Feature: Ghana Must Iconize Bagbin – Yaw Baah

Honouring a towering statesman and mentor from the Northern Regions

Standfirst: Ghana has produced remarkable leaders from the Northern Regions, yet few have embodied dedication, resilience, and service like Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin. From humble beginnings to the apex of parliamentary leadership, his life story is a testament to perseverance, mentorship, and national impact.

A Legacy of Northern Leadership

Ghana must acknowledge the towering statesmen it has produced from the North, especially under the First and Second Republics. Among the eminent trailblazers and breeders of leadership qualities in our five Northern Regions were S.D. Dombo, Yakubu Tali (Tolon Naa), J.S. Braimah, Mumuni Bawumia, B.K. Adama, Jato Kaleo, Emmanuel Mahama, Mumuni Dumbe, C.K. Tedam, Abavana, and Abeifaa Karbo.

The Third Republic, though lasting less than three years, also saw Ghana producing the first ever president from the Northern Regions in the person of Dr. Hilla Limann, alongside Professor J.S. Nabila, Colonel Zuanrugu, and other distinguished leaders.

Under the current dispensation of the Fourth Republic, our five Northern Regions can boast of two-term President John Dramani Mahama, Vice Presidents Aliu Mahama and Mahamudu Bawumia, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, Alhassan Malik, Ndebuguri, Martin Amidu, Cletus Avoka, Dr. Kubour Ambros Derry, Kofi Adda, Fuseini, Mahama Ayariga and the brilliant and energetic Haruna Iddrisu.

The common feature among these remarkable leaders is that they either hail from privileged backgrounds, had strong sentimental ties to influential ‘skins’, or emerged from humble beginnings through sheer hard work. Classical examples of these royals include Dr. Limann, who died as Tumu Paramount Chief; Tolon Naa Yakubu Tali, chief of Mion; S.D. Dombo, the Diori Chief; Abeifaa Karbo, the Nandom Naa; Wulugu Naa Prof. J.S. Nabila; Mumuni Bawumia of the Mamprusi State; and J.S. Braimah of the Gonja dynasty.

Privileged educators such as S.D. Dombo, Jato Kaleo, B.K. Adama, Mumuni Dumbe, and Abavana were early entrants into active Northern politics. Children of political giants, like President Mahama and Vice President Bawumia, were born into positions of advantage. Yet, a third group emerged from obscurity through relentless dedication, including Amidu, Kumbour, Haruna Iddrisu, Ndebugri, Avoka, and Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, who has risen as one of the greatest Northern politicians of all time.

Early Life and Entry into Politics

Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin’s story is one of perseverance against the odds. Born to illiterate peasant farmers as the 13th child of over 30, he was initially destined for a life of hoe and cutlass or cattle rearing. By what he describes as divine intervention, he began schooling at the age of six at Sumbo, completing ten years of barefoot elementary education before gaining admission to Wa and Tamale Secondary Schools for his O- and A-level certificates.

In 1977, he entered the University of Ghana and, by 1982, qualified as a barrister-at-law and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana. Remarkably, throughout his education, he supported himself through various odd jobs, including selling and repairing aluminium utensils.

Ten years later, through the trust and goodwill of the people of Nadowli North, Bagbin made a dramatic entry into politics. In 2008, President J.A. Kufuor, the greatest leader of our 4^th Republic recognised his exceptional wisdom and versatility and sought to honour him with the state award of the Order of the Volta. Due to political pressures, Bagbin respectfully declined at that time.

As Professor John Akopari, a Ghanaian political scholar in South Africa, aptly observed, “No literature on Alban Bagbin can ever be complete; he has achieved the nearly unachievable. Wherever Bagbin sets foot, he leaves an indelible imprint.”

Bagbin as Legislator

While J.H. Mensah, of blessed memory, is revered as a master of parliamentary debate, Bagbin remains Ghana’s greatest legislator. His contributions surpass those of any politician since the First Republic.

He is the only parliamentarian to have served as Minority Leader for eight years, Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business for five years, Deputy Speaker for four years, and Substantive Speaker for four years, now beginning another four-year term. Following Justice D.F. Annan, Bagbin holds the distinction of being among the longest-serving Speakers in Ghanaian history. He has chaired or ranked more parliamentary committees than any other MP.

