The Most Famous
RELIGIOUS FIGURES from Ghana
This page contains a list of the greatest Ghanaian Religious Figures. The pantheon dataset contains 3,187 Religious Figures, 4 of which were born in Ghana. This makes Ghana the birth place of the 72nd most number of Religious Figures behind Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Top 4
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Ghanaian Religious Figures of all time. This list of famous Ghanaian Religious Figures is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Peter Turkson (b. 1948)
With an HPI of 59.78, Peter Turkson is the most famous Ghanaian Religious Figure. His biography has been translated into 36 different languages on wikipedia.
Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson (born 11 October 1948) is a Ghanaian prelate and cardinal of the Catholic Church who has served as chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences since 2022. He was president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace from 2009 to 2017 and the inaugural prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development from 2017 to 2021. Turkson was Archbishop of Cape Coast from 1992 to 2009. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003. He has been widely regarded as papabile, that is, a candidate for election to the papacy. The Tablet described him in 2013 as "one of Africa's most energetic church leaders".
2. Peter Poreku Dery (1918 - 2008)
With an HPI of 53.14, Peter Poreku Dery is the 2nd most famous Ghanaian Religious Figure. His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.
Peter Porekuu Dery (10 May 1918 – 6 March 2008), originally Porekuu Der, was a Ghanaian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Tamale from 1974 to 1994, and was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2006. He was the Bishop of Wa from 1960 to 1974. The cause for his canonization commenced in mid-2013 and he is now referred to as a Servant of God.
3. Richard Baawobr (1959 - 2022)
With an HPI of 50.85, Richard Baawobr is the 3rd most famous Ghanaian Religious Figure. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Richard Kuuia Baawobr MAfr (21 June 1959 – 27 November 2022) was a Ghanaian prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Wa from 2016 until his death in 2022. A member of the Missionaries of Africa (also known as the White Fathers), he worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, and Tanzania before being named a bishop in his native country. Pope Francis created him a cardinal on 27 August 2022, however Baawobr would die a few months after his consistory.
4. Theodosia Okoh (1922 - 2015)
With an HPI of 45.02, Theodosia Okoh is the 4th most famous Ghanaian Religious Figure. Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Theodosia Salome Okoh (born 13 June 1922 – 19 April 2015) was a Ghanaian teacher and artist known for designing Ghana's national flag in 1957. She exhibited her artwork internationally. She also played a leading role in the development of hockey in Ghana. Her grandson is Ian Jones-Quartey, creator of OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, and her granddaughter-in-law is Rebecca Sugar, creator of Steven Universe.
People
Pantheon has 4 people classified as Ghanaian religious figures born between 1918 and 1959. Of these 4, 1 (25.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Ghanaian religious figures include Peter Turkson. The most famous deceased Ghanaian religious figures include Peter Poreku Dery, Richard Baawobr, and Theodosia Okoh. As of April 2024, 2 new Ghanaian religious figures have been added to Pantheon including Richard Baawobr, and Theodosia Okoh.
Living Ghanaian Religious Figures
Go to all RankingsDeceased Ghanaian Religious Figures
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Peter Poreku Dery
1918 - 2008
HPI: 53.14
Richard Baawobr
1959 - 2022
HPI: 50.85
Theodosia Okoh
1922 - 2015
HPI: 45.02
Newly Added Ghanaian Religious Figures (2024)
Go to all RankingsOverlapping Lives
Which Religious Figures were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 3 most globally memorable Religious Figures since 1700.
