Theodosia Okoh’s Nephew Prof Eddie Obeng Claims Photo on New GH¢50 Heritage Note is Not Her

Professor Eddie Obeng, a Ghanaian academic, made a surprising claim on LinkedIn after examining Ghana's newly unveiled Heritage Series banknotesObeng said the portrait on the GH¢50 note, intended to honour his aunt Theodosia Okoh, appears to show his mother, Dr Letitia Obeng, insteadThe Bank of Ghana unveiled the Heritage Series banknotes on November 12, 2026, with circulation set to begin on December 1Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!

Professor Eddie Obeng, son of renowned Ghanaian scientist Dr Letitia Obeng and nephew of Ghana's national flag designer, Theodosia Okoh, has sparked conversations online after claiming that his mother's photograph was mistakenly used to represent his aunt on the new GH¢50 Heritage banknote.

Prof Eddie Obeng claims the Theodosia Okoh photo of the new 50 cedi note is his mother, Dr Letitia Obeng, rather. Photo source: Samuel Narku Dowuona Source: FacebookProfessor Eddie Obeng, a management expert, shared the observation on LinkedIn after taking a closer look at the new denomination.

The GH¢50 note was officially designated to honour Theodosia Salome Okoh, the celebrated Ghanaian artist who designed the country's national flag. Okoh is also Obeng's aunt.

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Obeng described how his initial pride at the news of his aunt's recognition quickly gave way to a double-take. He wrote that he had already begun drafting a congratulatory message to his cousin when he stopped to examine the note properly and noticed something unexpected.

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The woman Obeng believes appears on the note is Dr Letitia Obeng, his mother, a distinguished Ghanaian zoologist who made history as the first Ghanaian woman to earn a doctorate. She is also the sister of Theodosia Okoh, which makes the alleged mix-up all the more striking.

Obeng ended his post on a wry note, writing that he had:

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See a screenshot of the LinkedIn post below:

Prof Eddie claims the picture on the new 50 cedi note is not Theodosia Okoh. Photo source: LinkedIn/Eddie Obeng Source: UGC

The Bank of Ghana unveiled the Heritage Series on Thursday, 12 November 2026, in a move designed to celebrate prominent figures from the country's history, culture and national identity.

The new notes feature an impressive roll call of Ghanaian icons, including the country's first president Dr Kwame Nkrumah, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, composer Dr Ephraim Amu, educationist James Emman Kwegyir-Aggrey and pioneering judge Justice Annie Jiagge. Agnes Oforiwa Tagoe-Quarcoopome and Cardinal Peter Poreku Dery also feature across the series.

The notes are scheduled to enter circulation on 1 December 2026 and will run alongside existing banknotes, which remain legal tender.

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on film producer Jackson K Bentum’s appeal to President John Dramani Mahama to restore all six members of the Big Six to Ghana’s new cedi notes.

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Bentum argued that currency reflects the nation’s shared history, warning that political differences should not erase the contributions of independence figures. His appeal follows public debate over which historical figures were chosen for the Bank of Ghana’s Heritage Series.

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Jeffrey Owusu-Mensah (HOD Entertainment) Jeffrey is the Head of the Entertainment Desk and a graduate of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He started as a reporter with Ghana News Agency (GNA). He joined Primnewsghana.com in 2016 as an editor. He moved to YEN.com.gh in 2017 as an editor and has risen to his current position. You can contact him via e-mail: j.owusu-mensah@yen.com.gh