Ofoase-Ayirebi Member of Parliament (MP), Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has shared the story behind his English name, “Vincent,” while reflecting on his childhood experiences.
According to him, the name was inspired by his birthday, April 5, which coincides with St. Vincent’s Day in Roman Catholic tradition.
Growing up in Koforidua in the Eastern Region, where both of his parents worked as teachers, Oppong Nkrumah spent his early years there. However, when his mother was transferred to Accra, the family had to relocate, leaving everything behind—including their dog.
Upon their arrival in Accra, he was enrolled at St. Bernadette School, where most students had English names. To fit in, his father chose the name “Vincent” for him.
“In 1989, I was around seven when my mum was transferred to Wesley Grammar, and that was the first time I came to Accra. But after I went to SHS, I decided to maintain my name, Kojo,” he revealed in an interview on Adom TV’s M’ashyase3 with Afia Amankwa Tamakloe.
Recalling his early academic struggles in Accra, the former Information Minister admitted that he initially found it difficult to adjust to the new learning system.
Having been one of the top students at Pentecost School in Koforidua, he suddenly found himself struggling at St. Bernadette.
“At St. Bernadette, they were writing in cursive, and I was used to writing with my left hand. As a child, I was beaten to stop using my left, so it became challenging. From Class 3 to JHS 1, I didn’t know how to learn because I was used to rote memorization in Koforidua, so I struggled,” he recounted.
Determined to improve, he adopted a new study method by using past questions from a friend’s elder brother.
His headmistress also took a keen interest in his academic progress, ensuring that he stayed focused.
“She didn’t want me to go wayward, so she was particular about my choice of schools. After engaging my mother, I eventually went to Pope John’s because my mum said she had some colleagues there who could keep an eye on me,” he recalled.
Listen to Oppong Nkrumah’s story in the video attached above:
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