Ghanaian veteran actor and director William Addo, popularly known as Akpatse, died on November 22, 2025, after years of battling severe health complications.
Addo, also known in professional circles as Willie Addo, built a respected career as an actor, producer, lecturer and theatre director.
He studied Drama and Theatre Studies at the University of Ghana and later earned a master’s degree in Theatre Studies from the University of Leeds, specializing in acting and directing. Due to his exceptional academic performance, he was retained as a teaching assistant before receiving the scholarship to the UK.
After returning to Ghana, he joined the School of Performing Arts as a lecturer and later became head of the Theatre Arts Department.
Beyond academia, Addo worked with the National Theatre, where he supervised the production of Concert Party, one of Ghana’s most iconic performance traditions.
In his later years, Addo publicly disclosed that he had lost his sight following unsuccessful surgeries.
Doctors had diagnosed him with glaucoma and cataracts, but indicated that the condition could not be reversed. His appeals for medical assistance drew widespread sympathy from the creative community and the public.
