In celebration of the three women accomplishers

Ghana is blessed with so many noble sons and daughters whose ideas, vision and contribution to national development can never be wished away.

Instead of the nation giving them the pride of place as statesmen and women who must be celebrated, Ghanaians have often looked at them through a pure political lens, and often tried to make them irrelevant until a political party believed to be aligned with their cause comes to power to recognise them.

A typical example which often comes to mind is the declaration of public holidays, especially the recent August 4 Founders’ Day.

Indeed, with such partisanship on display, it is difficult for well-meaning Ghanaians to dare to contribute their quota to addressing the country’s challenges because they do not want to be tagged.

This situation certainly does not augur well for our country.

At a recent lecture in Kumasi to mark the 45th anniversary of the passing of Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, the former Prime Minister in the Second Republic, the Majority Leader in Parliament and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, hit the nail on the head when he stated that extreme partisanship and political polarisation hampered the celebration of the country’s national heroes.

In his observation, attempts had been made to obliterate the contribution of many notable Ghanaians, and to some extent, the distortion of the country’s history.

As the adage goes, a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for.

 The great American leader, Abraham Lincoln, puts it succinctly that “a nation that does not honour its heroes will not long endure.”

The Daily Graphic believes that it is time we put aside partisanship and recognised the men and women who have blazed the trail, regardless of their ethnicity or political affiliation, to motivate the younger generation to give their best for the country’s development.

We need to remind ourselves that acknowledging our heroes offers us the opportunity to celebrate our history, heritage and values as a people.

Aside from serving as role models, the country’s heroes and heroines are an embodiment of wisdom, moral behaviour and inspiration to the younger generation.

This is why the noble act undertaken by the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) last Tuesday to honour three accomplished women, namely the First Lady, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Rebecca Foundation, Rebecca Akufo-Addo; first female Speaker of Parliament and the only female Speaker of Parliament to date, Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo; and first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, with honorary doctorate awards, needs commendation.

Honorary degrees are not merely symbols of recognition; they are testaments to a lifetime of dedication, passion and impact.

And the Daily Graphic believes that these distinguished women clearly fit the bill.

We agree with the Vice Chancellor of the UPSA, Professor Abednego Amartey, at the congregation that, “Our honourees today, come from diverse fields, each contributing in their unique way to the betterment of our society.  

“Today, we will acknowledge these individuals who have exemplified excellence, innovation and service to humanity, becoming symbols of inspiration for generations to come.

From ground-breaking achievements in social development, law and politics to profound contributions in the public service, their impact resonates far beyond imagination. 

“Today, we will celebrate great professionals who have demonstrated a commitment to humanitarian causes, engaged in significant philanthropy and whose exceptional contributions have left indelible marks on their field and on society at large.”

It is true that in breaking through gender norms, these accomplished women have not only excelled in their roles but have paved the way for countless others, proving that excellence knows no gender.

Their journeys are a testament to the power of breaking moulds, defying expectations and creating new paths for others to follow.

In conferring the awards on them, the paper is quite sure that the university authorities did not only recognise their significant accomplishments, but also acknowledged their role as a source of inspiration to our academic community.

To these three accomplished women, we say, Ghana is proud of you.

And we also celebrate all those unsung heroines whose efforts go unnoticed.