Don’t distort Ghana’s history, Nkrumah is the founder of modern Ghana – Armah-Kofi Buah tells Akufo-Addo

Member of Parliament for Ellembelle Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has told President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to distort Ghana’s history, especially regarding who founded Ghana.

The Deputy Minority Leader stated that Dr Kwame Nkrumah is the founder of Modern Ghana.

President Akufo-Addo in his 2024 Founders’ Day address on Saturday, August 3, Mr Akufo-Addo objected to the assertion that Ghana was founded by Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

In 2019, Parliament passed a law establishing August 4 as Founders’ Day to honour the collective efforts of those who contributed to Ghana’s independence struggle, while designating September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

This decision sparked protests from some individuals and groups who believe in Nkrumah’s singular role in the country’s founding.

“I speak to you this evening, rejecting completely, the notion that Ghana was founded by one man. While Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable, it is important to acknowledge for ourselves that respect that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations,” the president said in his broadcast.

 

“The formation of the Aborigines Rights Protection, the British West African Nation Congress, the United Gold Coast Convention, the work of countless unsung heroes, and the tenacious spirit of our people all played vital parts in bringing us to freedom and independence.

“Kwame Nkrumah with his charismatic visionary leadership was undoubtedly a major actor in the final lap of our journey to independence and that is why despite the several unfortunate things that happened after independence under his watch, Parliament in 2019, decided to memorialise his date of birth as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, the only Ghanaian so far to be so honoured in our history,” he argued that groups including Joseph Casely Hayford and Thomas Hutton-Mills’ British West African Nation Congress and several others contributed to Ghana’s freedom and subsequent independence.
But in a statement responding to him, Mr Armah-Kofi Buah said that “The historical facts unequivocally demonstrate that Nkrumah spearheaded the struggle for Ghana’s liberation from colonial rule, making him the Primus inter pares of Ghana’s independence movement.
Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, was under British colonial rule for over a century. The fight for independence was not a spontaneous event but the result of years of agitation, activism, and political organization. While various individuals contributed to this struggle, it was Nkrumah’s exceptional leadership and vision that paved the way for Ghana’s freedom.”

He added “Kwame Nkrumah was not just a participant in Ghana’s independence struggle; he was the architect and driving force behind the movement. His return from the United States in 1947, influenced by Pan-Africanism and socialism, marked the beginning of a radical approach to the fight for independence. Nkrumah’s founding of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in 1949 and his slogan “Self-Government Now!” galvanized the masses and set the stage for Ghana’s liberation.

“Nkrumah’s unique ability to mobilize the masses through strikes, protests, and demonstrations challenged colonial authority and inspired ordinary Ghanaians to demand their rights. His unflinching dedication to unity within the nationalist movement and his advocacy for Pan-Africanism showcased his visionary leadership and commitment to a free Africa.”

On March 6, 1957, he explained. Ghana gained independence from colonial rule, with Nkrumah at the forefront of the movement.

Nkrumah’s declaration of independence and his policies transformed Ghana into a beacon of hope for Africa, he added.

“Nkrumah’s contributions as the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana solidified his position as the founding father of the nation.

“President Akufo-Addo must recognize that after eight years of deliberate efforts to distort Ghana’s history, Kwame Nkrumah’s status as the founder of modern Ghana is firmly established. No amount of political propaganda can ever diminish his legacy or alter the historical truth of his peerless contributions to our nation.”