Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe on Akufo-Addo: Reflections on Leadership, Change and the ‘Napoleonic Syndrome’

Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founding member of Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP), has shared candid reflections on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He expresses disappointment at what he describes as a significant change in the president’s character since assuming office.

In an unreserved critique, Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe noted, “I knew Nana Addo to be straightforward, one way or another. What happened? He has changed completely.” He highlighted what he sees as a troubling pattern, where the president often defends ministers implicated in scandals. “That’s different from the Nana Addo I used to know—different.”

Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe, who has been acquainted with Akufo-Addo since their youth, attributed this shift to the transformative nature of power. “When people are in power, they change. Absolutely. That is what happens,” he said. However, he admitted that the extent of Akufo-Addo’s transformation had taken him by surprise.

Reflecting on their shared history, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe recounted an episode from Akufo-Addo’s early political career, which he believes sheds light on the president’s personality. During a meeting at a Presbyterian Church Hall where Akufo-Addo presented himself as a leader of the NPP, he addressed public perceptions of his height by using the word “motia,” meaning dwarf. Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe recalled asking Akufo-Addo’s uncle, John Sefwi Ofori-Atta, about the term, who explained it as a reference to his stature.

“What he wanted to tell the public at that time was that people see him as a smallish man, but when he is in control, you’ll see him like a giant,” Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said. He believes this moment offered insight into what he described as Akufo-Addo’s “Napoleonic syndrome,” a psychological drive to compensate for his physical stature, akin to the historical French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe quickly dispels the notion that Akufo-Addo is arrogant, attributing his behaviour to a deep-seated need to prove himself. “He is not an arrogant person. No. But when you observe him closely, you see he is disturbed by his height and wants to show that despite that, he is a force to reckon with.”

The veteran politician also connected this personality trait to the president’s current leadership style, suggesting that his determination to assert authority may be shaping his decisions in office. “Surprisingly, what he is doing now, he never showed that when we were kids,” Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe remarked.

These reflections from Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe provide a rare personal perspective on Akufo-Addo’s leadership. While many continue to celebrate the president’s achievements, others remain critical of what they perceive as contradictions in his governance. For Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe, understanding the man behind the presidency requires examining how personal insecurities and the pressures of power intertwine, ultimately shaping the trajectory of a nation’s leadership.