25th November 2023 1:00:40 PM
1 min readRebecca Naa Dede Ayeetey, whose face is featured on Ghana's 50 pesewa coin, was a notable trader and influential figure in the early days of the country's independence.
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Born in 1923 in Osu during the pre-independence era, Rebecca played a significant role in Ghanaian politics before the nation gained independence in 1957.
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Growing into an established businesswoman, revered political activist, and chief financier of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Rebecca, nicknamed 'Ashikishan' due to her success in selling flour, made a lasting impact.
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As a key supporter of the CPP under leader Kwame Nkrumah, she provided her home at Kokomlemle as a meeting center for the party's women.
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However, her association with Nkrumah made her a target for the rival political party, United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), leading to her tragic demise.
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Rebecca passed away at a CPP function in Ho on June 22, 1961, at the age of 38.
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Reports suggest she fell victim to a plot during the event, allegedly poisoned after complaining of a stomach ache following the consumption of hot tea.
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Despite her untimely death, Rebecca Naa Dede Ayeetey's legacy endured. In the 1960s, Ghana's double-decker buses brought to Accra by Minister of Transport and Communications Harry Sawyer were named 'Auntie Dede' in her honor.
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Today, her image graces a national stamp, and she is immortalized on the 50 pesewa coin.
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