Professor Akilakpa Sawyer, Former Vice Chancellor of the University Of Ghana, has described the proposed Founder’s day debate by government as “not worth debating and a waste of time”.
President Akufo-Addo has proposed legislation to Parliament to designate August 4 as Founder’s Day and September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, both of which will be observed as public holidays.
Professor Sawyer said the country must focus on strategizing on how best to respond to the developmental needs of the citizenry rather than a debate on Founder’s day.
Speaking at a lecture in Accra on Founder’s Day, the Professor said Dr Nkrumah was worth celebrating because he “uniquely represented an inspired personality in the history of the country and occupied an iconic status both in Ghana and international”.
He said the struggle for independence was a collection decision which involved all and sundry but that action was spearheaded by Dr Nkrumah, adding that his movement captured the spirit and mobilised the masses to fight for the country’s independence.
“Dr Nkrumah brought personal imprint on the character and pace of the country’s independence, shaped the country’s image and as well changed the fortunes of the African liberation movement”.
Prof Sawyer noted that Dr Nkrumah was remembered by his personal traits and the nature and balance of social, political and economic and ideological qualities that transformed the country’s socio-economic development.
He said Dr Nkrumah’s legacy on infrastructural development cannot be overlooked including Tema Harbour, Akosombo Dam, universities and training colleges, agricultural sector, industrialisation among others.
He disagree with assertions that Dr Nkrumah did not win any elections, saying when he broke away from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and formed the Convention People’s Party, he “won every single elections he contested within two years”.
Mr Kwesi Pratt, a renowned Journalist, urged Political parties and all to come together to stand against all those who are determined to rewrite the history of the country.
He explained that the ‘Big Six’ were leaders of the UGCC, who were detained by the colonial authorities in 1948 following disturbances leading to the killing of three World War II veterans.
“There ‘was no big six in our history. We often make reference to the so called big six; what big six? They became big six not because they were the founders of the UGCC.
“They became the big six because they were the people who were arrested by the colonial authority and blamed for the 1948 riots,” he added.
Source: GNA
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Yes, you socialist boys will never stop amusing me! Did your kangaroo promotion from an associate professor to Vice Chancellor bring any development to Ghana? A beneficiary of socialist boys' discrimination against well deserving Ghanaians and you dare talk on development of Ghana? Who overthrew Nkrumaist party led by Dr. Limann? Your godfather JJ, who made you a VC which you still know you didn't deserve, has now been silenced in his own party and you have the mouth to talk? People like you, prof Mills, Kwesi Pratt and others who have succeeded in commercialising Nkrumah's name for your personal gains should spare us of your noises. Ghana will work again, with or without celebrating founder's or founders' day
Argument for Nkrumah as founder of Ghana is abuse of intellectual ingenuity. 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.
WHAT IS IT? ALL WE HEAR IS NKRUMAH AND BIG SIX????? LET NO ONE FORGET THAT BEFORE THESE ABOVE-MENTIONED THERE WAS THE ABORIGINES RIGHTS PROTECTION SOCIETY, WHOSE MEMBERSHIP INCLUDED MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER, KOBENA SEKYI!!! ONE CANNOT EASE HIMSELF, WITHOUT SQUATTING OR SITTING!!!! WHO SQUATTED FIRST BEFORE THE "EASERS" CAME?? NO ONE PERSON FOUNDED GHANA; IT WAS A PROCESS BEGUN BY SOME OUTSTANDING AND FEARLESS PATRIOTS, BEFORE THE HEADLINE GRABBERS CAME TO THE FORE!!!! WOMMA Y3NDWEN!!!
Was the 1948 riot for fun?
When Prof. Mills authoritatively without recourse to parliament established 21st September as founder's day I believe we had no developmental problems then and so it was needful for him to create that holiday. Hello Prof. Sawyer are you there? And oh yes! Nkrumah founded Ghana. In fact he created the country Ghana and later created Ghanaians because God forgot to create Ghana and Ghanaians. In fact Nkrumah created the air we brief in Ghana and is at the right hand of God interceding for Ghana. CPP and NDC people are you now satisfied? Concert people.
Akilapka Sawyer is a Sierroa Leonian who was appointed VC of Legon by a bunch of other foreigners led by JJ Rawlings.
John the Baptist work hard for the forth coming of Christianity, Christ was able to do all his work by the help of his disciples, now if I may ask who foundered Christianity.Ghana go high ,Nkrumah go high our founder
It wasn't a waste of time when you and your ilk instituted it but now when a correction is being made then it's a waste of time.All that Pro.Sawyer said is known but does not take away the fact that Nkrumah is not the founder of Ghana.I pity people like Sawyer,Yao Graham and others who think they can obliterate the contributions of others to the independence struggle because they do not share the same political ideology with them.It will never happen.Nkrumah himself tried through PDA,turning Ghana into a one party state,changing the flag of Ghana but did not succeed.They will fail in their attempt to diminish the contribution of all others except Nkrumah.