Flag of Ghana

After Ghana gained independence from great Britain in 1957, an open competition was held to design a flag for the new country. The winning design chosen by Ghanian president Kwame Nkrumah was that of 34 year old Theodosia Okoh. 

Theodosia Okoh was born on June 13, 1922 in The Gold Coast that would later be known as the independent country of Ghana. During the second world war, Okoh studied to become a teacher in Agogo, Ghana. After finishing her training course, she became Akyem Kukurantumi's first female art teacher. She later attended Achimota Art School for three years where she specialized in fine arts studies, graduating in 1944 according to awarewomenartists.com. 

Theodosia Okoh gained more widespread recognition for the design of the Ghanian flag in 1997 when the president of Ghana at the time, Jerry Rawlings, awarded her the Grand Medal for her services to the country. In her biography, Okoh explains the thought behind her iconic design stating, “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”.

Theodosia Okoh's design is significant to the developing identity of the newly independent Ghana in the late 50's and early 60's. Not only is her work important to Ghanian culture, but is a strong example of the impactful works of women around the world.