Nathaniel Azarco Welbeck (1915–1972) was a
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 ...
ian politician and a diplomat. He was a member of the
Convention People's Party
The Convention People's Party (CPP) is a socialist political party in Ghana based on the ideas of the first President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was formed in June 1949 after Nkrumah broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGC ...
and minister of state in the
first republic. He was briefly resident minister of Ghana in
Guinea
Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the southeast, and Sier ...
and also resident minister of Ghana in the
Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
The Republic of the Congo () was the period of the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1960 and 1971. Located in Central Africa, the state was created with the independence of the Belgian Congo in 1960. From 1960 to 1966, ...
.
Early life and education
Welbeck was born at
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 ...
on 25 September 1915 to Madam Adwoa Twi and Nomo Welbeck who migrated to
Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of the overall population ...
,
Côte d'Ivoire
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest city and ...
. His father was of
Ewe and
Ga descent and his mother was
Fanti Fanti is an Italian surname. Notable people with this name include:
* Bartolomeo Fanti (1428–1495), beatified Italian Carmelite priest
* Fausto Fanti (1978–2014), Brazilian actor, comedian and musician
* Franco Fanti (1924–2007), Italian Olymp ...
, Welbeck identified as a
Fanti Fanti is an Italian surname. Notable people with this name include:
* Bartolomeo Fanti (1428–1495), beatified Italian Carmelite priest
* Fausto Fanti (1978–2014), Brazilian actor, comedian and musician
* Franco Fanti (1924–2007), Italian Olymp ...
, a Ga and also an Ewe however, due to Akan (of which Fantis constitute) customs and tradition which places more emphasis on one's maternal background, Welbeck was a Fanti from
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 ...
. His father died in a house fire at
Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of the overall population ...
where the family resided. Welbeck was sleeping in the same room with his father. His grandmother first saw the fire and blew the alarm. His father on hearing the alarm, picked him up and took him to a safe place. He then went back to the flaming house to rescue another child by throwing it out of the window into safety but he was overcome by the flames and could not find the door to get out of the burning house. Welbeck was too young to know his father. His mother was a bead trader. She decided to stay after her husband's death, she had established herself as a successful bead trader in
Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of the overall population ...
.
Welbeck had his early education at a school in
Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of the overall population ...
. The French language being the medium of communication in schools in the area, Welbeck became well versed in the French language. Welbeck's mother decided to send Welbeck to his native
Gold Coast to stay with his paternal uncle; Mr. Joseph Mensah Attabrah. He lived with his family in
Swedru where he continued schooling, this time in the English Language. He sat for his standard seven school leaving certificate in 1932 and entered
Wesley College in 1933 to train as a teacher.
Career and politics
He qualified as a teacher in 1936. He taught in many institutions, the last school he was posted to before he brought his teaching career to a close was Takoradi Methodist School. He entered politics before quitting the teaching profession. He had joined the newly formed
United Gold Coast Convention
The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was an early nationalist movement British colony of the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana) that sought independence after the Second World War. It was founded in August 1947 with the aim of self-government "i ...
(UGCC); a political party that had begun as a movement to usher the Gold Coast into political independence. In 1949 he was appointed the secretary to the Local Education Committee. That same year, he decided to quit teaching completely to focus on politics.
Kwame Nkrumah
Francis Kwame Nkrumah (, 21 September 1909 – 27 April 1972) was a Ghanaian politician, political theorist, and revolutionary. He served as Prime Minister of the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast from 1952 until 1957, when it gained ...
left the UGCC to form the
Convention People's Party(CPP) on 12 June 1949 and Welbeck joined the party that same day as one of its founding members. A year later, he was arrested during an unrest which followed
Nkrumah's declaration of "Positive Action Without Violence." He was tried and charged with sedition leading to his 12-month incarceration. This propelled his political career as he was viewed as a hero after his release. In 1951 he was appointed the national propaganda secretary for the CPP.
After the death of
Kwesi Plange in 1953 he was selected by his party the CPP to stand elections in his home town
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 ...
as a municipal member of the legislative assembly. He contested for the Cape Coast seat with Amponsah Dadzie of the United Party. Welbeck won the election but the results were contested by his opponent; Amponsah Dadzie. The general elections for Cape Coast was rescheduled for 1954 and this time Welbeck was elected and he kept the seat without any court proceedings. That same year he was appointed minister for works. He was elected in office in 1956 and in 1958 he was appointed a resident minister to Guinea.
In 1960 he was retained in parliament and appointed minister of state for Defence. That same year he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary and Ambassador Extraordinary posted to
Congo as resident minister representing Ghana. He was returned to Ghana in November 1960 after his residence was besieged by the Congo military for allegedly plotting with the then deposed
Patrice Lumumba
Patrice Émery Lumumba ( ; born Isaïe Tasumbu Tawosa; 2 July 192517 January 1961) was a Congolese politician and independence leader who served as the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as the Republic o ...
against
Mobutu's regime. In September 1962, he became acting executive secretary of the CPP due to
Hugh Horatio Coffie Crabbe's detention. He was appointed Executive Secretary of the party in 1963 while Nkrumah was the general secretary. In 1965 Welbeck was appointed Minister of information (a non cabinet post) and party propaganda secretary.
Personal life
He was the great grandson of
Philip Quaque
Philip Quaicoe (1741 – 17 October 1816) was the first African to be ordained as a minister by the Church of England.
Biography
Born in Cape Coast then known as (Gold Coast) and named Kweku, he was said to be the son of Birempong Cudjo, a c ...
of
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 ...
.
He first married Ms. Sarah Andrews and they had a daughter together. The marriage lasted from 1942 to 1950. He married Ms. Esther Quarm in 1954. Welbeck's hobbies included lawn tennis and stamps collection.
Death
Welbeck died in 1972 after a protracted illness.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Welbeck, N
Convention People's Party (Ghana) politicians
1915 births
1972 deaths
Ghanaian MPs 1954–1956
Ghanaian MPs 1956–1965
People from Cape Coast
Politicians from Central Region (Ghana)
Ambassadors of Ghana to the Republic of the Congo
Ambassadors of Ghana to Guinea
United Gold Coast Convention politicians
People from Abidjan
Ghanaian independence activists