The list of Akan people includes notable individuals of Akan meta-ethnicity and ancestry; the Akan people who are also referred to as () are a meta-ethnicity and Potou–Tano Kwa ethno-linguistic group that are indigenously located on the Ashantiland peninsula near the equator precisely at the "centre of the Earth".
Academic figures and inventors Academic figures and inventors Name Born Died Notability Ref. Francis Allotey 2 November 2017 (aged 85)Internationally respected mathematical physicist; known for the "Allotey Formalism" which arose from his work on soft X-ray spectroscopy Nat Quansah — Doctorate in philosophy; was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize Lawrence Henry Yaw Ofosu-Appiah Academic; director of the Encyclopedia Africana Kwame Anthony Appiah — Philosopher, cultural theorist, and novelist whose interests include political and moral theory, the philosophy of language and mind, and African intellectual history Patrick Awuah, Jr. —Program Manager for Microsoft; spearheaded the development of dial-up internetworking technologies at Microsoft Marcus Garvey Academic publisher, journalist, and orator Kofi Abrefa Busia Academic and politician; studied at University College, Oxford; took BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (MA) and a DPhil in social anthropology J. B. Danquah 4 Scholar, historian, philosopher and lawyer; studied at University of London; wrote The Akan Doctrine of God (1944) Kwame Nkrumah Lecturer; influential 20th-century advocate of Pan-Africanism; awarded the Lenin Peace Prize Simone Gbagbo — Historian, politician and former first lady of Ivory Coast; cofounded the Ivorian Popular Front with her husband, former president Laurent Gbagbo, in 1982
Architects and designers Architects and designers Name Born Died Notability Ref. David Adjaye — Architect; received OBE; selected to design the $500 million National Museum of African American History and Culture, part of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., planned to open in 2015 Ozwald Boateng — Fashion designer; received OBE; known for his trademark twist on classic tailoring and bespoke style; CEO of the fashion design label Ozwald Boateng Adrien Sauvage — Fashion designer, director and photographer; CEO of the fashion design label House A. Sauvage
Businesspersons and entrepreneurs Businesspersons and entrepreneurs sam brefo 17/11/62- age 62 Agro business Ref.uk residence Paul Cuffee Quaker and businessman; built a lucrative shipping empireAbigail Mott, Biographical sketches and interesting anecdotes of persons of colour (printed and sold by W. Alexander & Son; sold also by Harvey and Darton, W. Phillips, E. Fry, and W. Darton, London; R. Peart, Birmingham; D. F. Gardiner, Dublin, 1826), pp. 31–43 (accessed on Google Books).Thomas, Lamont D. Paul Cuffee: Black Entrepreneur and Pan-Africanist (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1988), pp 4–5.Wiggins, p. 45. Paa Kwesi Nduom — Businessman, business consultant and politician; received Bachelor of Arts (Economics) degree, Master's degree in Management and PhD (Service Delivery Systems) at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Adam Afriyie — Businessman and politician; self-made multi-millionaire; worth an estimated £100 million (£100,000,000+); Afriyie is chairman of Connect Support Services, an IT support company; owned two-thirds of DeHavilland; regional finalist in the 2003 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards; Governor of the Museum of London; trustee of the Museum in Docklands; a director of Policy Exchange Sam E. Jonah — Businessman; received KBE; Executive chairman of Jonah Capital, equity fund; previously Corporate President of AngloGold Ashanti Paul Boateng — Businessman and Lord; currently a non-executive Director of Aegis Defence Services, a private military company, private security company, and military and risk management company Dentaa Amoateng — Businesswoman, award-winning entrepreneur, general manager and sports agent Menaye Donkor — Businesswoman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist; received BBA, BBusSci, MBA, and MMR degrees in marketing and business marketing at York University
Economists and bankers Economists and bankers Name Born Died Notability Ref. Kwesi Nyantakyi — Banker, lawyer and football administrator Kwesi Amissah-Arthur — Economist, academician and politician Kofi Annan 18 August 2018 Economist, diplomat, Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel laureate Edward S. Ayensu —Economist and scientist; studied the biological sciences at the University of London; formerly director and senior scientist at the Smithsonian Institution; international development advisor on science, technology and economic development; member of the board of trustees of the UN University for Peace; member of the advisory board of the Sustainable Forestry Management Limited; has held several important positions globally, such as chairman of the Inspection Panel of the World Bank and secretary-general of the International Union of Biological Sciences; founding chairman of the African Biosciences Network; wrote Ashanti Gold (1997) John Atta Mills Economist, tax advisor and law professor; received LLM at London School of Economics and Political Science Charles Konan Banny — Economist, banker, former governor of the Central Bank of West African States, aka BCEAO; former prime minister of Ivory Coast; former candidate for the 2015 presidential election
Folklore Folklore Name Born Died Notability Ref. Okomfo Anokye Legendary Akan figure best known as the wizard featured in the Akan Kingdom of Ashanti; priest, statesman and lawgiver; occupies a Merlin-like position in Akan history; co-founder of the Akan Kingdom of Ashanti and helped establish its constitution, laws, and customs
