Book review: Kwame Nkrumah, the Great African & Kwegyir Aggrey of Africa
Did you know that Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, nearly became a Catholic Priest instead of President?
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Did you know that he played truant during his early days in school because he preferred wandering in the sandy beaches of Half Assini?
Have you ever heard of "examination picnics," that is, competitions in spelling and reading among communities, with ministers acting as referees during the days of the great educationist, Kwegyir Aggrey?
All these refreshing pieces of information are captured in Woeli Dekutsey's twin publications.
Achievements of great men
The publications, "Kwame Nkrumah, the Great African," and "Kwegyir Aggrey of Africa," seek to instil in schoolchildren ideas of greatness.
He does that by recounting some of the landmark achievements, the life of the first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the great educationist of modern times, Dr Kwegyir Aggrey.
Woeli Dekutsey, the author, in both books lives up to the purpose for which he published them, that is, furnishing the youth with interesting materials of icons in the country's development that they might merely have heard about.
"Kwame Nkrumah, the Great African"
Nkrumah attained stardom in his career as a politician leading the country to gain independence but, it is, however, refreshing to trace the beginnings of his stardom as captured in the book.
The fact, for instance, that he was a protégé of a catholic priest, that he served as an altar boy, and also that all that was entrusted to him he kept exceptionally well teaches readers that diligence always pays.
Kwame Nkrumah, decided to follow Dr Kwegyir Aggrey's footsteps as a powerful orator, intellectual, preacher and an Africanist, when he began his teacher training at the Accra Teacher’s Training College, readers will learn.
Other useful pieces of information that will be gleaned from "Kwame Nkrumah, the Great African," are his determination to study abroad although he had no money and his resolve to study and work to succeed in spite of the racial prejudices.
His efforts paid off and Woeli Dekutsey documents for readers his laurels, such as the "Robert Fleming Labaree Memorial Prize," for his dissertation on imperialism.
Nkrumah's tenacity is exemplary, as he sticks to his passion to become like Kwegyir Aggrey and obtains a degree in theology to enable him to preach.
His preaching, however, was strategic, as it was laced with political messages to whip up the passions of Africans for self rule.
The journey to independence, his tenure as President, his last days when he was toppled, and his death and posthumous return to Ghana are the final narrations in the book.
"Kwegyir Aggrey of Africa"
In "Kwegir Aggrey of Africa," the author follows the same innovative pattern, bringing out new pieces of information.
For instance, Kwegir Aggrey took after his father, Okyeame Kodwo, in eloquence and the sharp way he could analyse things, the fact that he started teaching at the age of 15 and preaching at the age of 16, as well as he being a role model for the children he taught was clear.
Kwegir Aggrey as a preacher, preached racial harmony in his time which had a lot of racial upheavals and conflict.
His desire to ensure harmony in societies as a stranger in the US resulted in his apt description of the black and white keys of the piano, which when played together produce a melodious tune.
The imagery, Woeli Dekutsey says, endeared him to the moderate white members of churches in the US.
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His symbolism of the black and white keys of the piano for harmony among people was later adopted as the crest of the Achimota School.
What makes the books unique is the pieces of new information about these great people much idolised by Ghanaians.
These bits of information will re-awaken in readers, particularly the young, a desire to know more, probe further and also exercise their minds to even become greater than the great founding fathers of our land.
The books are recommended for adults who want a refreshing brush up on their knowledge of the two icons; it is recommended for the youth as an important material in their quest for achievement in adulthood, and for all readers.
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