THE 108th birthday anniversary of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was marked yesterday, with a debate over who actually founded Ghana taking the centre stage during the celebration.
At Dr. Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP) headquarters in Accra – where the party’s supporters and sympathizers, as well as leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) like Lee Ocran and Samuel Ofosu Ampofo rallied – the world was told that nobody but Nkrumah founded and liberated Ghana from colonial rule.
That is contrary to the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) position. The party has stressed that many people such as Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, Sir Paa Grant, William Ofori-Atta, among others, contributed to the independence struggle of the country and must equally be celebrated.
Speaking at the ceremony, CPP’s leader and chairman, Professor Edmund Delle, expressed the party’s disappointment in the President Akufo-Addo-led NPP administration in proposing a change of date for the celebration of the Founder’s Day from September 21 – being Nkrumah’s birthday – to August 4th – a day the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), the first political movement in Ghana, was formed.
A Legislative Instrument (LI) was recently put before parliament by President Akufo-Addo to effect the change of date for the annual celebration of the Founder’s Day.
When the LI is enacted, August 4th, according to a communication from the presidenc, shall be used to honour all the individuals who toiled for the liberation of Ghana from colonial forces, while September 21 will be rechristened Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.
But the CPP and the NDC say the move by the NPP administration is a deliberate attempt to distort the history of Ghana.
According to Prof. Delle, “Osagyefo is the main architect of Ghana’s independence and the foundational stone of modern Ghana, African and emancipation of the black race.”
Lamentation
“The CPP considers as unfortunate recent attempts by reactionary forces to once again attempt to re-write the history of Ghana and water down the contribution of Dr. Nkrumah to the emancipation of the Black man as well as Ghana’s independence,” he lamented.
In a solidarity message on behalf of NDC, former minister of education and leading member of the NDC, Lee Ocran, expressed the party’s readiness to resist any attempt by the NPP or any other political grouping to change the position of Nkrumah in the history of Ghana, saying, “Nobody can ever change his (Nkrumah’s) position.”
Independence Goal
On his party, journalist and Nkrumahist, Kwesi Pratt, described Kwame Nkrumah “as the greatest son of Africa.”
While pointing out the need for Nkrumah to be credited as the founder of Ghana, Mr. Pratt said, “It was he who scored the goal for Ghana’s independence while playing for the CPP.”
Nkrumah’s Children Missing
Dr. Nkrumah’s children – Samia Yabah Nkrumah who was once the chairperson of the CPP, and Sekou Nkrumah – have in recent times consistently absented themselves from major functions of the party which involves their father.
They were nowhere to be found during the celebration at the party’s Asylum Down headquarters.
Prof. Delle (second left) Lee Ocran (right) and others cutting the 108th birthday cake of Dr. Nkrumah.
Source: Daily Guide
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NDC is confused. They behave like they have no founder for their party or they dont like their father and they want CPP to adopt them. Shame Unto them. Nkrumah was not corrupttt and and vissionlesss like they are so it is demeaning to NKRUMAH for them t be identified with. The claim to love Nkrumah than Samiah. Samia does not even need to be CPP in order to have genuine love for Nkrumah. Many of the NDC and even some CPPs like Kwesi Pratt has no love for Nkruma. They only exploit the name of Nkrumah to make political noisessss. Nkrumah was a good man. He has good intention for Ghana and Africa but he was destroyed by the people who surrounded him. They mislead him to make self-destructive policies which destroyed most of the good social and pyusical structures he established for Ghana. Today we still have the same manipulatorsss, who use the name of Nkrumah to exploit simple minded people. Nkrumah was not corrupt like NDC through Millsand Mahama regimes. Nkrumah did not create loot and share. Many Ghanaians jubilated at the overthrown of Nkrumah because the people who surrounded Nkrumah exploited his achievements to aaaabuse power to become corrupttt and loot the nation. It is very demeaning for Nkrumah to be identified with NDC. It makes Nkrumah, corrupt, vissionless and tribalistic. But we all know that Nkrumah was none of these. Shame to NDC, they have no credentials but corruption. Samia is very much aware of this and so she denounces any attempt by NDC to identify with Nkrumah. Nobody understand the intellectual and reasoning state of NDC. Ghana which was called Gold Coast was not founded at independence. Ghana was founded by Europeans putting Fantes, Ashantis, Gas and Ewes, Northerners and others together as a colony. Perhaps All Ghana would have Existed as Ashanti and others small states if the British had not colonised the region together. Now at some points in time these amalgamated indigenous people demanded for concessions for fair and better treatment and eventually for self rule which started before Nkrumah was born. Nkrumah was brought to join the leadership group fighting for self rule at a point in time. It is individuals who has no senseee in logic, lack wisdom of history and ability to follow and grasp the sequence of event would suggest that Nkrumah founded Ghana. He play a key role at his time and lead his party CPP to attain independence. The ignorance of NDC is reveal in the fact that the seem not to understand attainment of independence and founding a nation. the two are not the same. To found a nation is to create a nation from. To attain independence is to attain a self rule from colonial master who rule over an existing nation. In fact it is true that de3 owo okwaseaaa ombr3 s3 de3 otete no. NDCfuo mmo ma y3br3 wo Ghana dodo. We waste so much time talking and debating on uselessss arguments. Moagyimieee dodo. Momma yenwene and move forward to build the nation. Nkrumah will be happy to see a Ghana economically and socially well built than to be drawn into uselesss senseleees debates. Samia knows this so she does not allow herself to be drawn into NDC shamefullll politics of create loot and share. NDC only get into such ardument to confused the people in their propaganda and senselesss argument just to divert attention from their corruptionnnn and incompetenceeee.
Who overthrew relics of Nkrumah Party led by Dr. Hilla Limann....I am still asking for answers but no response from NDC with wolf cloth CPP. CPP will be better disociate itself from NDC because they overthrew Nkrumah party in power...Shame....NDC ... they should tell Ghanaians their history and not CPP history...
n,d,c cant change ghana history, July 4th will be celebrated by all ghana people, n,d,c have no day to celebrated, gh pp