Ghanaian actress, filmmaker and author Akosua Busia is offering Ghanaians a different look at the life of her father, former Prime Minister Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, through a new three-part docudrama that focuses not on his politics, but on his Christian faith.
Speaking on Sunny 88.7 FM's Inspirational Morning Drive (IMDrive), Busia said The Prof: A Heart of Faith draws largely from decades of personal correspondence between her father and British Methodist missionary Rev. William Whittle.
The letters, some dating back about 100 years, document a relationship that began when Busia was a young boy in Wenchi and continued for decades as the two men exchanged thoughts about faith, family, disappointment, national events and their understanding of God.
For Akosua Busia, reading the correspondence revealed a side of her father that even she had not fully known.
"I also saw a part of my father that I didn't know," she said.
The letters, she explained, contain deeply personal conversations about faith, disappointments and the difficult question believers sometimes face when things do not go according to plan: is this simply a difficult season to push through, or is God directing you somewhere else?
Busia said these struggles are part of what makes the story relevant even today.
"We all have disappointments," she said, arguing that Christianity does not promise believers a life without difficulties.
"What we expect is peace, joy, forgiveness and a certain peace beyond all understanding," she added.
"It Is Truly Not Political"
With her father's prominent place in Ghana's political history, Busia acknowledged that some people may naturally assume the production has a political agenda.
She insists it does not.
"My name is Busia. My father was Prime Minister. Let's start with that," she said.
"Is it political? No. Could it be? Absolutely."
To keep the production focused, she adopted a simple rule: if something was not contained in the correspondence between her father and Rev. Whittle, it would not be included.
That means political events inevitably appear where they intersect with Busia's life, including periods of political exile, but they are viewed through the personal and spiritual conversations between the two men rather than through a partisan lens.
A Story About Faith and Sacrifice
The production also explores the work and sacrifices of early Christian missionaries in Ghana.
Busia acknowledged the wrongs historically committed in the name of religion, including Christianity, but argued that this should not erase the stories of missionaries who made extraordinary sacrifices because of their faith.
She cited Rev. Whittle's journeys through difficult terrain to establish churches, as well as missionaries who came to the Gold Coast despite the dangers of disease and the possibility that they might never return home.
"There's not only one story," she said.
What struck her most in the letters, she added, was the "unquestioning sacrifice" and what she described as a quieter expression of faith—one grounded in perseverance rather than noise.
Michael Griffiths Brings the Story to Life Through Music
Music is a major part of A Heart of Faith, with Ghanaian musician and worship leader Michael Griffiths creating its soundtrack.
Busia said she deliberately sought him out because she wanted the music to reflect the Christian foundation of the story.
"The music and the letters and the story are very tightly woven," she explained.
Griffiths admitted that working on the project changed his own perception of Dr. Busia.
He had largely thought of him as a politician until he encountered the letters.
"I became very emotional," Griffiths said.
"Here he was talking about the love of God, the grace of God. It felt like the message was something that was being preached today."
Griffiths composed much of the music specifically for the production, with Busia describing the soundtrack as part of the "heartbeat" of the story.
From Poor Beginnings to Prime Minister
Beyond history, Busia hopes the production will speak particularly to young Ghanaians who may feel limited by their present circumstances.
Although her father was born into royalty, she said that did not mean he grew up surrounded by wealth.
At one point, he had to leave Mfantsipim School after the death of an uncle because the family could no longer afford to keep him there. His mother was a farmer.
The docudrama uses reenactments and filming in places connected to his life, including Wenchi and locations overseas, to help audiences see the journey behind the public figure Ghana eventually came to know.
For Busia, that journey is ultimately what A Heart of Faith is about: a life shaped by faith through success, disappointment, hardship and public service.
The three-part presentation of The Prof: A Heart of Faith takes place at Wesley Towers in Accra on Friday, August 28, beginning at 4:00 p.m.
Admission is free, and Busia has invited families, young people and members of the public to attend the memorial celebration.