The Twafohene of Akyem Abuakwa, Okatakyie Boakye Danquah Ababio, has announced the institution of a national J. B. Danquah Quiz and Debate Competition, as part of activities marking the 61st anniversary of the death of Ghanaian statesman, scholar, and constitutional thinker Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah.
The programme, which will bring together selected senior high schools and tertiary institutions, is designed to promote intellectual rigour, civic education, and constitutional consciousness among young people, while honouring the enduring legacy of one of Ghana’s foremost architects of democratic thought.
Speaking ahead of the event, the Twafohene said the initiative was intended to move remembrance beyond ceremony and into what he described as “the living inheritance of ideas”.
“Dr. J.B. Danquah believed that the destiny of a nation is secured by ideas, defended by law, and sustained by educated minds,” he said.
“This quiz and debate is our way of ensuring that his spirit continues to speak through the voices of a new generation.”
From remembrance to intellectual renewal
Dr. J.B. Danquah, who died in detention on 4 February 1965, was a leading nationalist, lawyer, philosopher, and public intellectual whose work continues to shape Ghana’s constitutional development and democratic discourse. Beyond his national stature, he also served as Twafohene of Akyem Abuakwa, a role that embodied the fusion of tradition, intellect, and public service.
Organisers say the new competition seeks to institutionalize his legacy through structured academic engagement, ensuring that remembrance is anchored in inquiry, debate, and disciplined scholarship.
The programme will feature an Inter–Senior High School Quiz, testing historical knowledge, constitutional literacy, and general intellectual depth, alongside an Inter–Tertiary Institutions Debate, focused on advocacy, reasoning, and democratic discourse.
Prestigious named awards
Several named awards will be presented to recognize excellence across different dimensions of intellectual performance. These include:
- the H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Award for Outstanding Advocacy,recognizingexceptional oratory and persuasive reasoning in debate;
- the Okatakyie Boakye Danquah Ababio Award for Distinguished Intellectual Performance, conferred on the most outstanding overall participant across both quiz and debate;
- theAbrewaDokua Award for Outstanding Female Intellectual Excellence, presented to the most outstanding female contestant, whether in quiz or debate; and
- the Danquah Institute Award, awarded to the winner and runner-up of the quiz round dedicated to the life and history ofDr. J.B.Danquah.
Theme and high-level participation
The competition will be held under the theme: “Celebrating the Intellectual Legacy of Dr Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah: Inspiring Scholarship, Patriotism, and Constitutional Thought in a New Generation.”
The event will be chaired by Her Royal Majesty the Okyenhemaa, underscoring the cultural and historical significance of the occasion, while His Lordship Barima Yaw Oppong Kodie, Justice of the Court of Appeal, will serve as Special Guest of Honour, bringing judicial gravitas to the commemoration.
Institutional partnership
The initiative is being organised in partnership with the Danquah Institute, a public policy think tank dedicated to advancing the ideas and values associated with Dr. J.B. Danquah.
The Institute’s Executive Director, Dr Antoinette Tiboe-Darko, said the collaboration was aimed at nurturing a new generation of critically minded citizens.
“Dr. J.B. Danquah stood for ideas, courage, and constitutionalism,” she said.
“This initiative reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that young people do not merely learn history, but engage with it critically and responsibly.”
Looking ahead
Organisers say the J. B. Danquah Quiz and Debate is expected to become a recurring feature of Ghana’s intellectual calendar, marking each anniversary not only with remembrance, but with renewed engagement with the principles that shaped the country’s democratic journey.
For the Twafohene, the objective remains clear: to ensure that Dr. J.B. Danquah’s legacy endures not only in memory but in the disciplined thinking and public reasoning of generations yet to come.
