Fredericka Amfo Boakye-Duah: The Lawyer with a Creative Mind

Photograph of Fredericka Amfo Boakye-Duah

V. L. K. Djokoto

There is something interesting about people who refuse to be defined by their professions. They remind us that education is not merely a means of earning a living, but also a way of understanding the world. Fredericka Amfo Boakye-Duah, a Ghanaian lawyer, writer and entrepreneur, belongs to this category of people.

At 30, Fredericka has developed interests that extend well beyond the courtroom. She practises law, produces a podcast, writes about her experiences and develops products intended to bring people together. Her activities offer an interesting view of how a younger generation of Ghanaian professionals is combining traditional careers with modern enterprise.

When we speak, I am particularly interested in the relationship between her legal training and her creative pursuits. The two may appear unrelated, but both depend upon an understanding of people and the circumstances in which they live. Fredericka’s story is, in many respects, about this relationship between knowledge, imagination and everyday life.

A childhood of books and imagination

Fredericka’s interest in reading began in childhood. She attended Oniwaa Memorial International School — in Kumasi — before proceeding to Ghana National College, where she studied General Arts. She studied law at the University of Ghana before proceeding to professional legal training and was subsequently called to the Ghana Bar.

Books became an important part of her upbringing, encouraging an imagination that would later find expression in writing and storytelling.

Her mother still reminds her of a book she wrote when she was nine years old. Although it was never published, the experience remains an early example of her interest in authorship. Writing, it seems, was something she enjoyed long before she began practising law.

One particularly interesting memory comes from her senior high school years. Fredericka volunteered to read and record books for visually impaired students who did not have access to Braille or audiobook editions. It was a simple undertaking, but one that revealed an early interest in making knowledge available to others.

Education, after all, is not simply about what a person knows. It is also about who can access that knowledge and how it is communicated. This distinction would become important in Fredericka’s later work.

Life in the courtroom

Fredericka is a general legal practitioner who has not yet settled upon a particular specialism. Litigation forms part of her professional life, and she speaks with considerable interest about the experiences that accompany courtroom practice. Although she sometimes finds legal procedures monotonous, she enjoys the intellectual challenge and excitement of appearing in court.

Litigation requires patience, discipline and an understanding of human behaviour. Different judges have different personalities, and lawyers must learn to work within the procedures and expectations of each court. Fredericka regards these experiences as part of her professional education.

Her work has taken her to different parts of Ghana, exposing her to communities and cultures beyond the familiar surroundings of Accra. She also recalls undertaking her national service in Tamale, where she initially knew noone there. The experience suited her adventurous nature and willingness to encounter unfamiliar environments.

“I’m very adventurous,” she tells me.

Today, she lives and works in Sunyani, a decision influenced largely by personal reasons while the cost of living in Accra had become increasingly difficult to justify. The move was therefore a practical decision about professional life and personal circumstances.

Making the law easier to understand

Fredericka’s interest in communication led her to establish The Diary of a Ghanaian Lawyer, a podcast devoted to discussing the law and the experiences of those who practise it. She wanted to make legal knowledge more accessible to people who might otherwise find the profession difficult to understand. The podcast allows her to combine her love of storytelling with her professional experience.

There is considerable value in this approach. The law affects nearly every aspect of society, yet much of its language remains unfamiliar to ordinary citizens. By discussing legal issues in a conversational manner, Fredericka hopes to reduce the distance between the profession and the public.

She is particularly fond of podcasts because they fit easily into everyday life. People can listen while driving, cooking or attending to other activities. Learning, in this sense, becomes less dependent upon formal classrooms and professional institutions.

Her writing follows a similar direction. Through Tales from Litigation, published on her online platform, she explores the human experiences behind legal proceedings. The series considers the difficult clients, unexpected outcomes and personal realities that rarely appear in formal legal reports.

The courtroom is an interesting place from which to study society. It brings together people from different backgrounds, each carrying particular expectations of justice. Fredericka’s writing attempts to capture something of this human experience without abandoning the seriousness of the profession.

A conversation about justice

Our discussion eventually turns to Ghana’s legal institutions. Fredericka believes that the Legal Aid Commission and the entire concept of probono services require greater financial support to meet the needs of people who cannot afford legal representation. She recognises that even where lawyers offer their services without professional fees, there are practical expenses associated with pursuing a case.

