Prof. Yankah Heads Central University

Professor Kwesi Yankah, the immediate past Pro-Vice Chancellor of University of Ghana, and Reverend Professor Emmanuel Addow-Obeng, former Vice Chancellor of University of Cape Coast have been appointed to head Central University College.

Professor Kwesi Yankah, the new president of the school, would take over from Professor Victor Gadzekpo, while Reverend Professor Addow-Obeng would become the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, taking over from Professor K. Oduro Afriyie.


A release from the office of the Chancellor, had noted that both appointments would take effect from September 1, 2012.


According to the release, Professor Yankah would come into the presidency of the 15-year-old College with enormous administrative and academic experience, having held several key positions at Ghana’s premier University, the University of Ghana.


Until July 2011, Kwesi Yankah was Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, and had previously served as Dean of Students, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Head of Linguistics Department, and Head of Mensah Sarbah Hall.


It said, the in-coming President is also Senior External Advisor, Center for Local Strategies Research, University of Washington, and was until recently a Member of the Policy Working Group, African Presidential Archives and Research Centre (APARC), University of Boston.

Prof. Yankah had been elected Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1999, and had served as Honorary Secretary of the Academy from 2003 to 2006.


“He has won several academic awards and fellowships including the Esther Kinsley Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation at Indiana University in 1985, the first African to win the award”, the release revealed.


The release stressed that the in-coming President had several books to his credit including his famous book, ‘Speaking for the Chief: Okyeame and the Politics of Royal Oratory’, which was published by Indiana University, and was used as text in several universities throughout the world.


“Professor Yankah has also played a prominent role in the Ghanaian media, having been a columnist for several newspapers including The Mirror and Catholic Standard.


He is married with three children” stressed the release.

The release highlighting on the profile of Prof Addow-Obeng, the incoming pro-vice chancellor for academic affairs, said, he started teaching at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, after completing his PHD studies at the University of Aberdeen, UK, in 1981.


“After a brief stay he moved to teach at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria (1982-1990), and Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya (1990-1997), where he was promoted to Full Professorship in New Testament Studies and Theology in 1996.


The release said Prof Addow-Obeng had also taught at Central University College, Miotso, Ghana, where he had spent his sabbatical in 2008-2010.


In 1997, he returned from Kenya to teach at the University of Cape Coast and was appointed the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast in 2001.


According to the release, Prof Addow-Obeng had extensive publications in international journals, chapters in some books, edited books and had served on several National and International Boards and committees.