Bagbin is known for his boldness, fearlessness, and fairness. As Chair of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, he led the charge against the Constitutional Amendment Bill on the status of the Vice President in the early 1990s, despite it being sponsored by his own party.

He also championed reforms reserving the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for professional accountants, while Legal Committees remain chaired exclusively by Lawyers. Following this reform in 2005, he ceded PAC leadership to Hon. Sallas Mensah, an accomplished accountant. Many supporters credit Bagbin’s leadership in Parliament for helping the NDC secure victory in the 2008 national elections.

Bagbin and the Executive

After the NDC’s 2008 national victory, Bagbin was invited by President Mills to bring his expertise to the executive. Between 2013 and 2016, he served as Minister for Health and Minister for Works and Housing, delivering notable performance in both capacities.

He has chaired numerous Boards since 1993, demonstrating leadership and service across a wide spectrum of national interests.

Bagbin – The Colossus of Speakers

The dictum that people “throw in the towel” when applause is high does not apply to Bagbin. After 28 years of national service, he chose to continue.

In January 2021, Bagbin contested and won the Speakership by a single vote against incumbent Prof. Mike Oquaye, making history as the first opposition candidate to win Speakership in a Hung Parliament (137 seats each, with one independent). Previous Speakers, including J.F. Annan, Ala Adjetey, Bagyina Sekyi Hughes, Justice Bamfo-Addo, Doe Ajaho, and Professor Oquaye, all served single terms, except Annan who served two.

As Chair of the Parliamentary Service Board (PSB), the engine of Ghana’s Parliament, Bagbin is the only Ghanaian to have chaired the PSB for eight years. He had previously served on the Board during the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th sessions of Parliament. Political commentators have described him as “Primus inter pares” or the “Alpha and Omega” of Fourth Republic Parliament affairs.

Under his leadership, Parliamentary Services have been overhauled to align with the Civil Service of Ghana, introducing reforms, promotions, and expanded opportunities. The Parliamentary Service now stands tall in comparison to Commonwealth and African democratic jurisdictions, thanks in part to contributions from clerks Cyril Oteng Nsiah and Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror.

Bagbin as Mentor

Bagbin has inspired politicians across Ghana, North and South, including the writer. No politician from the Northern Regions has received more citations, awards, and recognitions, including multiple honorary doctorates. He has been a source of hope and solutions, providing scholarships for the less privileged through the Northern Scholars Network.

He has addressed every paramountcy in the North and, in a recent meeting with Ya-Na, emphasised the fight against extreme poverty, disease, and underdevelopment. Today, many youths recognise him as Ghana’s foremost mentor, a testament to his humble beginnings and extraordinary achievements.

Global Recognition

Ghana has long played a pivotal role in global politics. Distinguished citizens such as Kofi Annan (UN Secretary-General, 1997–2006), Dr. Quaison-Sackey (Ghana’s first Permanent Representative at the UN), Dr. Ibn Chambas (ECOWAS Secretary-General), Dr. A.Y. Amoako (Economic Commission for Africa), and Hon. Ayorkor Botchwey (Commonwealth Secretary-General) have all earned global acclaim.

In 2022, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin was elected President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in Canada and was re-elected for another term in Accra in 2023. In early 2025, he was elected President of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures and Chairperson of the African Geopolitical Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), solidifying his status as a leading voice in global parliamentary affairs.

Conclusion

It is unfortunate that, despite these extraordinary achievements, the State of Ghana has yet to formally acknowledge and honour him. As Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar, “If you don’t say ‘I am,’ people will never say you are.”

It is against this backdrop that all former and current MPs, the Board of Parliamentary Service, and Parliament staff—from cleaners and security personnel to the Clerk—should unite in naming the Speaker’s Block Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin Block, honouring this fearless, patriotic, and visionary son of the land.

By Opanin Yaw Baah
Former MP, Kumawu Constituency
Acting Secretary, Forum for Former MPs of Ghana

 

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