BREAKING NEWS: Ex-President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor Dies At 78 In South Africa

The former President of the Republic of Ghana, John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor is reported dead in Johannesburg, South Africa this morning following surgical operation on his spine.

It is reported by Reuters that Mr Agyekum Kufuor was flown to South Africa to receive medication after complaining bitterly about an excruciating pain at the spinal cord.

A team of Joburg doctors were said to have conducted a second surgical operation on Mr Kufuor’s spine; but unfortunately he passed away just after 45 minutes of the Surgery.

Though it’s obvious to provisionally attribute his sudden demise to the spinal problem, doctors have assured the public they will soon release autopsy report to ascertain the real cause.

An autopsy will fully confirm the cause of his death, but the best guess at the moment is the spinal problem.

Today is a sad day, Mr Kufuor’s death has come as a big shock to his party members and the entire Ghanaian Community, as Ghana is just on the verge of undergoing electoral exercises.

John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor born 8 December 1938 was a retired Ghanaian politician and statesman who served as President of Ghana from 2001 to 2009.

He was also Chairperson of the African Union from 2007 to 2008.

His victory over John Atta Mills after the end of Jerry Rawlings’ second term marked the first peaceful democratic transition of power in Ghana since independence in 1957.


Kufuor’s career has been spent on the liberal-democratic side of Ghanaian politics, in the parties descended from the United Gold Coast Convention and the United Party.

He was a minister in Kofi Abrefa Busia’s Progress Party government during Ghana’s Second Republic, and a Popular Front Party opposition frontbencher during the Third Republic.

In the Fourth Republic he stood as the New Patriotic Party’s candidate at the 1996 election, and then led it to victory in 2000 and 2004.

Having served two terms, in 2008 he was no longer eligible for the presidency.

An Asante, Kufuor married Theresa Kufuor (née Mensah) in 1962; they had five children together.

Kufuor and his family belong to the Roman Catholic Church.

He was born in Kumasi and educated at Osei Tutu Boys college (1951–53), Prempeh College (1954–58), Lincoln’s Inn, London (1959–1961) and Exeter College, University of Oxford (1961–64).

In the Second Republic’s Parliamentary Register Kufuor lists as his hobbies and interests table tennis, reading, football, and film shows.

He was once the Chairman of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club.

May his soul rest in perfect peace