Nana Kwame Bediako
{{short description| Ghanaian real estate entrepreneur}}
{{Distinguish|Kwame Bediako}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = Nana Kwame Bediako
| image = Nana Kwame Bediako Photo2.jpg
| caption =
| other_names = Freedom Jacob Caesar
| birth_name = Nana Kwame Bediako
| birth_date = February 13, 1980 (age 45)
| birth_place = Asokwa Ashanti Region
| nationality = Ghanaian
| education = Apam Senior High School
Accra Academy
Waltham Forest College
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Real Estate Developer,Political Leader,Philanthropist,Industrialist
| years_active = 2000 - Present
| known_for = Petronia City,The New Force, Kwarleyz Group
| spouse = Ruby Garshong
| children =
}}
Nana Kwame Bediako also known by his alter ego Freedom Jacob Caesar, the Prince of Africa (born February 13, 1980) is a visionary, industrialist, real estate mogul, philanthropist, humanitarian and a revolutionary leader.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-11 |title=Who is Nana Kwame Bediako, Cheddar or Freedom Jacob Caesar |url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/biography-of-nana-kwame-bediako-cheddar.html |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Graphic Online |language=en-gb}} He is the founder and chairman of Kwarleyz Group focused on real estate, finance and property management in West Africa.{{Cite web |date=2019-02-12 |title=Ibitins: Mary J. Blige now dates Ghanaian business mogul Nana Kwame Bediako |url=https://ghanaweekend.com/2019/02/12/ibitins-mary-j-blige-now-dates-ghanaian-business-mogul-nana-kwame-bediako/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Ghana Weekend |language=en-US}} Bediako is the developer of Wonda World Estate and the proposed Petronia City.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-06 |title=Nerves Of Steel: This Ambitious Property Tycoon Is On A Mission To Transform Accra’s Skyline |url=https://www.forbesafrica.com/entrepreneurs/2020/05/06/nerves-of-steel/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=www.forbesafrica.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |author=Editorial Staff |date=2015-07-12 |title=Meet Nana Kwame Bediako, The 33-Year-Old Ghanaian Making It Big In The Real Estate Business |url=https://www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk/meet-nana-kwame-bediako-real-estate-millionaire/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=African Leadership Magazine |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Ibiefo |first=Frances |date=2023-09-29 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako: Africa Needs To Give Youth Chance To Lead Their Countries |url=https://www.arise.tv/nana-kwame-bediako-africa-needs-to-give-youth-chance-to-lead-their-countries/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Arise News |language=en-US}} He is the founder of New Africa Foundation focusing on less fortunate children providing medical, nutritional and educational support.{{Cite web |last=Africa |first=S. I. A. |date=2020-02-07 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako, SIA-Africa Person Of The Month, January 2020 |url=https://sia-africa.org/nana-kwame-bediako-sia-africa-person-of-the-month-january-2020/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=SIA Africa |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-08-20 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako Gifts 5-bedroom House And GH600K To Conjoined Twins |url=https://ghana-plug.com/nana-kwame-bediako-gifts-5-bedroom-house-and-gh600k-to-conjoined-twins/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2020-05-26 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako supports Muslims with food items |url=https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/general/nana-kwame-bediako-supports-muslims-with-food-items/2020/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-08-18 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako gifts conjoined twins 5-bedroom house |url=https://ghanaweekend.com/2021/08/18/nana-kwame-bediako-gifts-conjoined-twins-5-bedroom-house/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Ghana Weekend |language=en-US}} He contested as an independent presidential candidate in the 2024 Ghanaian general election.{{Cite web |title=EC clears 13 presidential candidates for Election 2024, PNC's Bernard Mornah and 10 others disqualified |url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/ec-clears-13-presidential-candidates-for-election-2024.html#google_vignette}}{{Cite web |title=Electoral commission confirm 13 presidential candidates for Ghana election |url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/c1jdgrx6550o}}
Early life and education
Nana Kwame Bediako was born on February 13, 1980, in Kumasi, Ghana. While his father was remarkably wealthy, his mother (who brought him up) was quite poor. Nana grew up alongside his brother and later honed his entrepreneurial skills under his father's watch.{{Cite web |last=Steffie |first=Ann |date=2022-02-28 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako's biography: Age, family, property, educational background |url=https://yen.com.gh/162019-nana-kwame-bediako-biography-age-family-property-educational-background-career.html |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. |language=en}}
Nana Kwame Bediako was born in Asokwa, a suburb in the Ashanti Regional capital Kumasi in Ghana. He attended Accra Academy before moving to Apam Senior High School. He studied Business at the Waltham Forest College, United Kingdom and is also an alumnus of the University of Westminster in London.
