Born to Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Madam Fanny Miller, who hailed from Elmina in the Central Region, Professor Francis Nkrumah was the firstborn of the historic leader. Dr Nkrumah met Miss Miller while teaching at a middle school in Amisano, near Elmina.
Their relationship blossomed, leading to the birth of Francis before Dr Nkrumah left Ghana to study at Lincoln University in the United Kingdom.
Upon Dr Nkrumah's return to Ghana, his son Francis had already distinguished himself academically, attending St. Augustine’s College and excelling in his O Levels. By 1952, Dr Nkrumah had risen to become the leader of government business and was living with Francis in Accra New Town. He secured a Cocobod scholarship for Francis to study medicine in Germany.
Dr. Nkrumah was a devout socialist. Ten years ago, he said, ‘I feel presently that Africa continues to miss [Kwame Nkrumah] unless we go back and revisit what Nkrumah actually meant for Ghana and for Africa’.
Professor Francis Nkrumah later became a prominent figure in Ghana's medical field, serving as the longest-serving director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR). He was highly regarded for his contributions to eradicating poliomyelitis in Africa and his pivotal role in establishing the Pediatric Association of Ghana and the West African College of Physicians.
In recognition of his efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region honoured Professor Nkrumah in October 2016 for his dedication to poliomyelitis eradication. He received three awards for his service on the Africa Regional Certification Committee (ARCC), work with the WHO Ghana office, and tenure as chairman of the Regional Task Force on Immunization (TFI).
Professor Francis Nkrumah’s passing marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to medical research and public health in Ghana and beyond.