Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng was the first Ghanaian woman to obtain a degree in zoology and the first to be awarded a doctorate.
17 Facts About Letitia Obeng
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Letitia Obeng is described as "the grandmother of female scientists in Ghana".
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Letitia Obeng was born at Anum in the Eastern Region on 10 January 1925.
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Letitia Obeng attended a primary school in Abetifi, Kwahu and a middle school in Kyebi.
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Letitia Obeng graduated from the university with a degree in Zoology.
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Letitia Obeng was the first Ghanaian woman to be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and Botany, a Master of Science degree in Parasitology and a PhD in Tropical Medicine.
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Letitia Obeng became very familiar with the freshwater courses in North Wales during her PhD studies and often brought her three children, who were 8,6 and 3 at the time, to take samples in the area's rivers and streams.
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In 1952, Letitia Obeng became the first female scientist at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where her husband worked as a lecturer.
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Letitia Obeng was the first scientist to be employed by the National Research Council of Ghana.
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In 1965, Letitia Obeng became a fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 2006, she became the academy's first female president.
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In 1972, Dr Obeng delivered the Caroline Haslett Memorial Lecture to the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
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Letitia Obeng launched her first book -Anthology of a Lifetime in July 2019.
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Besides her science-related publications, Letitia Obeng is the author of Obeng, Letitia Eva.
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Letitia Obeng was the sister of the late Madam Theodosia Okoh, the designer of the Ghana flag.
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Letitia Obeng was married to George A Obeng who died in 1959.
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From 1992 to 1993, Letitia Obeng was a Distinguished International Visitor fellow at Radcliff College.
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Letitia Obeng received Ghana's highest national award, Order of the Star of Ghana in 2006.