|
Theodosia Salome Okoh (13 June 1922〔 – 19 April 2015〔) was a Ghanaian stateswoman, teacher and artist known for designing Ghana's flag in 1957.〔("5 Things We Should All Know About Theodosia Okoh, The Woman Who Designed The Ghana Flag" ), NewsAfricaNow.〕 She also played a leading role in the development of hockey in Ghana.〔Kofi Ata, ("Oko Vanderpujie, Theodosia Okoh Deserves Better" ), GhanaWeb, 28 July 2013.〕 ==Biography== She was born as Theodosia Salome Abena Kumea Asihene in Effiduase〔("Mrs Theodosia Salome Okoh" ), The Loom Gallery.〕 to the Very Reverend Emmanuel Victor Asihene, a former moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, and Madam Dora Asihene, both from Anum in the Asuogyaman District of Ghana's Eastern Region.〔("The Designer Of Ghana National Flag, Theodosia Okoh Is Dead" ), Ghanagist, 20 April 2015.〕 She was the fourth of eight children. She started school at Ashanti Efiduasi Primary School, continued to the Basel Mission Middle, Senior and Teacher Training Schools in Agogo and then Achimota School, where she received three years training in Fine Art.〔 When on Ghana's Independence from Britain the need for a new flag was advertised, she submitted her design, which was adopted as the national flag of Ghana by the country's first president Kwame Nkrumah from 6 March 1957.〔("Ghana Flag" ), GhanaIsGood.com.〕 As she explained in an interview: "I decided on the three colors of red, gold and green because of the geography of Ghana. Ghana lies in the tropics and blessed with rich vegetation. The color Gold was influenced by the mineral rich nature of our lands and Red commemorates those who died or worked for the country’s independence. Then the five-pointed lone star which is the symbol of African emancipation and unity in the struggle against colonialism…."〔("Mrs Theodosia Okoh: The Woman Who Designed The Ghanaian Flag" ), African Celebs.〕 She was married to Enoch Kwabena Okoh, Head of Civil Service in the Kwame Nkrumah regime in the 1960s,〔 and had three children: E. Kwasi Okoh, Stanley Kwame Okoh and Theodosia Amma Jones-Quartey.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/pop-up.php?ID=190 )〕 Theodosia Okoh was the first female chairman of the Ghana Hockey Association and later President of the Ghana Hockey Federation for more than 20 years,〔 and it was during her that Ghana first qualified for both the Hockey World Cup and the Olympic Games.〔 She was named "the Joan of Arc of Ghana hockey" by Ohene Djan "because she rose to the occasion to save Ghana hockey when men were faltering and vacillating about development of the game. This is also the reason why the National Hockey Stadium was named after her in 2004".〔(Professor Emeritus Ivan Addae Mensah, Former Vice-Chancellor of University Of Ghana, Legon, "Don’t Deny Mrs Okoh of her Honour" ), in ''The New Crusading Guide'', 26 July 2013; quoted in Kofi Ata, "Oko Vanderpujie, Theodosia Okoh Deserves Better", GhanaWeb, 28 July 2013.〕 She was a long-time patron of the Ghana Sports Writers’ Association of Ghana (SWAG).〔〔 She died on 19 April 2015 at the Narh Bita Hospital in Tema after a short illness, aged 92.〔("Ghana flag designer Theodosia Okoh dies" ), ''Daily Guide'', 20 April 2015.〕 President John Dramani Mahama directed that all flags should fly at half mast for three days, starting from Tuesday, 21 April, in her honour.〔("Flags to fly at half mast in honour of Mrs Theodosia Okoh" ), Government of Ghana.〕〔("Flags flying at half mast for Theodosia Okoh, designer of Ghana national flag" ), Ghana Business News, 22 April 2015.〕〔Godwin Akweiteh Allotey, ("Ghana flags at half-mast in honour of Theodosia Okoh" ), citifmonline.com, 21 April 2015.〕 A statement signed by Minister of Communications Edward Omane Boamah said that the directive was “in honour of this extraordinary Ghanaian", further stating: "Government acknowledges Mrs Okoh for her invaluable contributions to our nation building efforts. The instant recognition that our nation receives the world over through the unique flag that she designed for us has cemented her place in history as a colossus of Ghanaian history.... Her talent, zeal and sense of duty to Ghana will continue to offer inspiration for Ghanaians and serve as a reference point in service to the nation."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Theodosia Okoh」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|