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Dr Gloria Agyeiwaa Antwi Botchway
In a historic milestone for the University of Ghana, Dr Gloria Agyeiwaa Antwi Botchway has become the first woman to earn a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Ghana.
Dr Botchway’s journey from the village of Akaa Buem in the Oti region to becoming the first female to earn a PhD in Mathematics is a demonstration of her resilience and determination.
Born into a family of four, she is the second child of her parents. When her family moved to Accra for her mother’s education, they faced significant hardships, living with an aunt who struggled to make an ends meet while living in a crowded compound where the challenges of life were evident.
Her childhood years were not without challenges. At just seven years old, Dr Botchway began hawking goods to help make ends meet.
Her school life was equally challenging. While her classmates brought a variety of foods to school, Dr Botchway often packed leftover banku, which she and her brother would hide to avoid teasing.
After four years in Accra, the family moved to Asamankese, where she attended Life Preparatory School. Following another move to Winneba, she continued her education at University Primary on North Campus.
Her experiences in Accra were marked by crime and instability, where gunshots from nearby gang members and police conflicts were a common occurrence.
Despite these hardships, Dr Botchway’s determination never declined. She completed her basic education wearing the same uniform from class four through to Junior High School, as financial constraints made it impossible to buy new clothes.
Transitioning to secondary school at Accra Girls, Gloria initially focused on Business subjects but soon discovered her true passion for
Mathematics. “I’ve always loved. Maths – It challenges me, and I wanted to be in a field where few people ventured,” she said.
Her secondary school math teacher recognised her potential and urged her to pursue a career in academia. “He just told me that, Gloria, you have to be a Lecturer,” she remembers. This encouragement, coupled with her innate love for the subject, set Dr Botchway on a path that would ultimately lead her to make history.
It was this passion that led her to the University of Ghana, where she not only excelled academically but also forged a path for future generations of female mathematicians. When she began her studies at the University of Ghana, she initially opted for a Business Administration course but quickly chose Mathematics.
Inspired by mentors like Prof. Elsie Kaufmann and Dr Adu Gyamfi, who advised her on the advantages of a mathematics degree, she ultimately committed to the subject. “I wanted a challenging field where few people ventured,” she explained. “I realised that with a Math degree, I could still pursue Accounting if I wanted”, she added.
As she progressed through her undergraduate and graduate studies, she faced numerous challenges, both academic and personal. “Math is challenging. It’s not easy,” she admits. “But if you love it, you would do it.”
One of the most significant challenges was the lack of female role models in her field. “People do not expect that you would go on with the Math,” Gloria explains. “Sometimes they were very discouraging.” However, these doubts only fueled her determination to succeed.
In an interview with Dr Botchway’s colleague, Justine Johnson, he described her as a dedicated and ambitious individual who is practical and determined.
He mentioned her leadership skills and how she helped set up a Maths study group, which helped him become proficient in Math. He also praised her determination, stating that “nothing is impossible, and she always strives to solve problems.”
Balancing her academic pursuits with her personal life presented another set of challenges. Dr Botchway got married during her Master’s programme and had two children before graduation.
She went on to have two more children during her PhD studies. “Life has to go on,” she says, crediting her supportive husband and family for helping her manage her multiple roles.
In 2024, Dr Botchway’s perseverance paid off when she became the first woman to earn a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Ghana. This achievement is not just a personal triumph but a significant milestone for gender representation in STEM fields in Ghana.
Now with her PhD, she is focused on making a lasting impact in her field and inspiring the next generation of female Mathematicians. Dr Botchway is involved in a project called “Enhancing M in STEM,” which aims to improve Mathematics education for girls in secondary schools.
Professor Deborah Atobrah, Director of the Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA) at the University of Ghana, underscores the importance of Gloria’s achievement. “This is a very big achievement. It’s a huge feat in gender work for STEM. However, you know, we think this has taken too long for us to get here. But nevertheless, we still celebrate this very important achievement”, she stated.
Speaking to the Head of the Department of Mathematics, Dr Chisara Peace Ogbogbo, she showered praises on Dr Botchway and applauded her work ethic.
Through her academic journey, Dr Botchway has shown determination and persistence, setting the stage for her groundbreaking achievement. Her story is one of perseverance, representing the spirit of a woman who rose above her circumstances to achieve groundbreaking success.
