Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, son of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has called on President Akufo-Addo and his administration to move beyond the pettiness surrounding the debate on who founded Ghana.
This comes after President Akufo-Addo, in his Founders’ Day message on August 3, 2024, stated that he rejects the notion that Dr Kwame Nkrumah single-handedly led the fight for the country’s independence and founded Ghana.
“While Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable, it is important to acknowledge that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations,” the President said.
The statement has drawn criticism from Nkrumah’s party, the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and various political historians who argue that Nkrumah’s role in Ghana’s independence should not be minimised.
In an interview with 3FM’s Beatrice Adu, Sekou Nkrumah suggested that the NPP government is still grappling with the emotional impacts of past political events.
“The President is still living in the emotions of the past and unable to let go of what happened in the past. We all agree that Nkrumah led Ghana to independence.
People would argue that others struggled with him. But the point is that he captured power.
He led us to independence, so let’s not take that away from him,” Sekou Nkrumah said.
He acknowledged the contributions of the Big Six but emphasised the need to rise above pettiness and appreciate the collective history of Ghana.
“We all accept the contribution that the others made.
They even invited him to become the General Secretary of the UGCC. But we don’t need to be petty.
We should all rise above that and demonstrate a mature understanding of our history, which belongs to all of us as Ghanaians.
Ghana’s Parliament instituted August 4 as Founders’ Day five years ago to honour all individuals who contributed to the nation’s independence.
This move has since sparked ongoing debates, highlighting the need for a comprehensive historical narrative that includes all perspectives of Ghana’s liberation struggle.