Judges and lawyers Judges and lawyers Name Born Died Notability Ref. Joyce Bamford-Addo — Speaker and Supreme Court Judge Edward Akufo-Addo Lawyer, chief justice and politician; studied mathematics, politics and philosophy at St Peter's College, Oxford Nana Akufo-Addo — Lawyer and economist with international law firm Coudert Brothers; studied at City Law School (Inns of Court School of Law) John Kufuor — Lawyer and businessman; studied at Prempeh College, Lincoln's Inn, Exeter College, and University of Oxford; CEO of Kufuor Foundation John Banks Elliott Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Media Actors and actresses Actors and actresses Name Born Died Notability Ref. Vanessa L. Williams — Cynthia Addai-Robinson — Actress, Colombiana and in Star Trek Into Darkness Peter Mensah — Actor, Avatar, 300, Hidalgo, Tears of the Sun, Jason X, Harvard Man, Bless the Child and The Incredible Hulk Boris Kodjoe — Actor, Resident Evil: Afterlife and Resident Evil: Retribution Idris Elba — Actor, Prometheus, Pacific Rim and Thor: The Dark World Majid Michel — Nadia Buari — Jackie Appiah — Award-winning actress of the Africa Movie Academy Awards Van Vicker — Freema Agyeman — Yvonne Nelson — Juliet Ibrahim Safo — Holly Quin-Ankrah — Adjoa Andoh —
Authors and novelists Authors and novelists Name Born Died Notability Ref. J. E. Casely Hayford Author, editor, journalist, lawyer, educator, and politician; awarded MBEAlistair Boddy-Evans, "JE Casely Hayford – Leading West African Pan-Africanist" , African History, About.com. Anton Wilhelm Amo Philosopher, novelist, and educator at the universities of Halle and Jena; was treated as a member of the family of Anthony Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; first African known to have attended a European university Ottobah Cugoano Abolitionist, philosopher, and authorHenry Louis Gates, Jr, The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of African-American Literary Criticism, Oxford University Press, 1989, pp. 146–47.
Filmmakers Filmmakers Name Born Died Notability Ref. Shirley Frimpong-Manso — Film director, screenwriter, and film producer; founder and CEO of the film, television, and advertising production company Sparrow Productions; received the "Best Director" at the 2010 Africa Movie Academy Awards Leila Djansi — Filmmaker; was awarded a 2009 WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival Platinum Award, received three 2010 Africa Movie Academy Awards and was nominated for 11 Africa Movie Academy Awards for the film Sinking Sands; in 2011, was presented with the Britannia Awards (BAFTA/LA) Pan African Film Festival Choice Award Lydia Forson — Award winning screenwriter, film producer and actress; received the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" in 2010 Akissi Delta — Actress; producer of Ma famille (My family), one of the most successful TV series in French-speaking Africa over the last decade
Journalists Journalists Name Born Died Notability Ref. Anas Aremeyaw Anas — Investigative journalist; famous for utilizing his anonymity as a tool in his investigation arsenal (very few people have seen his face); a multimedia journalist who specializes in print media and documentary; focuses on issues of human rights and anti-corruption in sub-Saharan Africa Gamal Nkrumah — Journalist; editor of Al Ahram Weekly newspaper; received his doctorate in political science from the School of Oriental and African Studies; initially worked as a political journalist at Al-Ahram Weekly Afua Hirsch — Journalist, barrister and human rights development worker; West Africa correspondent for the newspaper The Guardian Samia Yaba Nkrumah — Journalist and politician; completed her studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London, where she received her master's degree Ron Claiborne — Journalist and correspondent for ABC News, he is the current "more news reporter" for the weekend edition of Good Morning America
Musicians Musicians Name Born Died Notability Ref. Rhian Afua Benson — Soul and jazz singer and songwriter Sarkodie — Award-winning hiplife and hip hop recording artist, entertainer, and brand ambassador; raps in Akan language; received the BET Awards for "Best International Act Africa" in 2012; considered one of the major proponents of the Azonto genre and dance; has a large fan base in Africa Bisa Kdei — Afrobeats and highlife musician and record producer; Efya — Award-winning neo soul vocalist, songwriter, and performer Richie Mensah — Award-winning hiplife singer-songwriter, record producer, and record executive of Lynx Entertainment record label Reggie Rockstone — Rapper and pioneer of the hiplife music genre; raps in Akan language; won the Kora Award for the "Best African Video" in 2004 Fuse ODG — Award-winning musician; smash-hit singles include "Azonto", "Antenna", and "Million Pound Girl" Meiway — Rose to fame in the early 1990s when he created and popularized Zoblazo music; nicknamed Professor Awolowoh or the Genius of Kpalèzou; known for his smash hit "Miss Lolo" from the 2001 album Eternel (700% Zoblazo) Kuami Eugene - Ghanaian Highlife and Afrobeats musician Ofori Amponsah -Ghanaian Highlife musician, famously known for songs 'Emmanuella' and 'Otoolege' Gyakie -R&B and afro-fusion singer Kofi Kinaata - Musician and songwriter Daddy Lumba - Legendary Ghanaian musician, widely regarded as one of the best Highlife musicians ever
Television presenters Television presenters Name Born Died Notability Ref. Deborah Owusu-Bonsu — Television presenter and academic Ama K. Abebrese — Television presenter; won the Africa Movie Academy Award for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" in 2011 Sonia Ibrahim — Television presenter Omenaa Mensah — Television presenter, weather forecaster and economist Reggie Yates — Television presenter
Monarchs