Why Akua Donkor dropped her English name

Madam Akua Donkor, founder of the Ghana Freedom Party, who passed away on Monday, October 28, 2024, leaves behind a unique legacy in Ghanaian politics. 

Despite lacking formal education, Akua Donkor boldly stepped into the challenging political arena, a move widely admired by many Ghanaians.

Madam Akua Donkor was an ardent promoter of the Twi language. In an interview she previously granted, she explained that although she had an English name — Veronica, she decided to drop it in order to sound more Ghanaian. 

This name change, she explained, was a way to resonate more deeply with her roots, and it has become widely recognised and celebrated across Ghana.

According to her, her original name was Veronica Asante.

Madam Akua Donkor was the presidential candidate of the Ghana Freedom Party for the upcoming December 7, 2024, presidential election.

She is number three on the ballot paper, which she explained symbolises the trinity. 

She died on Monday night at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, according to the family source.

She first reported at the Nsawam Government Hospital in the Eastern Region with respiratory issues.

She was referred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital) in Accra.

Madam Akua Donkor was personally present at an Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra last two weeks, where she gained public attention for expressing her unhappiness with what she termed as derogatory comments about her qualifications as a presidential candidate for Election 2024.

She was particularly not happy with what she said was continuous derogatory remarks about her qualification as a presidential candidate, considering she was not educated in a school classroom.

Madam Akua Donkor founded the GFP in 2011 and got it registered in 2012.

This was after she had served as an elected Assembly member for the Hemang Electoral Area in the Kwabre East District,

From Assembly Member she moved to the constituency level and filed to contest as a Member of Parliament at Kwabre East in the Ashanti Region and competed with the late Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, a former Judicial Secretary and former Ashanti Regional Minister.

After two unsuccessful elections in 2004 and 2008 as an MP, and determined to move her political career a notch higher, she moved up into the presidential race and formed the GFP in 2011.

She filed to contest the 2024 presidential elections on the ticket of the GFP and has been attending all IPAC meetings herself.

 With her passing, her running mate in 2024 presidential election, Kwabena Agyeman Appiah Kubi known in the media as Roman Fada, is now expected to step into her shoes.