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Nkrumah not sole nation’s founder - Akufo-Addo stirs debate

Samuel Duodu & Emmanuel Bonney Aug - 06 - 2024 , 06:42

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reignited the controversy over the founding of Ghana as a nation, arguing that “the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations”.

He consequently stated his complete rejection of any theory that projected and credited Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, as the Founder of the nation. But governance expert, Professor Baffour Agyemang-Duah, has expressed concern over the controversy surrounding Ghana's founders.

"I think our President is needlessly stirring up controversy. Politicians don't write history; they make history," he said. The President still, however, acknowledged Kwame Nkrumah as “undoubtedly a major actor” and one with “charismatic visionary leadership” in the final lap of Ghana’s journey to independence.

In a national broadcast last Saturday on the eve of the 2024 Founders’ Day anniversary, President Akufo-Addo said: “While Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable and unassailable, it is important to acknowledge, for our self-respect, that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations”.

He said several groupings, including the Aborigines Rights Protection Society and the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), as well as individuals such as Joseph Casely Hayford and Thomas Hutton-Mills, who sponsored the British West African National Congress, “played vital parts in bringing us to freedom and independence”.

Parliament approved August 4 as Founders’ Day in 2018 on government’s request to honour the various actors that contributed to the nation’s independence, while designating September 21 — the birth date of the nation’s first President — as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

It was part of a broader initiative by President Akufo-Addo’s proposed amendments to the Public Holiday Act in 2018.

This decision has led to protests from some who believe in Nkrumah’s singular role in the country's founding. Indeed, the UGCC was formed on August 4, 1947, exactly 50 years to the day the Gold Coast Aborigines Rights Protection Society, led by John Mensah Sarbah, was formed.

“The UGCC brought together a coalition of leaders who shared a common vision of a free and prosperous Ghana. Their efforts culminated in the eventual birth of our nation as an independent state,” President Akufo-Addo stated.

He said leaders within the UGCC, including George Grant, J.B. Danquah, Obetsebi Lamptey, William Ofori-Atta, Edward Akufo-Addo, Ebenezer Ako Adjei, Kwabena Kesse and Kwame Nkrumah, “worked tirelessly to educate and inspire the people, organising rallies and meetings to raise awareness of the need for independence.

“Their message resonated with Ghanaians from all walks of life, sparking a movement that would eventually lead to the liberation of our nation,” the President added.

Matter for historians

Prof. Agyemang-Duah, however, urged politicians to focus on making history and leave the writing of history to historians.

The respected academic, who shared his thoughts on the Founders’ Day celebration, stressed that Kwame Nkrumah, as a politician, made history, and that it was up to historians to write it.

"They should do their politics, and allow historians to write the history. I'm hoping that there are competent Ghanaian historians who will write the true history of our country," he said.

Collaboration

"No matter how good a leader was, there would be some others who would be working closely with him," Prof. Agyemang-Duah said, emphasising the collaborative nature of national struggles.

He cited Kwame Nkrumah's own rise to leadership, referencing how he was brought to Ghana by the UGCC to lead their fight for independence. "They made his ticket to come because they wanted a younger person, a dynamic person," Prof. Agyemang-Duah explained.

While Kwame Nkrumah's vision and leadership ultimately led to Ghana's independence, Prof. Agyemang-Duah argued that it was a collective effort. "The fact that they wanted someone to come to help organise and fight for independence meant that all of them shared the same objective," he said.

Prof. Agyemang-Duah acknowledged Kwame Nkrumah's significant contributions, saying "Nkrumah stands tall among all those who fought for independence. That's why he's recognised not only in Ghana and not only in Africa, but worldwide as an African of the millennium".

He, however, emphasised that Kwame Nkrumah's success was built on the foundation laid by others, including the UGCC. "Once CPP came into being, Nkrumah took the upper hand because he was more dynamic, more attractive to the common people. Organisationally, he was superior," he said.

History

A governance and political analyst, Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa, said the Founders’ Day controversy reflected the shifting political landscape, suggesting that it reflected the dynamic nature of political history.

"In politics, history is often shaped by the victorious or dominant group, who can choose to remember or misremember the contributions of specific individuals," Dr Darkwa observed.

"When leadership changes, the newly dominant group can opt to recognise or disregard other figures," he added. Dr Darkwa pointed out that this dynamic was evident in the current controversy, with different groups seeking to redefine Ghana's narrative from varying perspectives.

He, however, emphasised that regardless of one's political standpoint, Dr Kwame Nkrumah remained a prominent figure in Ghanaian politics, and that his accomplishments held significant weight.

On the question of whether the day was worth celebrating, Dr Darkwa argued that it was essential to commemorate the day to reflect on the enduring principles advocated by Ghana's predecessors.

Differing perspectives

A Political Science lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Gilbert Arhinful Aidoo, said the debate between "Founder's Day" (September 21) and "Founders' Day" (August 4) in Ghana revolved around the recognition and honouring of individuals who contributed to the nation's independence.

“Both terms reflect differing perspectives on the nation's founding narrative, with some arguing that focusing solely on Nkrumah overlooks the collective efforts of other key figures.

The choice between the two reflects broader debates about how history is remembered and taught, as well as political dimensions. Both perspectives have merit, but for me a balanced approach that honours Nkrumah while also acknowledging other significant figures could help bridge the divide,” he said.

Founders' Day, he said, was a significant day that honoured the historical contributions of key figures in the country's independence struggle, adding that it preserved their legacy, promoted national unity and identity, and enhanced patriotism.

CPP’s take

The Convention People's Party (CPP), however, maintained that Dr Kwame Nkrumah founded modern-day Ghana, and no government could erase this documented history. The party’s Communications Director, Osei Kofi Acquah, said before March 6, 1957, the country was called Gold Coast, and Nkrumah gave it the name Ghana.

"If we are talking about a country called Ghana and who founded it, it is a man who gave the name Ghana to that country," he said. He stressed that Kwame Nkrumah sought two types of independence: political and economic, achieving the former on March 6, 1957, while the latter remained an ongoing goal.

He said the Founders’ Day as was currently being celebrated was not worth it. A former General Secretary of the CPP, Nana Yaa Jantuah, dismissed the claims that Dr Nkrumah was not the founder of Ghana, describing it as an "unfortunate statement" meant to denigrate Nkrumah's memory.

She emphasised that Nkrumah fought for Ghana's independence alongside others, but the individuals President Akufo-Addo referenced did not share Nkrumah's urgency for independence.