Francis Agbodeka
Francis Agbodeka was a Ghanaian academic and writer. He was a professor of history at the University of Cape Coast, and the first person to obtain a doctorate degree from the University of Ghana. Early life. Agbodeka was born at Anloga in the Volta Region of Ghana (then Gold Coast) on 31 December 1931 to his father, Dumega Amuzu Agbodeka and his mother, Vincentia Agudu. From 1947 to 1952, he attended Achimota College for his secondary education, and from 1953 to 1956 he studied at the University of Ghana (then the University College of the Gold Coast) where  he was awarded his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of London. (The University College of the Gold Coast was then a constituent college of the University of London. This meant that the University College of the Gold Coast was unable to award its own degrees). In 1969, while teaching at the University of Cape Coast, he obtained a doctorate degree in History from the University of Ghana. He consequently became the first person to obtain a doctorate degree from the university. Career. Agbodeka begun as a teacher at Adisadel College, Cape Coast. There, he taught the sixth form  students A-Level History from 1956 to 1960. He was later employed by the University of Cape Coast in 1962 to teach History. At the University of Cape Coast; Agbodeka served in various capacities as an academic of the institution. He served as the Head of the History Department from 1971 to 1980. During the aforementioned period, Agbodeka doubled as the Dean the Faculty of Arts on two occasions. He first served at the helm of faculty from 1971 to 1972, and later, from 1974 to 1976. From 1974 to 1978, he was the Pro Vice Chancellor of the university . Agbodeka moved to Nigeria 1978 following his spell as the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast. In Nigeria, he was put in charge of the History Department of the University of Sokoto (now Usmanu Danfodiyo University) for one year. He later moved to the University of Benin where he worked as a professor of History from 1980 to 1986. Agbodeka a member of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, and also a member of the Historical Society of Ghana. Personal life. In 1956, Agbodeka married Margaret Liko Nyomi. Together, they had three children. He later married  Esther Tamakloe and together, they also had three children. Death. In August 2005 Abgodeka was reported ill. His untimely demise occurred on 29 October 2005. Publications. Agbodeka authored many books and articles as an academic. Some of his works include;