Marian Ewurama Addy

Marian Ewurama Addy
Born Marian Ewurama Cole
(1942-02-07)7 February 1942
Nkawkaw, Gold Coast
Died 14 January 2014(2014-01-14) (aged 71)
Accra, Ghana
Nationality
Alma mater
Known for
Awards Kalinga Prize (1999)
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions University of Ghana, Legon

Marian Ewurama Addy (née Cole; 7 February 1942 – 14 January 2014) was a Ghanaian biochemist [1][2][3] and the first Host of the National Science and Maths Quiz.[4][5] The first Ghanaian woman professor of natural science, Addy became a role model for school girls and budding female scientists on the limitless opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.[2][6] Marian Addy was also a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, elected in 1999.[1][2][7] In the same year, she was awarded the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science.[1]

Early life and education

Ewurama Addy was born 7 February 1942 in Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region of Ghana, to Samuel Joseph Cole and Angelina Kwofie Cole.[1][3] She was educated at St Monica's Secondary School in Mampong-Ashanti from January 1956 to June 1960 where she excelled in sports and obtained her 'O' and 'A' level certificates.[8][9] She also attended the Holy Child Girls' School in Cape Coast.[8] She earned her bachelor's degree with first class honours in botany with chemistry from the University of Ghana, Legon.[8][3] She later obtained a master's degree and doctorate degree in biochemistry from the Pennsylvania State University.[8]

Career

Addy's focus of academic research was the biochemistry of herbal medicinal products used by traditional medical practitioners, especially in areas relating to safety and efficacy.[8] When she reached the rank of full professor of biochemistry, Marian Ewurama Addy became the first woman to hold a professorship in science in Ghana and at the University of Ghana.[8] She was the Chair for the Policy Committee on Developing Countries (PCDC). She also chaired the National Board for Professional and Technicians Examinations (NABPTEX).[8] She served as the Program Director for the Accra-based Science Education Programme for Africa (SEPA), a Pan African programme for pre-tertiary science education in 1970s.[8] She was a board member of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission from 1996 to 1998 together with the Ghanaian botanist, George C. Clerk.[10]

In January 2008, Addy was appointed as the first President of the Anglican University College of Technology, a technology initiative in higher education.[11]

She served as a member on member of WHO Regional Expert Committee on Traditional Medicine, and worked as an advisor to the International Foundation for Science, in Stockholm, Sweden.[2] She was the Founder and First Executive Secretary of Western Africa Network of Natural Products Research Scientists (WANNPRES), which was established in February 2002.[8]

She served on the Kwami Committee, a technical committee on polytechnic education set up by the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), to study and recommend policies to assist the Ghanaian government in supporting polytechnic education.[12] In 1994, she was also a member of a 4-member UNDP team of consultants in Ghana tasked with formulating a National Action Program for Science and Technology Development.[12]

She had extensive experience in both basic and applied science, lecturing to undergraduate, post-graduate, dental and medical students at the University of Ghana, Legon and subsequently at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington DC.[7][13] Her research on the biochemistry of diabetes mellitus led to the improvement of herbal plant formulation for the treatment of the disease.[14]

Her autobiography, Rewards was published in 2011.[15][16]

Together with her two sisters, Jane and Elizabeth, she instituted an Award for the “Best Girl” at her alma mater, St Monica’s Secondary School.[9] The Ghanaian government appointed her an Officer of the Order of the Volta for her contributions to science and girl-child education.[17]

Personal life

Marian Ewurama Addy was married to Ebenezer Charles Oko Addy, a sociologist and former athlete who won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.[18] The couple had two daughters, Naa Lamiley Addy-Sadowsky and Lamiokor Esi Addy.[18]

Death and legacy

She died of natural causes on 14 January 2014 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.[12][19][14] She was buried on 1 March 2014 in Saltpond, a historic coastal town in the Central Region of Ghana.[14][18] A science laboratory at the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Ghana, was named the “Marian Ewurama Addy Laboratory for Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research” in her honour.[20] Her research work in the medicinal biochemistry of herbal products made herbal medicine more popular and acceptable to the scientific community.[17]

