Felicia Ewuraesi Abban (Nee Ansah), Ghana’s pioneering female professional photographer and former President of the Association of Professional Photographers Ghana, has passed away in Accra.
The veteran photographer, who held a significant place in Ghana’s photography history, died at the age of 87 on Thursday, January 4, 2023.
Felicia Ewuraesi Abban was the first woman in Ghana to establish herself as a professional photographer.
She was part of a notable family, with siblings including JKE Ansah, Tumi Ansah, filmmaker Kwaw Ansah, and the late fashion designer Kofi Ansah.
The funeral arrangements for the late Felicia Ewuraesi Abban will be announced at a later date. Her contributions to the field of photography have left a lasting legacy, marking her as a trailblazer and a pioneer in her industry.
About Felicia Ewuraesi Abban:
Born in 1935 to parents residing in the Western Region, Felicia Abban was introduced to the burgeoning field of photography as her father was a practitioner in the trade.
Opting to apprentice under her father, little did Felicia know that this decision would lead her to become the official photographer for Ghana’s first Prime Minister and later President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
A glimpse into Felicia’s remarkable achievements was shared on Twitter by the SUNU journal, a Journal of African Affairs, Critical Thought, and Aesthetics.
SUNU Notes, known for preserving archival and contemporary material, serves as a testament to Felicia Abban’s significant contributions to the field of photography.
As a young child, Felicia Ansah Abban frequented her father’s photography studio in Sekondi-Takoradi, Western Region, where she was born in 1935.
The eldest of six siblings, Abban began her apprenticeship under her father at the age of 14, spending the next four years refining her skills under his meticulous guidance. At 18, newly married, she left her hometown for Accra to establish her own photo studio.
Felicia was married to Robert Abban (late), the designer of the fabric that featured Kwame Nkrumah’s portrait amid flowers with the Ghana map, created for Ghana’s Independence Day celebrations in 1957.
According to Ghanaianmuseum.com, her first public exhibition was held at ANO’s gallery in March 2017, and there are plans to transform her studio into a museum in her honor. Abban’s personal photo collection includes self-portraits taken before attending various events.