Born Esi Reiter Sutherland, Professor Esi Sutherland Addy is the eldest of three children to Playwright, Pan Africanist and Cultural Activist, Efua Sutherland and African-American and Colonial Civil Rights Activist, Bill Sutherland both of blessed memory.
Esi Sutherland-Addy attended St. Monica’s Senior High School at Asante Mampong for her Form One to Five Education, and had her Sixth Form Education at Achimota School in Accra.
The eminent academic obtained a BA degree in French and Linguistics from the University of Ghana, Legon where she was JCR President of Volta Hall.
Upon encouragement from Emeritus Professor J.H Kwabena Nketia, she proceeded to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for Advanced Studies in African Studies on scholarship. She returned home to Legon where she has impacted knowledge for years.
The Professor at the Institute of African Studies (Language, Literature and Drama Section) in Legon where she has been Senior Research Fellow and Associate Director of the African Humanities Institute Program has served in various capacities, local and abroad.
The Educationalist has been Senior Fellow at the Institute of International Education at University of Manchester (UK), and Visiting Lecturer at University of Indiana, Bloomington (USA), University of Birmingham (Centre for African Studies) and L’Institut des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (Paris, France).
Prof. Sutherland-Addy became Deputy Secretary for Culture and Tourism and Higher Education under the PNDC regime (1986 -1993) and from 1994 to 1995 as Deputy Minister of Education and Culture, all under late Former President Rawlings.
The Ghanaian Writer and Cultural Activist taking after her mother is credited with more than 50 publications in the areas of education policy, higher education, female education, literature, theatre and culture.
Her extensive work in civil society cut across the Arts, Girl Education, Civil Society Management and Capacity building. Others include the development of urban child friendly spaces (Efua Sutherland Children Parks in Accra, Kumasi (Amakom) and others across the country which was the legacy of her late mother.
She is secretary to Mmofra (Children) Foundation and served on the Executive Board of the Forum for African Women Educationalists, FAWE. A Judge for the Golden Baobab Prize by African Writers for Children, and Convener of the Ghana Culture Forum, she has also served on the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Presidential Debate Committee.
The Pan Africanist is also a member of the Beyond the Return Committee, an initiative which is a follow up on Ghana’s Year of Return Program in 2019 which marked 400 years since the first enslaved Africans touched down in Virginia, USA.
She is also the Chairperson of the International Board of Trustees for the Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST) Foundation, which was mooted by her late mother Efua Sutherland.
(Image Credit: Graphic Online)
Prof. Sutherland-Addy has undertaken studies particularly in the field of education for many international organizations UNESCO, UNICEF, The World Bank and Association for the Development of Education in Africa.
She is a recipient of several awards to include an Honorary Fellowship of the College of Teachers formerly College of Preceptors (UK), and a group award by the Rockefeller Foundation for the Women Writing Africa Project.
In 2004, she received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Education, Winneba, and the Excellence in Distance Education Award from the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), headquarted in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada in 2008.
She met her husband in second year at University of Ghana, and the union produced two children (girls).
Congratulations to Prof. Esi Sutherland-Addy on her achievements and impact.
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