Private law firms also operate within commercial realities. Their ability to undertake pro bono work is therefore limited by the costs of maintaining their practices. Fredericka believes that stronger public support for legal aid would make access to justice more dependable.

We also discuss the importance of technology in improving the administration of justice. Better systems for recording, storing and retrieving information could help reduce administrative inefficiencies within the courts. Such reforms would require careful implementation, particularly in institutions where established procedures remain important.

Our conversation extends to bailiffs, court administrators and other professionals whose work supports the judicial process. Their conditions of service are part of the wider question of public sector development. Ultimately, we agree that public confidence in the justice system depends upon institutions that are efficient, accessible and properly supported.

Bringing people together through games

Away from the law, Fredericka has developed an interest in social entertainment. She recalls looking for certain kinds of card games in Ghana and discovering that suitable options were difficult to find. Rather than abandon the idea, she decided to explore the possibility of creating her own.

This led to AB Card Games, a venture designed to encourage conversation and social interaction. Its flagship product, SAY SOMETHING, has   the Ghana Edition, Global Edition, Christian Edition and Spicy Edition, with other concepts under consideration. Her new card game, GUESS GH, would be launched next month. The Ghana Edition is particularly interesting because it introduces questions and subjects relating to Ghanaian life and culture.

“When Ghanaians meet, you realise we don’t have enough ice-breakers,” she observes.

She is concerned about the extent to which mobile phones have become a distraction during social gatherings. People may be physically present at the same occasion while paying relatively little attention to one another. Her games are intended to encourage conversation and a greater appreciation of shared experiences.

“People are always on their phones. And we’re trying to make sure people are more in tune with the present,” she explains.

There is a cultural significance to this undertaking. Games have long formed part of social life, providing opportunities for amusement, competition and the exchange of knowledge. In Ghana, traditional games such as oware demonstrate how recreation can also serve as a form of social interaction.

Fredericka’s venture belongs to a more contemporary commercial setting, but the underlying concern is familiar. People require opportunities to meet, converse and establish relationships. AB Card Games attempts to provide another means through which these interactions can take place.

Business, friendship and everyday life

Fredericka’s entrepreneurial interests also include Goro Girl, a digital platform that promotes Ghanaian businesses through free listings. The initiative reflects her interest in connecting people with services and commercial opportunities. Like her other ventures, it begins with an observation about an everyday need.

She attributes some of her creative energy to the fact that she becomes bored rather easily. New ideas provide opportunities to learn, experiment and undertake unfamiliar work. This curiosity has encouraged her to pursue several interests alongside her legal career.

Life in Sunyani has also influenced how she approaches recreation. She sometimes travels elsewhere for entertainment and has organised friends into social groups where they can spend time together. Her preferred drink, when asked, is red wine.

On matters concerning her romantic life, Fredericka prefers to remain private. She is comfortable discussing her work and interests, but does not consider every aspect of her personal life suitable for public conversation. It is a distinction worth appreciating in an age when social media increasingly encourages people to make their private experiences public.

Looking towards the future

Fredericka is considering further academic study, with a growing interest in business-related courses. She also intends to expand AB Card Games through additional games while continuing her legal practice, writing and other enterprises. Her interests remain varied, although they share a common concern with communication and practical problem-solving.

Her experiences illustrate a wider development in Ghanaian professional culture. Lawyers, doctors, accountants and other professionals are increasingly exploring interests beyond the traditional boundaries of their occupations. Digital platforms and new commercial opportunities have made it easier for individuals to combine professional knowledge with creative enterprise.

Fredericka Amfo Boakye-Duah is an interesting example of this development. Her legal work introduces her to the institutions and people that shape Ghanaian society, while her writing and businesses allow her to explore other aspects of everyday life. The relationship between these activities is not always obvious, but each reflects her curiosity about how people learn, communicate and interact.

Perhaps the most revealing detail remains her decision, many years ago, to record books for visually impaired students. It was an early attempt to address a practical problem through the simple act of making information accessible. Much of what Fredericka does today, whether through the law, storytelling or entrepreneurship, can be understood as a continuation of that same instinct.