Proceedings of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences & The J.B. Danquah Memorial Lecture, Series 3 (Volume VIII, 1970)

Emeritus Prof. J.H. Kwabena Nketia was born on June 22, 1921 at Mampong Asante. He was a composer, ethnomusicologist, and a writer. He had over 200 publications and more than 80 musical compositions to his credit.

He was Acting Principal, Presbyterian Training College, AkropongAkuapem, First African Director, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Professor of Music, University of Ghana, Professor of Music at UCLA, Horatio Appleton Lamb Visiting Professor at Harvard University, Visiting Cornell Professor at Swarthmore College, Distinguished Hannah Professor of Integrative Studies at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Visiting Professor at the University of Brisbane in Australia, Visiting Professor at the China Conservatory of Music, Beijing, Andrew Mellon Professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh, and Langston Hughes Professor at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

He was the Chancellor, Akrofi-Christallor Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture, Akropong-Akuapem, a Foundation Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts & Sciences, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Society of Great Britain, and Ireland, Honorary Member of the International Music Council (IMC-UNESCO), Honorary Fellow Of the Pennsylvania Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, Honorary Member of the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), Member of the International Jury for the Proclamation by UNESCO of Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and Board Member of the National Commission on Culture, Republic of Ghana.

His numerous Awards included Cowell Award of the African Music Society, Companion of the Order of Star of Ghana, Grand Medal of the Government of Ghana (Civil Division), Ghana Book Award, ECRAG Special Honour Award (1987), Ghana Gospel Music Special Award (2003), ACRAG Flagstar Award (1993), ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for his book on the Music of Africa, IMC-UNESCO Music Prize for Distinguished Service to Music, Prince Claus 1997 Award for Distinguished Service to Culture & Development, the Year 2000 Distinguished Africanist Award of the African Studies Association of the USA for Life-long Devotion to African Studies, and DLitt(Honoris Causa) of the University of Ghana.

He passed away in 2019.

Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng (born 10 January 1925) is a Ghanaian scientist born at Anum in the Eastern Region and was the first Ghanaian woman to graduate with a bachelor's degree in science, as well as the first to be awarded a doctorate in science. She is described as "the grandmother of female scientists in Ghana".

Letitia Obeng holds a Ph.D. in public health and water resources engineering from Imperial College, University of London. She was Chair of the Global Water Partnership (an international network of over 2800 organizations in some 160 countries supported by 13 Regional and over 80 Country Water Partnerships), from January 1, 2008 to December, 31 2012. Letitia has extensive experience in water and sanitation service delivery. She spent many years, working with sector ministries and communities, on policies, strategies, project preparation, implementation and evaluation while partnering with other aid assistance groups and organizations. During the 25 years she spent at the World Bank, Letitia also worked on or was responsible for sustainable development areas such as water resource management, agriculture and rural development social/community development, environment, environmental health, waste management, urban development and growing capacity, Letitia held managerial and director positions in Africa, Middle East and North Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean and at the Corporate Level as Director, Office of the President while at the World Bank.

She was the first woman to be elected as the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.