Erica Powell, Nkrumah's private secretary dies
{{date|July 16, 2007}}
{{ghana}}{{w|Erica Powell}} OBE, who was the Private Secretary to {{w|Kwame Nkrumah}}, {{w|Head of state of Ghana|President of Ghana}} and later to {{w|Siaka Stevens}}, President of [[Sierra Leone]], died last month at the age of 86. She died at {{w|Peterborough}} on June 5, 2007. She was made an {{w|MBE}} in 1958 and {{w|OBE}} in 1960.

Erica was born on March 15, 1921 at {{w|Brighton, East Sussex|Brighton}} in [[East Sussex, England|Sussex]] [[England]] into a middle class family. She trained as a secretary and then as a teacher. She worked with {{w|Barclays Bank}} during [[World War II]]. She was the top candidate in the 1940 {{w|London Chamber of Commerce & Industry|London Chamber of Commerce}} Shorthand and Typewriting exams.

In February 1952, the Crown Agents for the Colonies offered her the position of "Private Secretary (Female)/{{w|Gold Coast (British Colony)|Gold Coast}}" which later became the title of her autobiography. She ended up working as the Private Secretary to the {{w|List of Colonial Heads of Ghana|Governor of the Gold Coast}}, {{w|Charles Arden-Clarke|Sir Charles Arden-Clarke}}. While working for the Governor, she became a close friend and confidant of Kwame Nkrumah, then bidding for [[Ghana]]'s independence from the [[United Kingdom]]. Her closeness to Nkrumah led to her being dismissed in 1954 and being sent back to the UK.

Powell returned in January 1955 to work for Kwame Nkrumah, a position she held till 1965, a year before his overthrow. Her close relationship and loyalty to Nkrumah bred a lot of rumours both in Ghana and the UK. It also brought a lot of resentment from various quarters. She kept in contact with Nkrumah while he was in exile in [[Guinea]] until his death in April, 1972.

She later worked for Siaka Stevens as his private secretary from 1970 to 1979. She attended Nkrumah's funeral in 1972 as part of the official Sierra Leone delegation.

{{haveyoursay}}
==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2773184.ece
|title= Erica Powell - Secretary to Kwame Nkrumah
|author=Alex Duval Smith
|pub=The Independent
|date=July 16, 2007
|brokenURL=true
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001031626/http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2773184.ece
|archivedescription=Archived from the original on October 1, 2007 via the Internet Archive
}}
*{{source|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/lastword_29june2007.shtml
|title=Erica Powell
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 29, 2007
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628121046/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/lastword_29june2007.shtml
|archivedescription=Archived from the original on June 28, 2008 via the Internet Archive
}}
*{{source|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1974779.ece
|title=Erica Powell
|author=
|pub=The Times
|date=June 23, 2007
|brokenURL=true
|archiveurl=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/erica-powell-50f6gn8q9fb
|archivedescription=Apparent copy of the original, partly visible pay-to-read}}

{{Publish}}
{{Archive}}

[[Category:Obituaries]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Ghana]]
[[Category:Sierra Leone]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:East Sussex]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:England]]
Kwame Nkrumah, President of Ghana and later to Peterborough on June 5, 2007. She was made an OBE in 1960.

Erica was born on March 15, 1921 at Brighton in Sussex England into a middle class family. She trained as a secretary and then as a teacher. She worked with London Chamber of Commerce & Industry|London Chamber of Commerce Shorthand and Typewriting exams.

In February 1952, the Crown Agents for the Colonies offered her the position of "Private Secretary (Female)/Gold Coast" which later became the title of her autobiography. She ended up working as the Private Secretary to the Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Charles Arden-Clarke. While working for the Governor, she became a close friend and confidant of Kwame Nkrumah, then bidding for Ghana's independence from the United Kingdom. Her closeness to Nkrumah led to her being dismissed in 1954 and being sent back to the UK.

Powell returned in January 1955 to work for Kwame Nkrumah, a position she held till 1965, a year before his overthrow. Her close relationship and loyalty to Nkrumah bred a lot of rumours both in Ghana and the UK. It also brought a lot of resentment from various quarters. She kept in contact with Nkrumah while he was in exile in Guinea until his death in April, 1972.

She later worked for Siaka Stevens as his private secretary from 1970 to 1979. She attended Nkrumah's funeral in 1972 as part of the official Sierra Leone delegation.
Obituaries Africa Ghana Sierra Leone Europe East Sussex United Kingdom England