After being accused of distorting the history of Ghana’s independence struggle during his anniversary speech, President Akufo-Addo has responded saying, he painted a true picture of what happened at the time and never discredited the contribution of the country’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Speaking at Ghana Unity Ball 2017, Thursday, President Akufo-Addo said his accusers are people who did not witness the struggle adding, that Robert Mugabe, president of Zimbabwe who knows the history of Ghana’s independence congratulated him for the speech.
“This has been a very strange week. On Monday, I made a speech to the country which I tried to speak about how we became Ghana. And like everything I say, it’s ended up in controversy. But that is how it should be. A politician who doesn’t generate controversy is a dull politician,” he said.
“The amusing part of it is that, the people who did not live through the independence era, young people who came much after, claim that I distorted the history of Ghana and belittled the role of Kwame Nkrumah. The one man there who actually lived through the era, [who] was here in Ghana at the time, embraced me as having enhanced the image of Kwame Nkrumah. And that tells you everything about Ghanaian politics. That is President Mugabe. He gave me a big hug,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo while delivering his speech at Ghana’s 60th Independence anniversary started from a century before 1957, in 1844 when the country became a British colony.
He continued with the formation of the first political party, the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and events that led to the invitation of Dr Kwame Nkrumah to join the struggle.
“The founders of the UGCC, then, met to demand independence from the British and 70 years after that event, one still marvels at the clarity of thought and the passion that they displayed. Some of the names of that momentous day have survived in our written history and folk memory.
“Five of them are on our Ghanaian currency: Joseph BoakyeDanquah; Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey; William Ofori-Atta; Ebenezer Ako-Adjei; and Edward Akufo-Addo. Kwame Nkrumah, the sixth of the Big Six on the currency, was to join them later,” the President had recounted in part.
But the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and some individuals were unhappy about the president’s speech as they indicated that it failed to acknowledge Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s efforts in the “decisive moments” of the struggle.
Source: Ghanaweb.com
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Chechen John mahama told Barwumia he didn't know anything about government to counsel him people didn't give him a break. Today, the president, who many Npp sympathizers wants Ghanaians to believe he is extraordinary is telling those criticizing his speech as young boys and girls who don't know what they are talking about. I am not sure when guggisberb was kwegyir aggrey, Mensa Sarah, paa grant, Wilson sey and caseley Hayford were leading a crusade for Ghana's independence nana Addo was born, yet he found it prudent to give all those 1800, history. But now he thinks young people cannot criticize on his speech. Hypocrite.
Ghana's independence struggle was a relay race not a sprint. Others started it and Nkrumah anchored it to the finishing line. Nkrumah did extremely well but common sense should tell all that it was not a one man show. take it or leave Nkrumah did not do it all even if he did a yeoman's work
THE PRESIDENT IS OLD AND INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO KNOW THE FULL HISTORY OF GHANA, THAN THESE BABIES. NANA, JUST IGNORE THEM AND MOVE ON. HISTORY IS HISTORY AND CAN'T BE CHANGED, SO HE SAID WHAT IS TO BE SAID.
Massa ; Why are people prone to just attempting to mis construe what Nana Addo said ; besides the fact that you are old does not necessarily mean you may be up to speed on all political historical issues ; there are still people in their 70's and 80's today who had little knowledge of political events at the time ; if you lived outside Accra ; Kumasi or T'Di you may know very little about the political clandestine activities at the time besides at the time there was no easy media access for people to know what was going on like today ; it was those who were aware politically who knew of the political activities run between Accra ; Saltpond; Cape coast ; this idea that Nana Addo gave a misleading account because he wanted to rehabilitate his father Nana Addo and his uncle JB Danquah is load of black fake news because in those days the educated political elite were mainly from the legal fraternity of which Nana Addo's father and his uncle JB Danquah were prominent members; at the time nobody knew Kwame Nkrumah because he was abroad;itis just like saying that before christianity our ancestors did not know the creator besides at time there were certain families who were well educated established families in society ; some were merchants from wealthy families ; -Paa Grant ; Heward Mills and others assisted with their wealth ; family houses were used for meeting etc ; Nana Addo's father was not a wealthy man but a clever trained lawyer got married into the Ofori -Attas family at Kyebi and rented a house in Swalaba -Accra ; Nana Addos father was one of the key players with other people who played a great role in our independence ; for me Kwame Nkrumah did not gain our independence ; it was the agitation and the murder of the three soldiers that rapidly sparked the whole independence process; Kwame Nkrumah role is just like a leader of a delegation that negotiated the deal for independence ; for me it stand to any rational reason that there were many people behind the scenes who contributed and therefore one cannot single out Kwame Nkrumah as the key person who gained Ghana independence ; for me ; just because you lead a football team to win a cup does not mean you should named as the person who won the cup ; IT IS A TEAM WORK !!!!!!!not an individual work by Kwame Nkrumah .
I pity the CPP of today and the CPP migrants in the NDC. If the story is told that Nkrumah alone must be credited with the independence of Ghana, will that help the CPP come back to power? While the descendants of the UP cannot in anyway downplay Nkrumah's unique role in the struggle for independence, the disintegrated remnants of the CPP always seem to be irked when J. B. Danquah's name is mention in connection with Ghana's independence. Those who are doing discredit to Nkrumah's memory is not Nana Addo or the NPP, but the selfish remnants of the CPP who cannot unite and organize themselves, but are dispersed into non-functioning groups like CPP, PNC, PPP, GCPP, as well the migrants of CPP in the NDC, who are trying to use a party founded by someone as a replacement for the CPP. Reducing the role of J. B. Danquah, the Big Six, the UGCC and others to a footnote in the history of Ghana and will not be enough to bring the CPP back to power.
read wide please. who told you President Kofour is older than President MUGABE AND President Akuffu Addo. You people are blind and sick with this defeat too much
How come President Kufour who is older and a Ghanaian didn't hug you but Mugabe who slept throughout your speech reading. He didn't hear you speak Mr President.
This Coffie J is damm to H--e l--l sick. K. B. Asante and Mugabe who is older to grab events better?
DID YOU NOT SEE AND HEAR KB ASANTE ON JOY FM ON THE 7TH OF MARCH SAYING THAT NANA DID NOT DISTORT THE HISTORY BUT GAVE AN ACCURATE ACCOUNTS OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. ? WHO TOLD YOU THAT BY SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OTHERS DURING THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE, THE GREAT KWAME NKRUMAH'S ROLE IS DIMINISHED. FOR GOODNESS SAKE LET US ALL BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE.
Come again Mr. President. Mugabe was a student while people like K. B. Asante were serving members of Nkrumah's government; who knows better? Continue massaging your pathetic ergo instead of governing the country.