Mfantsipim School is an all-boys boarding secondary school in

Cape Coast Cape Coast is a city and the capital of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, Cape Coast Metropolitan District and the Central Region (Ghana), Central Region of Ghana, Ghana. It is located about from Sekondi-Takoradi and approximately from Ac ...

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

, established by the

Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

in 1876 to foster intellectual,

moral A moral (from Latin ''morālis'') is a message that is conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader, or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim. ...

, and spiritual growth on the then Gold Coast. Its founding name was Wesleyan High School and the first headmaster was James Picot, a

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

scholar, who was only 18 years old on his appointment. Mfantsipim is nicknamed ''The School'' because it gave birth to other prominent schools such as

Prempeh College Prempeh College is a public secondary boarding school for boys located in Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti Region, Ghana. The school was founded in 1949 by the Asanteman traditional authority, the British Colonial Government, the Metho ...

History

The idea of establishing a collegiate school to raise educational standards in the Gold Coast was first mooted in 1865 but was not realized until 1876 when the ''Wesleyan High School'' was established in Cape Coast with donations from local businessmen and the support of the Methodist Missionary Society in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. The school was originally intended to be situated in Accra, owing to a decision by the British Government to move the capital of the Gold Coast from

Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...

by 1870. However, due to local agitation and the urgency to implement the idea, it was finally established in

, although there were initial plans to later move it to Accra, a relocation that never happened. On 3

April April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Its length is 30 days. April is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the ...

1876, the school was established as

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

High School.

Foundation and early development

Mfantsipim School was established in 1876 as Wesleyan High School in Cape Coast, primarily to train teachers with an initial enrollment of 17 pupils. The idea of establishing a collegiate school in the Gold Coast dates back to 1865, but it took eleven years to realize this vision. The school's location was chosen amidst local agitation and the urgent need to start the institution, despite initial plans to establish it in Accra. The first headmaster was James Picot, a young French scholar, who was only 18 years old at his appointment. Despite his youth and relatively limited experience, Picot played a crucial role in the school's early days.

Name change and evolution

In 1905 a graduate of the school, John Mensah Sarbah, founded a rival school named ''Mfantsipim''; the name derives from "Mfantsefo-apem", literally meaning "thousands of Fantes" but actually meaning "the gathering of hosts of scholars for change" originally by the Fantes. In July of the same year, the two schools were merged under the supervision of the

, keeping the name Mfantsipim.Richard Bagudu (2007)
''Judging Annan''
Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. , pp. 22–23. On 9 March 2000, the former headmaster of Mfantsipim, O. K. Monney, passed away after having suffered from cancer for some time.

Academic and cultural traditions

The school celebrates annual events such as the Speech and Prize Giving Day, which dates back to 1908, initiated by Rev. W. T. Balmer. The school anthem, Botae Pa, sung at various events, encapsulates the school's history, values, and aspirations.

Historical relocation and expansion

Originally built on the premises of the

Cape Coast Castle Cape Coast Castle () is one of about forty slave fort, "slave castles", or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast (region), Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. It was originally a Portuguese "feitoria" or Factory ( ...

, Mfantsipim was later moved to its current location on Kwabotwe Hill in northern Cape Coast in 1930. This move marked a significant phase in the school's expansion and development.

Notable alumni

* Ernest Addison, current governor of the Bank of Ghana * Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, former vice president of the

Republic of Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder a ...

, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Secretary-General of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Kow Nkensen Arkaah Kow Nkensen Arkaah (14 July 1927 – 25 April 2001) was a Ghanaian politician who was Vice-President of Ghana from 1993 to 1997. He was also a chief of Senya Beraku. Early life Kow Arkaah was born on 14 July 1927 in Senya Beraku in the C ...

, former vice president of the

Raphael Armattoe Raphael Ernest Grail Armattoe (12 August 1913 – 22 December 1953) was a Ghanaian scientist and political activist. He was nominated for the 1948 Nobel Peace Prize and was a campaigner for unification of British and French Togoland. He was call ...

, scientist, nationalist, writer *

Albert Adu Boahen Albert Kwadwo Adu Boahen (24 May 1932 – 24 May 2006) was a Ghanaian academic, historian, and politician. He was an academic at the University of Ghana from 1959 to 1990, from 1971 onwards as a professor. As a politician, he notably was a candida ...

, academic, historian and politician *

Kofi Abrefa Busia Kofi Abrefa Busia (11 July 1913 – 28 August 1978) was a Ghanaian political leader and academic who was Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. As a leader and prime minister, he helped to restore civilian government to the country follow ...

, political leader, academic and Prime Minister of Ghana (1969–1972) *

Mohamed Ibn Chambas Mohamed Ibn Chambas (born 7 December 1950 in Bimbilla, Ghana) is a Ghanaian lawyer, diplomat, politician and academic who has served as an international civil servant since 2006. He last served as the United Nations Special Representative of t ...

, former president of

ECOWAS The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as CEDEAO in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of twelve countries of West Africa. Collectively, the present and former members comprise an area ...

commission * Joseph W.S. de Graft-Johnson, former vice president of the

Joe de Graft Joseph Coleman de Graft (2 April 1924 – 1 November 1978) was a prominent Ghanaian writer, playwright and dramatist, who was appointed the first director of the Ghana Drama Studio in 1962. He produced and directed plays for radio, stage and tele ...

, writer, playwright and dramatist; first director of the Ghana Drama Studio * J. E. Casely Hayford, journalist and politician *

Kobina Arku Korsah Sir Kobina Arku Korsah (3 April 1894 – 25 January 1967)''Makers of Modern Africa'', London: Africa Journal Ltd, 1981, pp. 289-90. was the first Chief Justice of Ghana (then the Gold Coast) in 1956. Biography Born in Saltpond, Korsah was ...

, first chief justice of Ghana *

John Mensah-Sarbah John Mensah Sarbah (3 June 1864 – 27 November 1910)S. Tenkorang, "John Mensah Sarbah, 1864–1910", in ''Transactions of the HYistorical Society of Ghana'', Vol. XIV, No. 1, Legon, June 1973 (pp. 65–78), pp. 65, 76. Some other sources (inc ...

, diplomat, prominent lawyer and political leader in the Gold Coast (now

) * Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Paramount Chief (Omanhen) of the Essikado (British Sekondi) Traditional Area in the Western Region of Ghana *

Alex Quaison-Sackey Alex Quaison-Sackey (9 August 1924 – 21 December 1992) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served during the first and third republics. He was the first black African to serve as president of the United Nations General Assembly. Early life and edu ...

, diplomat, first black president of the UN General Assembly * Kobina Sekyi, lawyer, writer, nationalist *

Tsatsu Tsikata Tsatsu Tsikata (born on 1 October 1950) is a Ghanaian academic and lawyer. He is also a former chief executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation. He is a notable affiliate and legal counsel to the National Democratic Congress and re ...

, academic and lawyer *

Arthur Wharton Arthur Wharton (28 October 1865 – 12 December 1930) was a British footballer. He is widely considered to be the first black professional footballer in the world. Though not the first black player outright – the amateurs Robert Walker, of Q ...

, England’s first black professional footballer

Awards

*Winners of the 1999 & 2014 and 2024 editions of the National Science and Maths Quiz *Winners of the 2024 edition of the National Science and Maths Quiz *Winner of the 2021 of National Public Speaking competitions *Six-time Sprite basketball champions

References

{{Authority control 1876 establishments in Gold Coast (British colony) Boarding schools in Ghana Boys' schools in Ghana Cape Coast Christian schools in Ghana Education in the Central Region (Ghana) Educational institutions established in 1876 High schools in Ghana