VIDEO: 'Seek God and go for it': How Ghana’s youngest lawyer beat the odds to make history
From the quiet town of Breman Asikuma in Ghana’s Central Region has emerged a young man whose name has become synonymous with brilliance and history-making.
At just 21 years old, Nana Danquah Adjei Domson, Esq., has achieved what many consider an extraordinary feat: becoming Ghana’s youngest lawyer. His story is one of humility, faith, and an unwavering drive for excellence.
Born on 12 April 2004, Nana Danquah’s journey to the Bar began early. He completed his basic education at Breman Asikuma Colonel Baidoo Basic School at age 12, and later attended Life International College in Tema, where he completed his secondary education at age 15.
In 2019, while most of his peers were still in high school, he gained admission to the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to study law. Four years later, he graduated with First Class Honours and went on to the Ghana School of Law, where he spent two years mastering the ethics and practice of the legal profession. On October 10, 2025, he was called to the Bar, setting a new national record.
Before him, the youngest Ghanaians to be called to the Bar were Akpene Darko Cobbina, who achieved the milestone at 22 in 2019, and Sarah Adwoa Safo, at 22 years and 280 days in 2004. But now, the record belongs to a young man from Breman Asikuma who describes himself as “a vessel of God’s grace.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Graphic Online's Kweku Zurek, Nana Danquah reflected on the early influences that shaped him. “Breman Asikuma is different from the city life. It’s a community where everyone is family,” he said. “That sense of togetherness instilled in me respect, empathy, and a deep appreciation for people. It made me who I am today.”
His decision to study law, he explained, was inspired by his love for social studies and government. “I realised that the greatest changes in history came through laws,” he said. “Independence was through an Act of Parliament. Slavery was abolished through a law. So if I wanted to change my society, I thought, why not read law?”
He credited his parents for their unwavering guidance. His father, Emmanuel Adjei Domson, whom he describes as his “planner and guide,” and his mother, Isabella Audrey Adjei Domson, whom he calls his “greatest teacher,” played defining roles in his journey.
“I didn’t start off as a bright student,” he confessed, disclosing that he had aggregate 12 in the Basic Certificate Examinations (BECE) and was consistently home-schooled by his mother to improve his grades. “But my mother sat me down, taught me, and made me believe in striving for excellence. My father showed me direction when I couldn’t see it myself.”
By age 12, when most children were beginning junior high school, Nana Danquah had already completed basic education. While some thought he was moving too fast, his family and community encouraged him to stay focused. “Some people said, ‘Slow down, relax,’ but my family from Breman Asikuma pushed me forward. They believed in me,” he said.
At UCC, he quickly made his mark both academically and as a student leader. He served as Electoral Commissioner for the Students’ Union, Secretary for the Law Christian Fellowship, Organising Secretary for the Law Students’ Choir, and Communications Head for New Bridge Campus Church, among other roles. Balancing those duties with academics, he said, was one of his toughest challenges. “I was so engaged in leadership work that I didn’t think I’d make a First Class. But by God’s grace, I did.”
Law school, however, proved to be the real test. “Law school was my biggest challenge,” he recalled. “It stretches you to your limits. The reading load is massive, and the exams are make-or-break; there’s no 40 per cent coursework to save you. You either pass or fail. I lost a lot of weight in law school.”
Despite the pressure, he remained resilient. “At some point, I was listening to recorded lectures because I didn’t even have time to attend classes in person,” he said. “But I kept going because I knew giving up was not an option.”
When the news broke that he had become the youngest lawyer in Ghana’s history, the emotions were overwhelming. “I was filled with joy,” he said. “But what moved me most were the calls from my hometown. People said I had made them proud. To me, that was everything. It brought Breman Asikuma into the spotlight, and I’m grateful for that.”
Beyond the headlines, Nana Danquah sees his journey as a testament to divine purpose. “For me, this means that God can be trusted,” he said. “He said it, and He has done it. When you put your trust and hope in God, He will not fail you.”
His humility and faith are matched by a vision to serve. “Dr. Kwame Nkrumah once said that lawyers should not see themselves as a privileged class, but as servants of the people,” he said. “That’s what I intend to do, to apply my skills wherever they can benefit my community and country.”
Looking ahead, Nana Danquah hopes to specialise in constitutional, human rights, international, and commercial law, with a particular interest in technology. “I’m very drawn to artificial intelligence. AI is the future, and I believe it will transform legal practice. Young lawyers like myself must embrace it,” he said.
He also believes his generation of lawyers must help rebuild public confidence in Ghana’s justice system. “We shouldn’t hide behind senior lawyers,” he said. “We must collaborate, speak up, and bring new energy to solving national issues.”
On his guiding values, he is clear and unwavering: “Put God first. Seek Him in everything you do, when you’re confused, happy, or starting something new. Then, integrity. Have your own values and boundaries beyond which no one can push you. Remember that you are a brand. Carry yourself well. Don’t live your life for people; live with purpose.”
For young people looking up to him, his message is simple but powerful: “If you seek God and pursue excellence, there’s no limit to what you can achieve. The only limit is in your mind.”
And when asked what he hopes people will remember about him, his answer summed up his journey: “Not the achievement, but the message that with faith, hard work, and grace, even a boy from Breman Asikuma can make history.”
