The first female professional photographer in Ghana, Mrs Felicia Ewuraesi Abban (née Ansah), has passed away. January 4, 2024, saw her passing at the age of 87. She was the past president of the Association of Professional Photographers Ghana.
Felicia Abban was raised in the coastal town of Sekondi-Takoradi after being born in Ghana’s Western Region.
The oldest of six children, she rapidly followed in her father J.E. Ansah’s photographic footsteps, starting as an apprentice at the age of 14. The late Mrs. Abban was the sister of the late fashion designer Kofi Ansah, JKE Ansah, Tumi Ansah, Kwaw Ansah, the filmmaker, and several more.
After working on her trade under his tutelage for the next four years, Abban moved from Takoradi to Accra at the age of eighteen, where she established her studio.
She established “Mrs. Felicia Abban’s Day and Night Quality Art Studio” in the heart of Jamestown in 1955, just a few months after it was founded.
Being the first female professional photographer in Ghana, she made a lasting impact on the country’s photography business.
Mrs Felicia went on to become one of the most renowned photographers in the continent at the time. She worked with Kwame Nkrumah and became an in-depth observer of her nation’s changes.
She gained notoriety in the 1950s and 1970s for taking self-portraits, particularly those she used to advertise her firm before to events.
After establishing her workshop in Accra, Abban hired several female apprentices.
The details of Mrs Felicia Ewuraesi Abban’s funeral will be revealed later.