Dr Botchway in her appreciation remarks thanks God for seeing her through it all. She also acknowledged her supervisor, Professor Anthony Yaw Aidoo of Eastern Connecticut State University, for being supportive throughout her PhD journey.
She extended appreciation to her Department and the University of Ghana for providing an enabling environment with waived fees.
She also acknowledged Dr Twum, Professor Seba and Dr Ogbogbo, for being instrumental in the journey. Carnegie Corporation, through Professor Yaa Ntimoa-Baidu, supported her through the Carnegie Next Generation of Academics, Africa and Banga project. Dr Botchway also thanked their family, especially her mother, Madam Margaret Aduam and her husband for their encouragement. She also thanked her friends for their selfless support throughout their journey.
As Ghana strives to increase female participation in STEM fields, stories like Dr Botchway’s serve as both inspiration and a call to action. Her journey from the market stalls of Teshie to the lecture halls of the University of Ghana demonstrates that with determination, support and access to education barriers can be broken and new paths created. -ug.edu.gh
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Patriotism, sacrifice and service — the veterans’ perspective
For men and women with battlefield experience, patriotism, sacrifice, and service are not just abstract ideas, they are lived experiences deep-rooted in hardship and sustained endurance in the line of duty.
Such lifelong duty goes beyond the uniform to include the values of duty, honour, and commitment, long after active military service.
Such has been the life of Ex Lance-Corporal Wisdom Edmund Kudowor, a 97-year-old World War Two (WWII) Veteran, who volunteered for recruitment in 1943 at the age of 15.
He was to be trained and enrolled as a soldier and tradesman for the Artisan Work Company of the then Gold Coast Regiment.
Though looking frail currently after a few days of head surgery, the ex-serviceman’s ability to recall his past experiences was exceptional.
Ex-Lance-Cpl Kudowor lived in an era that saw many young Africans recruited and conscripted to fight for their colonial masters in a war that ravaged half of Europe and claimed almost 85 million lives.
In a brief yet straight to the point interaction with the Ghana News Agency, he expressed no regret in volunteering, despite the imminent danger and harrowing stories about WWII back then.
More surprising was his nonchalant attitude towards the fact that he was not put on pension immediately after service. He expressed no bitterness nor pain.
He returned to the Gold Coast in 1946 after four years of service without any benefits, not until two years ago when he began receiving an annually paid British grant, which was recently increased to 1,350 pounds sterling.
Though the grant did not match the sacrifice, “it is still better than nothing,” he said. Despite his past experiences, the old veterans’ patriotism, sacrifice and service did not wane after his return in 1946, at age 18, to the then Gold Coast.
He gained scholarship to further his education (both home and abroad) and with the knowledge acquired, he served his country for almost half a century, first as a pupil teacher, and rising to become the Headmaster of the Kpando Technical Institute. He headed other educational institutions and retired as a civil servant.
The veteran was not happy about the decline in patriotism and sacrifice, especially among young people in contemporary Ghana.
Listening attentively due to a hearing challenge, the frail-looking veteran pointed to the attitude of the current generation, most of whom were unwilling to go the extra mile to support their country.
He expressed worry over their focus on immediate gains and monetary rewards for little services rendered.
His observation was corroborated by Captain Ben Edmund Duah (Rtd), a veteran, who began his service with the Field Engineer Regiment soon after being commissioned at age 24 as a young officer in the early 1970s.
The retired Army Captain, who once served with the Delta Company of the Five Battalion of Infantry (5BN) among other positions, said: “Patriotism is non-existent in today’s Ghana, unlike our time when we took pride in openly exercising these values.” He, however, did not entirely blame the youth for not exhibiting such traits.
Capt. Duah (Rtd) attributed the seeming non-patriotism by the youth to the struggles they see the veterans go through just to survive, after sacrificing for humanity.
The needs and concerns of patriots and forerunners, particularly veterans in Ghana, were largely unmet, compared to other countries, he said.
“The veterans brought honour to our colonial masters and by extension to Ghana. They were not given what they were promised. Right now, the British Government gives them some support and that is what sustains a lot of them.” Captain Ben Duah stressed the urgency for the country to pay more attention to the concerns and needs of veterans.
