Tetteh Kofi

Tetteh A. Kofi

Dec 2, 1939-Nov 27, 2015

Professor Tetteh Kofi, who taught economics at Stanford, the University of Notre Dame and the University of San Francisco, died peacefully on November 27th, 2015 at the age of 75 at his home in Berkeley, CA Born in Ada, Ghana, West Africa, he first came to the US in 1957, representing Ghana in the Herald Tribune Youth Forum after winning a national essay contest.

Dr. Kofi graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts in 1963 with a B.A in Political Economy. He then graduated with a B.S in Industrial Engineering in 1966 and completed a Ph.D in Economic Development in 1970, both at the University of California, Berkeley..

Dr. Kofi taught Economics with an emphasis on Development throughout his academic career, first at Stanford University from 1971-1979., then at University of Notre Dame from 1979 to 1981 and finally at the University of San Francisco from 1981 until his retirement in 2010.
He served as a consultant to the United Nations, Government of Ghana, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), African Development Bank, the World Bank and many other international agencies and institutions.

In 1990, Dr. Kofi was ranked as one of the top twenty black economists in the United States. He published many scholarly articles and treatises. He was also the co-author of "The Saga of African Underdevelopment" published in 2008 by Africa World Press, Inc.

In both his professional and personal life, Dr. Kofi maintained a strong belief in and commitment to successful development in Africa, based on principles of Abibirim: indigenous economics, rooted in and sensitive to Africa's unique historical, social and cultural institutions. He was very generous and did much for many.

Dr. Kofi is survived by his partner, Dr. Judith Wofsy, his sister, Norley Amartey, and many nieces, nephews, relatives, friends and colleagues. He will be missed by many. He is being interred in Ada, Ghana; memorial services in the Bay Area are pending.