The first GH¢5 note had the images of the Big Six, who were key leaders in Ghana’s independence struggle.
The man on the new GH¢5 note is Dr. James Kwegyir Aggrey, a respected Ghanaian scholar, teacher, and leader.
Dr. Aggrey was born on October 18, 1875, and died on July 30, 1927. In 1905, he married Rosebud “Rose” Douglas, an African-American woman from Virginia in the United States. They had four children together: Abna Azalea Aggrey, Kwegyir Aggrey, Rosebud Douglas Aggrey, and Orison Rudolph Aggrey. One of his sons, Orison, became a U.S. Ambassador to Senegal, Gambia, and Romania.
Dr. Aggrey began his education at Wesleyan High School in Cape Coast, now known as Mfantsipim School. He was very intelligent and studied subjects like Greek and Latin at a young age. Because of his brilliance, he later became the headmaster of the school.
In 1898, he was chosen to go to the United States for missionary training. He studied at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. There, he studied many subjects including physics, chemistry, logic, economics, and politics. He graduated in 1902 with three degrees. Dr. Aggrey also spoke many languages such as French, German, Latin, and both Ancient and Modern Greek.
Dr. Aggrey’s image on the note is a way to honor his great contribution to education and national development in Ghana.