Awards and honours

  • Shell Prize, awarded by the Shell Company, Ghana Ltd., to the top six (6) candidates who passed the General Certificate of Examinations, “A” Level., 1962[3]
  • McCallien Prize, awarded to the best student in Volta Hall, the female hall of residence, 1963[3]
  • Waddell Prize, awarded to the best science student, 1962-66[3]
  • “California Prize, awarded by the Chemistry Department, University of Ghana, to the best freshman in Chemistry, 1962-63[3]
  • Fellow, African Graduate Fellowship Program (AFGRAD) of the African-American Institute, 1966-71[3]
  • Fellow of the International Seminar in Chemistry, at Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden, 1985-86[3]
  • Fulbright African Senior Scientist Award in 1990[3]
  • CIMG Marketing Woman of the Year, in 1995, for marketing Science.[1]
  • The Africa-America Institute’s Distinguished Alumna for Excellence in 1998.[12]
  • UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science in 1999.[8]
  • The Millennium Excellence Award for Educational Development in 1999.[12]
  • Inducted as a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1999.[7]
  • National Award by the Enterprise Insurance Company Limited on the occasion of their 75th Anniversary in 1999, for “invaluable contribution to educating Ghana’s children and for creating enthusiasm in Mathematics and the Sciences” [3]

Books

  • Condensation of free [alpha]-amino acids as a pro-biological polymerization system (1971)
  • Genetic Demonstrations: Instructor's Manual (1980); co-authored with Ebenezer Laing and Carol Markwei
  • Putting Science into the Art of Healing with Herbs: From Smoked-drum Kymograph to ELISA (2003) [21]
  • Training the Next Generation of Scientists (2004)
  • Rewards: An Autobiography (2011)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "MARIAN EWURAMA ADDY" (PDF). unevoc.unesco.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Marian Ewurama Addy, Professor". www.ghanaweb.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-18. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Glossary on Kalinga Prize Laureates. "UNESCO Kalinga Prize Winner - 1999: Prof. Marian EWURAMA ADDY" (PDF).
  4. ↑ "Prof Marian Ewurama Addy passes on". myjoyonline.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Ghana News - Prof Marian Ewurama Addy laid to rest". myjoyonline.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  6. ↑ "Tribute To Prof Marian Ewurama Addy". www.ghanadot.com. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  7. 1 2 3 "Marian Ewurama Addy, Professor". www.ghanaweb.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Profile on Professor Mirian Ewurama Addy". GhanaCulturePolitics. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  9. 1 2 Ghana, Daily Graphic /. "Ghana news: Eulogy to Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy (nee Cole): From Union of Old St Monicans - Graphic Online". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  10. ↑ "Ghana Atomic Energy Commission: At a Glance" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-08-20.
  11. ↑ Citifmonline. "Prof Ewurama Addy passes on". Graphic Online. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Marian Ewurama Addy profile". Ghanaweb. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  13. ↑ Busia, Kofi (2014). "Obsequies - late Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy". African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 11 (2): 489. ISSN 2505-0044. PMC 4202662. PMID 25435638.
  14. 1 2 3 "Prof Marian Ewurama Addy laid to rest - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  15. ↑ Addy, Marian Ewurama (2011). Rewards: An Autobiography. African Books Collective. ISBN 9789988037826.
  16. ↑ Addy, Marian Ewurama (2011-08-25). Rewards. an Autobiography. Kaneshie-Accra: Amanza Ltd. ISBN 9789988037826. Archived from the original on 2014-01-18.
  17. 1 2 Busia, Kofi (2014-01-28). "Obsequies - Late Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy". African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 11 (2): 489. ISSN 0189-6016. PMC 4202662. PMID 25435638.
  18. 1 2 3 "Prof Ewurama Addy to be buried March 1". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  19. ↑ Blackandwhitegh (2014-01-14). "Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy, First Female Professor of Science at the University of Ghana Passes on at age 72". BlackandWhiteGH. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  20. ↑ "Late Professor Marian Ewurama Addy Honoured | University of Ghana". www.ug.edu.gh. Archived from the original on 2015-12-13. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  21. ↑ Addy, Marian Ewurama (2003). Putting Science Into the Art of Healing with Herbs: From Smoked-drum Kymograph to ELISA. Ghana Universities Press. ISBN 9789964303044.
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