Ollennu, Chairman of the Interim Council of the Academy in 1967, “As a statesman of the first rank, J. B. Danquah’s indomitable courage and his relentless fight against tyranny and oppres-sion to the very last day of his life, will remain a shining example to all lovers of freedom.” The event consists of a series of three lectures delivered by either a fellow or a distinguished non-fellow.

The themes for the Danquah Memorial lectures were originally restricted to fields like law, history, philosophy and literature, disciplines whose study occupied the greater part of J. B. Danquah’s academic pursuits.

His Excellency W. B. Van Lare, a foundation member of the Academy, who at the time was Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, and had had a long and distinguished career at the bench, delivered the maiden Danquah memorial lecture in 1968. The lecture was on the topic, ‘The Law, Human Rights and the Judiciary.’

The Danquah Memorial Lecture series remained within the domain of the humanities, until 1976, when Professor F. T. Sai gave the first science lecture on an otherwise humanities dominated platform.

Lectures delivered to date
J.B. Danquah
1968The Law, Human Rights and the Judiciary.W. B. Van Lare
1969Some Fundamentals in the Political Scene.C. A. Ackah
1970The Role of Educated Persons in Ghana.R. K. A. Gardiner
1971Institutional Challenges of Our Times.K. Bentsi-Enchill
1972The Commonwealth in Eclipse.Dennis Austen
1973The Public Service and Administration of Public Affairs in Ghana.A. L. Adu
1974The Man J.B. Danquah.Joe Appiah
1975Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford, the Man of Vision and Faith.L. Ofosu-Appiah
1976Humanising Science and Technology for National Development.*F. T. Sai
1977Aspects of Religion and Life in Africa.K. A. Dickson
1978African Unity – The Dream and the Reality.E. A. Boateng
1979Higher Education and Development in Africa.A. A. Kwapong
1980Environmental Management and the Responsibility of the Privileged.*L. E. Obeng
1981Theology as Liberation: For Contemporary Third World Programme.C. G. Baeta
1982The Cultural Basis of Our National Development.K. Twum Barima
1983The Urban-Rural Contrast in Ghana and its Implication for Development.K. B. Dickson
1984Traditional Medicine in Ghana: Practice, Problems and Prospects.E. Evans-Anfom
1985Ghana, a Nation in CrisisWilliam Ofori Atta
1986Language and Nationhood: Reflections on Language Situations with Particular Reference to Ghana.R. F. Amonoo
1987Science and Society in Ghana.E. Laing
1988The Ghanaian Sphinx: Reflections on the Contemporary History of Ghana, 1972.A. Adu Boahen
1989Medical Education and National Development in Africa.E. Q. Archampong
1990West Africa and the Arab World: Historical and Contemporary Perspective.J. O. Hunwick
1991Children’s Literature – The Ghanaian Experience.J.O. de Graft-Hanson
1992The Two Cultures Revisited: Interactions of Science and Culture.D. A. Akyeampong
1993The Health Issues of Human Reproduction of Our Time.D. A. Ampofo
1994Linguistic Barriers to Communication in the Modern World.L. A. Boadi
1995An Anatomy of Modern GhanaJ. M. Assimeng
1996Flexibility and Responsiveness to the Economy of Ghana.J. H. Frimpong-Ansah
1997Closing the North-South Gap; a Personal Point of View.J. K. M. Quartey
1998Veterinary Medicine in the Service of Mankind.E. N. W. Oppong
1999Beyond Cultures: Perceiving a Common Humanity.K. Gyekye
2000Education in Ghana: A Tool for Social Mobility or Social Stratification.Ivan Addae-Mensah
2001Technology for Development.E. Lartey
2002Reflections on the Constitution, Law and Development.Nana S. K. B. Asante
2003Training the Next Generation of Scientists.Marian E. Addy
2004Religion, Culture and Language: An Appreciation of the Intellectual Legacy of Dr. J. B. Danquah.K. Bediako
2005The Origins of Disease and the Future of Our Health.S. Ofosu-Amaah
2006Education, Literacy and Governance: A Linguistic Inquiry into Ghana’s Burgeoning Democracy.Kwesi Yankah
2007Ghana and the Promotion of Pan-Africanism and Regionalism.S. K. B. Asante
2008On Law and Liberty in Contemporary Ghana.S. K. Date-Bah
2009Genital and Urinary (GU) Disorders and Services in Ghana: The Past, Present and Future.E. D. Yeboah
2010Institutional Responses to the Challenges of Nationhood and Democratic Governance in Ghana.A.K.P. Kludze
2011The Earth that Nourishes Us: Soils and Humanity.S. K. A. Danso
2012Government and the Private Sector: Partners in Economic Development.K. O. Nti
2013Leadership and the Ghanaian State Today: Reflections and Perspectives.J. R. A. Ayee
2014Ghana’s Polarised Political Terrain.A. B. Akosa
2015Human Capital and Economic Growth in GhanaK. Ewusi
2016Dr. J.B. Danquah: The Great Cultured Ghanaian Scholar and PatriotK. Donkoh Fordwor
2017Peace and Security: An African Christian Theological ContributionJohn S. Pobee
2018Women in History: The Case of Ghana – Pre-Colonial, Colonial and Post-Colonial.A. A. Perbi
2019Religion and ScienceP.K. Sarpong
2020Dr. J.B. Danquah: Unfinished Business in Voices from Behind the BarsLade Wosornu
2021The Family Our Nation: An Agenda for the 21st CenturyElizabeth Ardayfio-Schandorf
2022Digitalization and the Future of The Ghana Legal SystemProf. Richard Frimpong Oppong
2023J. 

The African Politics and The Mystical Realm: Religion and Governance in Postcolonial Ghana

Kwabena Asamoah
2024In Search of a Transformative Paradigm: Authenticity and the African FutureProf. Nana Kobina Nketsia V

*Scientific ThemesJ. Kwabena Asamoah