Tetteh Quarshie Biography, Education, Age, Career and Experience, Parents, Occupation
Tetteh Quarshie
Tetteh Quarshie: Who is Tetteh Quarshie?
Tetteh Quarshie was a Ghanaian blacksmith and an agriculturalist in the British Colony of Gold Coast. He was the person directly responsible for the introduction of cocoa crops to Gold Coast, which today constitute one of the major export crops of the Ghanaian economy, the country Gold Coast became in 1957.
Tetteh Quarshie Age: How old was Tetteh Quarshie before his death?
Tetteh Quarshie died at the age of 50 on December 25, 1892. He was born in the year 1842 to farmers, his parents.
Tetteh Quarshie parents
The parents of Tetteh Quarshie are Mlekubo (father), a farmer from Teshie, and Ashong-Fio, mother from Labadi. His parents are all natives of the Ga-Dangme ethnic group.
Tetteh Quarshie Career and Work
Tetteh Quarshie in his teens worked as an apprentice. He became an apprentice in a Basel Mission workshop at Akropong. Due to his hard work, he soon became a master blacksmith and was the first blacksmith to be established at Akuapim-Mampong.
Tetteh Quarshie Hobby
Tetteh Quarshie was a hardworking blacksmith. He was the first blacksmith to be established at Akuapim-Mampong. Despite being a hard-working blacksmith “in that era”, he still has a hobby. His hobby was farming, the main occupation of his parents.
Tetteh Quarshie Travelling and Cocoa Journey to Ghana
The journey of Cocoa to Ghana started with a great step. In the year 1870, Tetteh Quarshie undertook a voyage to the Spanish colony Fernando Po (now Bioko in Equatorial Guinea).
He stayed there for close to a decade (about 6 years) due to his work. After spending the years there, he returned to Ghana with several cocoa beans. Tetteh Quarshie didn’t swallow cocoa beans. The beans, cocoa pods, the ripe ones were kept in his toolbox. Six (6) of them were hidden in his toolbox.
He succeeded in hiding and bringing the Cocoa seeds to Ghana because he was a blacksmith. Blacksmiths also deal with tools so he had a lot of metal tools in his box making him able to keep the Cocoa seeds and pods in there for easy “escape” with notice by the authorities.
Who first brought cocoa to Africa?
Cocoa cultivation began in Ghana, according to the legend, fostered by a blacksmith called Tetteh Quarshie, who, in 1895, returned to his farm in the Eastern Region of Ghana with cocoa beans “in his pocket” from the island of Fernando Po (now Bioko) in Equatorial Guinea where there was already intensive plantation.
When did Tetteh Quarshie plant the first Cocoa seed in Ghana?
Tetteh Quarshie planted the first Cocoa seed in the year 1879 at Mampong where many grew successfully.
His friends and relatives also undertook the planting of cocoa when pods were distributed to them.
After a while, other farmers followed suit. Later, the Basel Missionaries started importing the Cocoa in large quantities to the country.
When did Ghana start exporting Cocoa?
The export of cocoa from Ghana began in 1891, and the official export in 1893 (two bags exported). Ghana once provided almost half of the world’s output. The business became successful. Between 1910 and 1980 Ghana was the world’s largest exporter. This position was ceded due to bushfires. However, Ghana’s cocoa is still of the highest quality and the country earns hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the export of the beans and processed materials.
Tetteh Quarshie Death: Cause of Tetteh Quarshie death
Tetteh Quarshie the Ghanaian blacksmith and agriculturalist credited for bringing Cocoa to Ghana from Fernando Po died on Christmas Day, December 25, 1892. His death was sad heartbreaking. The cause of Tetteh Quarshie’s death has not been disclosed still as of March 2024.
Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Scholarship at Achimota College: Tetteh Quarshie Hospital history
On 25 February 1925, the Gold Coast government was petitioned for a grant for the upkeep of some of Tetteh Quarshie’s relatives.
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The then Ghanaian Vice-Principal of Achimota College, Dr. J. E. K. Aggrey strenuously took up the appeal. His friend, Sir Gordon Guggisberg set up the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Scholarship at Achimota College. After another petition in 1927, the Government gave a sum of 250 pounds, although Nana Sir Ofori Atta, speaking in the Legislative Council asked for 2,500 pounds, supported by Kojo Thompson.
According to the late Ghanaian lawyer and anthropologist, Dr. Isaac Ephson: “This took the form of a more enduring memorial, which was set up at Achimota in honour of the pioneer of Ghana’s staple crop and the principal bulwark of the country’s economy. The memorial is Tetteh Quarshie House. And since Independence (1957) the Government of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah after petitions from Dr. J. B. Danquah and the Eastern Region House of Chiefs, has built a first-class hospital and fittingly named it after him at Mampong-Akwapim – TETTEH QUARSHIE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.”
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
