Nana Kwasi Daaku was born in the town of Ɔbomen-Abokifi which is located in the Kwahu mountain area of Ghana. He grew up in Ɔkragye where his father was a chief. As a young child Nana always walked with the elders who spoke in proverbs and, as a result, by the age of 5 he was mimicking their wisdom. Between the ages of 10 and 12, he had the opportunity to travel to Kumase and other villages. While in high school he became a transcriber for a UNESCO program for 3 years where his uncle, Kwame Y. Daaku, was a director of African Studies at Legon. These manuscripts can be found in the B.A.L.M. Library at the University of Ghana at Legon. 

 

Between 1973 and 1974, Nana Daaku was a lead researcher for Peggy Appiah, a well-known author who wrote many books on Ashanti gold weights, folktales, and traditions. This afforded him the opportunity to travel to many towns throughout Ghana. Nana Daaku eventually moved to the United States and settled in the Washington D. C. Being a vast well of knowledge on Akan culture and traditions, Nana has given workshops and lectures at Morgan State University, Bowie State University, and Howard University. He is known for the creative ways he taught Twi to interested African born in America from teens to adults. Continuing his desire to educate people about Akan culture, Nana authored, Spoken Twi, a book that teaches Twi, an Akan language spoken in Ghana.

 

He supported many of his fellow Ghanaians to successfully relocate to the United States. He was quite a resource. He provided housing, guided the newly arrived to needed legal support and helped people to secure employment. He regularly connected Africans in the diaspora with people on the continent who provided a wide range of goods and services. 

 

Throughout the years, he inspired young and old to embrace the culture and to connect with each other. His dream was for Africans from anywhere in the world to understand each other and come together.

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In 2018, Wofa Kwasi became Okyeame Panyin in Okomfo Nana Akosua Mwangazaa’s shrine house, Ogya Fie. Wofa Kwasi and Nana Akosua had many discussions about bringing the wisdom of Africa to interested individuals in the U.S. In late 2018, Ogya Fie sponsored a research trip to Ghana. During this trip, Wofa did something only a native Ghanaian with such esteemed credentials in research and publishing could do. Wofa Kwasi, planted the seeds among the elders there that they can trust us to be respectful, honorable, and responsible with the magnificent spiritual mysteries of our Motherland. While on this trip, Wofa was called Home. He passed away on January 31st, 2019, at the age of 75.

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Wofa, we thank you deeply for opening a door to reclaiming who and what we are.