Coup Against Kofi Abrefa Busia

Date: January 13, 1972 • Location: Rome, Italy

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1972.

Ghanaian military officer Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a coup to overthrow Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia and President Edward Akufo-Addo.

Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who was the military head of state of Ghana from 13 January 1972 to 5 July 1978, when he was deposed in a palace coup. He was executed by firing squad on 16 June 1979.