Honouring With Dishonour?

Last week, the political scene got charged with sentimental arguments as the NPP and the family of Dr JB Danquah marked 50years of his death in prison under the Preventive Detention Act of 1958. Characteristic of their celebrations of the great academic of Ghana, they wildly attacked the person of Dr Kwame Nkrumah under whose authority JB was arrested.

It is the attempt at placing Danquah above every Ghanaian academic and patriot in our nation's history as well as making Nkrumah appear as an infallible being who made no error that creates, and leads to; the avoidable distortions, outright lies and unbridled fabrications.

Let us all accept that we can do better than what we do with our history. Each of them did what in their view was best for Ghana. Of course in grading them on one yardstick, they cannot score the same grade or mark. What score each gets would depend on the marker, his/her orientation and appreciation of our history as a people.

“History despite its wrenching pain cannot be unlived but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”

Today, we are confronted with a number of issues that undermine and threaten the very fabric of our society. Ghana is bleeding from thievery and loot of state resources by persons entrusted with the duty of care. We are suffering from an avoidable power crisis which is not life in Ghana pleasant in anyway. The cost of living is on the rise by the minute.

The least we can do in the face of such huge challenges is to rise above the bitterness of the past and confront the realities of the day in our quest to conquer our bitterest enemies; GREED, SELFISHNESS, AND UNBRIDDLED OPPORTUNISM.

The dishonour of Nkrumah in no way honours JB Danquah. Neither does the dishonour of JB Danquah honour Nkrumah in the least. Let’s grow and mature in our political engagement into realms that would show us strong.

We must make Ghana work again. We must put the past behind us. We must rise above our personal interest and embrace that which enriches us all as well as MAKE US A GREAT NATION