“Don’t call me Dr. Mahama”–President John Mahama tells Ghanaians

President John Dramani Mahama was yesterday awarded an honorary doctorate degree

President John Dramani Mahama has asked Ghanaians not to call him “Dr. Mahama.” The President was yesterday awarded a Doctor of Laws honorary degree in the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. But unlike many Ghanaians and other recipients of such honorary degrees around the world, the President says he wants to be addressed as “Mr. John Dramani Mahama and not Dr. Mahama.”

At the ceremony yesterday, the President dedicated his honorary degree to Ghanaians:

“Let me express, on behalf of the good people of Ghana, my wife Lordina and my family, appreciation to the Faculty and Staff for this recognition and honour done me. I consider this an honour for all Ghanaians and it is a reflection of the strides we have made as a people, both internationally and at home. I therefore dedicate this Doctor of Laws honorary degree to the people of Ghana.”

Today the President again thanked his well-wishers on his official Facebook page but asked that he should not be addressed as Dr. Mahama. The President wrote:

“Thank you all for the messages. Thanks also to the University of Aberdeen for the honour done me and Ghanaians all over the globe. It is indeed a great honour, but I wish to remain & be addressed as Mr. John Dramani Mahama and not Dr. Mahama.
Thanks.
— JM”

President Mahama and his wife, Lordina, at the ceremony

Recipients of honorary degrees are often not supposed to use them but many people use them as if they earned them after rigorous academic work. But that is not President Mahama’s style. This is not the first time President Mahama has asked that he should not be called Dr. Mahama after an honorary degree was conferred on him. In May 2012, Mr. John Dramani Mahama made a similar call when he was honoured with a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration by the Ekiti State University in Nigeria.