Dr Mrs Nana Anima Wiafe-Akenten has made history by becoming the first PHD holder in Twi, an Akan language widely spoken in Ghana and some parts of West Africa.

Her over 200-page thesis, written in Twi, was supervised by Prof Kwesi Yankah and Prof Kofi Agyekum while Prof Akosua Anyidoho Prof Ohene Afoakwa, Dr. Daniel Appiah-Adjei, Mr Kwasi Adomako, Mrs Helen Boatemaa Denteh among others, gave her the support.

She told the Mirror newspaper that her major headache was translating quotes in the English language to Twi to mean exactly what the quote means.

“I was concerned with the analysis of word meanings and relations between them. All quotes in the English Language had to be translated to Twi to mean exactly what the quote means, she said.

“Even if it is a terminology in English, you have to get the exact Akan word, not just nearest in meaning.”

Dr Wiafe-Akenten is currently the Head of the Akan-Nzema Department of the College of Languages Education, Ajumako Campus of the University of Education, Winneba.

In addition, she teaches Phonetics of Akan, Language use in Media, Translation, Interpretation, Akan Written Literature, Oral Literature of Akan and Ethnography of Speaking.

Prior to pursuing her PHD, she was a media practitioner.

She read Twi news on GTV and hosted special programmes on  Asempa FM and also as head of news on Top FM, all located in Accra.