Business career
Bediako's business career began with financial support from his father to his brother and him, to assist their mother financially and this started his entrepreneurial journey. While his brother bought eggs and bread with the money, Bediako bought two hens and started a poultry business. The business expanded and he sold two hundred (200) eggs a month. Once at the Waltham Forest College, UK, he began selling clothes to fellow students and within a short period, bought his first car with profits he made from the business.{{Cite web |title=Nana Kwame Bediako Archives |url=https://www.ghanacelebrities.com/tag/nana-kwame-bediako/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=GhanaCelebrities.Com |language=en-US}} He later diversified his business to scrap metal collection and sales before venturing into the telecommunication sector in 1999. He established a company which billed people for online transactions during the dotcom era, which an Indian investor offered to buy for £327,000, but he declined on the advice of his lawyer. The investor later returned with an offer of £410,000 which he then accepted. Upon consolidating his funds, Bediako achieved his first million-pound milestone,{{Cite web |date=2022-12-15 |title=I made 1 million Pound Sterling while selling fake designer shirts in London - Nana Kwame Bediako |url=https://ghanaweekend.com/2022/12/15/i-made-1-million-pound-sterling-while-selling-fake-designer-shirts-in-london-nana-kwame-bediako/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Ghana Weekend |language=en-US}} inspiring a vision for a lucrative entrepreneurial venture and an ambition to establish a successful, high-growth business.{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Asonaba |date=2020-02-09 |title=Who is Nana Kwame Bediako Cheddar? {{!}} Accra Mail |url=https://accramail.com/who-is-nana-kwame-bediako-cheddar/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2019-02-13 |title=Who is Nana Kwame Bediako, the Ghanaian millionaire reportedly dating Mary J Blige? |url=https://www.primenewsghana.com/entertainment/who-is-nana-kwame-bediako-the-ghana-millionaire-dating-mary-j-blige.html |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Prime News Ghana |language=en-us}}
Having achieved his inaugural £1 million milestone, Bediako felt divinely guided to expand his entrepreneurial endeavors in Africa, prompting his return to Ghana, his homeland where he started Kwarleyz Group with diverse interests in real estate, finance{{Cite web |date=2022-03-10 |title=Nana Bediako tells Bank of Ghana to worry about cedi depreciation not his 'Freedom Coin' |url=https://ghanaweekend.com/2022/03/10/nana-bediako-tells-bank-of-ghana-to-worry-about-cedi-depreciation-not-his-freedom-coin/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Ghana Weekend |language=en-US}} and property management.{{Cite web |last=Tackie |first=Samuel |date=2020-11-16 |title=Meet Nana Kwame Bediako, one of Ghana’s youngest and brightest real estate entrepreneurs |url=https://ghanatalksbusiness.com/2020/11/nana-kwame-bediako-one-of-ghanas-youngest-and-brightest-in-real-estate-market/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Ghana Talks Business |language=en-US}} The Kwarleyz Group is the developer of the Wonda World Estate{{Cite web |last=Kamasah |first=Andreas |date=2022-05-20 |title=I bought tigers for tourism, not to terrorise people - Freedom Jacob Caesar |url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/news/filla/i-bought-the-tigers-for-tourism-not-to-terrorise-people-freedom-jacob-caesar/rv72pfx |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Pulse Ghana |language=en}} in Accra and the proposed Petronia City. The Kwarleyz Group has constructed 500 units of residential, commercial and industrial buildings.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-19 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako Wins Top Forbes Award |url=https://dailyguidenetwork.com/nana-kwame-bediako-wins-top-forbes-award/ |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=DailyGuide Network |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Online |first=Peace FM |title=Nana Kwame Bediako Donates To Thousands Ahead Of The Partial Lockdown |url=https://www.peacefmonline.com/pages/showbiz/news/202003/404318.php |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Peacefmonline.com - Ghana news}}
Political activities
On 7 January 2024, Bediako announced that he would run as the candidate for the New Force movement. This followed weeks of speculation during which the New Force teased its fielding of a "masked" candidate who was widely expected to be Bediako. The announcement, which was due to take place at Black Star Square, was postponed after the presidential administration pulled the permit for the rally, citing "an unforeseen state event".{{cite news |last1=Ankrah |first1=Nana Oye |title=Ghana’s mystery presidential candidate pulls off his mask |url=https://www.semafor.com/article/01/09/2024/ghanas-mystery-presidential-candidate-removes-his-mask-gives-government-jitters |access-date=9 January 2024 |work=Semafor |date=9 January 2024 |language=en}}
Bediako announced Maryam Issaka Kriese as his running mate for the 2024 general election.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-05 |title=Nana Kwame Bediako unveils Maryam Issaka Kriese as running mate - MyJoyOnline |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/nana-kwame-bediako-unveils-maryam-issaka-kriese-as-running-mate/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=www.myjoyonline.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Ankah |first=Gertrude |date=5 October 2024 |title=Dr. Maryam Esaka Kriesie is Nana Kwame Bediako's vice presidential candidate |url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/dr-maryam-esaka-kriesie-is-nana-kwame-bediakos-vice-presidential-candidate.html |access-date=29 December 2024 |website=Graphic Online}} Leading to the election 2024, the Newforce Movement's presidential candidate joined the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu to bid farewell to the late Akeyempimhene Oheneba Adusei Poku in Kumasi.{{Cite web |last=Ansah |first=Peter |date=2024-11-19 |title="Man of unity": Cheddar meets Otumfuo after making promise to Dormahene |url=https://yen.com.gh/people/271503-otumfuo-cheddar-sits-asantehenes-feet-ambitious-promise-dormahene/?utm_source=Whatsapp&utm_medium=Whatsapp&utm_campaign=Whatsapp |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. |language=en}}
The New Force
The New Force is a new movement formed in Ghana led by Nana Kwame Bediako.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=We’re here to give hope to ‘fearful’ entrepreneurs – New Force Movement |url=https://citinewsroom.com/2024/01/were-here-to-give-hope-to-fearful-entrepreneurs-new-force-movement/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana |language=en-US}} The movement is a political stand that has grabbed the attention of Ghanaians.{{Cite web |last=Quist |first=Ebenezer Agbey |date=2023-11-05 |title=Man with mask seen on multiple billboards in different regions, netizens amazed |url=https://yen.com.gh/people/245274-the-force-trends-online-billboard-man-wearing-mask-multiple-locations-ghana/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. |language=en}} The New Force was founded by Nana Kwame Bediako. The movement seeks to create a new narrative in the political stands in Ghana. The movement is represented by a coalition of individuals, grassroots activists who are not comfortable with Ghana's economy.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}
References
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