Prof Eddie Obeng says the woman on the new GH¢50 note is his mother, not his aunt; the Bank of Ghana says the portrait came from her authentic photos.

Published 13 Nov 2026, 07:38 GMT

3 min read

Front of the new GH¢50 note showing Theodosia Okoh — GH¢50 front: Theodosia Okoh (Nationalism)

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The nephew of Theodosia Okoh says the portrait on the new GH¢50 note is not the woman who designed Ghana's flag, but his own mother.

Prof Eddie Obeng, a Ghanaian academic, said he had begun drafting congratulations to a cousin on hearing his aunt would be honoured on one of the new Heritage Series banknotes, then paused to examine the note itself.

"Imagine my surprise when I took a look and realised that they have used a picture of my mother instead, she's famous for being the country's first lady PhD," he wrote on LinkedIn. "You can't make it up."

The woman he believes is pictured is his mother, Dr Letitia Obeng, a noted zoologist said to be the first Ghanaian woman to hold a doctorate.

Theodosia Okoh was her sister, a family link that makes the claimed mix-up especially pointed. He added that it had left him with "a wry smile on my face that won't go away, and occasionally I shake my head or giggle."

The Bank's response came from board member Beatrice Annan.

Writing on Facebook on Thursday to clarify, she said the portrait drew on three genuine photographs of Mrs Okoh, two taken when she was young and one from her later years, merged into a single image of her as a mature woman.

A portrait for a banknote is something other than a standard photograph, according to the clarification, but "an engraved artistic rendering created to meet the strict technical requirements of banknote printing".

It has to be crisp, brightly lit and full of fine detail so it can be engraved, printed in relief and hold the anti-counterfeit security features built into the note.

Her hairstyle was adjusted to the family's style to give a clear outline for engraving. "The aim throughout was to produce a bold, clear and dignified image worthy of her place in our history."

President John Dramani Mahama launched the Heritage Series on Thursday to celebrate figures from Ghana's history, culture and national identity.

The portrait row follows earlier criticism of the launch over the exclusion of the remaining Big Six independence leaders from the notes. Kwame Nkrumah is the only one of the six to keep a place, on the GH¢200 denomination.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

New GH¢50 note portrait is not my aunt Theodosia Okoh – Prof Eddie Obeng

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