“We should see them as people who voluntarily decided to sacrifice their lives for us. If anybody does this for you, you should be fair enough to look at his interest…these are people who have devoted their lives to save us, therefore we should be nice to them in the form of caring for them,” he noted.
When asked for their opinion on many of the youth trying to seek greener pastures abroad due to their lack of confidence in the economy, Capt Duah and L/Cpl Kudowor both agreed that Ghana was still worth sacrificing for, despite the challenges.
Captain Duah, who served during an era awash with military coups d’etats, urged Ghanaians to respect, recognise and be willing to support veterans because government could not shoulder the responsibility alone.
“Citizens should realise that these are people who, some time ago, in their youthful years, sacrificed their precious lives to save others…We expect that as veterans, people will respect and admire them for their values and bravery,” he said.
“I will advise the youth to utilise existing opportunities as a means to serve Ghana. Service to the country, I believe, should be the youths’ primary goal”, Ex L/Cpl Kudowor said.
The two justified the continuous celebration of Veterans Day on the 28 of February as a step in the right direction.
This serves as a platform for the youth to learn about the three values of patriotism, service and sacrifice, the history behind the celebration and the need to respect veterans.
On February 28, 1948, Veterans of World War II, who had fought with the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force, organised a peaceful demonstration, marching to the Christainborg Castle at Osu in Accra, the capital of the Gold Coast, to hand a petition to the colonial governor, demanding their end of war benefits, which they had been promised.
Before reaching the castle, the veterans were ordered to disperse by the colonial police chief. When they refused, he opened fire on them, instantly killing three of the ex-servicemen – Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey.
The 28 February Crossroads Shooting is commemorated every year to honour the veterans for their sacrifice to the country.
—GNA
Profile
Prisca Abah: Ghana’s modelling powerhouse
Ghanaian model, philanthropist and advocate, Prisca Abah, who is known for her contributions to the fashion industry, is strutting her stuff on higher levels.
She was recently selected as one of the models for the Big8 Girls Project, an initiative by Clinton Samuel to celebrate influential African models.
The project consisted of three episodes: the Bio Shoot which highlighted Abah’s professionalism through a corporate-themed photoshoot; Afrodeity which focused on showcasing her confidence and artistry, celebrating the African divine feminine and royalty which presented Abah as a symbol of African cultural pride, embodying strength and elegance.
The Big8 concept, produced by Clinton Samuel, intentionally highlights and celebrates the strongest and most influential models on the African continent, congratulating their steadfastness and contributions to the African fashion industry, even as they grind and win in other aspects of life.
The Big8 sets hierarchy and high standards in the African fashion and modelling industry, crowning eight of them with the ‘Top Model’ status as the leading female models in Ghana at the moment.
“Working with these fiery women will surely ignite more creative minds and stir the pot of positive competition,” said Clinton.
Abah’s early life and career
Prisca Abah began her modelling career in 2013, achieving her first notable milestone in 2014 with an editorial shoot for 5-Star International Modelling Agency. In 2015, she made her runway debut at the Ghana Fashion Awards.
From 2016 to 2018, Abah participated in major African fashion events such as Glitz Africa Fashion Week, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Johannesburg, and Rhythms on the Runway.
During this period, she received accolades, including the “Best Female Model of the Year” and spoke as a UN Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goal 12 at the Sustainable Rice Platform Conference.
International recognition and pageantry
In 2022, Abah expanded her reach by entering the pageantry world. She placed as the first runner- up at the Beauty of Africa International Pageant and represented Ghana at the Miss Globe World Finals, where she earned the title of Miss Globe Africa 2022.
Philanthropy
Abah founded the Palins Foundation, a non-profit organisation, aimed at empowering women and youth through initiatives in education, skills training, and personal development.
Awards and collaborations
In 2023, Abah received the Best Model of the Year award at the Time Ghana Arts and Entertainment Awards. She has collaborated with leading designers such as Charlotte Prive and Ejiro Amos Tafiri, further solidifying her influence in African fashion.
Legacy
Prisca Abah is recognised not only for her contributions to the fashion industry but also for her philanthropic efforts. Her journey serves as an inspiration to young Africans, encouraging them to pursue their dreams while giving back to society.
By Edem Mensah Tsortorme
