His posture comes at a time when the New Patriotic Party have cancelled the former government’s decision to celebrate September 21 as Founder’s Day and has rather set August 4, as founders’ day to recognize all who helped Ghana to attain independence.

John Mahama who has confessed his leanings towards the Nkrumahist ideology said in a statement on his Facebook page on Wednesday said “Osagyefo’s emergence as the Founder of modern Ghana and an international symbol of freedom was not by accident.”

He accused certain elements of making frantic attempts to revise Ghana’s history in a way to make nothing of Kwame Nkrumah’s efforts.

He said, “It remains a dark irony of our history that, the very political tradition which conspired to truncate his unparalleled vision on 24th February 1966, is today seeking to revise Ghana’s history.”

“It is an indisputable fact that Nkrumah was the critical spark that put Ghana on a high-velocity path to independence” he added.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose political history stems from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), formed on August 4, 1947 to bring about Ghanaian independence, stirred controversy when in his presidential inauguration address when he suggested that members of the UGCC including his father Edward Akudo-Addo and uncle, J.B Danquah were the main brains behind Ghana’s independence.

Many, including the Chairman of the CPP, Prof. Edmund Delle, accused him of distorting the country’s history but members of the NPP argued that the achievement of the Kwame Nkrumah was only because of the exposure and support he had received from the UGCC before he broke away to establish his Convention People’s Party (CPP).

John Mahama, who has not directly commented on the controversy eulogized Kwame Nkrumah ahead of the celebration of his birthday, September 21.

Read John Mahama’s message below:

On the 21st day of September, I join millions all over the world to remember Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah- the Founder of Ghana, a global icon and the BBC Listeners “Man of the Millennium”.

Osagyefo’s emergence as the Founder of modern Ghana and an international symbol of freedom was not by accident. He was a Pan-Africanist, a philosopher, a writer, and a visionary who matched his words with actions. His towering personality is still recognized in Ghana and beyond.

It remains a dark irony of our history that, the very political tradition which conspired to truncate his unparalleled vision on 24th February 1966, is today seeking to revise Ghana’s history.

The song “Kwame Nkrumah never dies” has proved true not in the sense of his immortality but in the fact that his name will continue to be written in letters of gold whenever the history of Ghana, Africa and the world is recounted.

It is an indisputable fact that Nkrumah was the critical spark that put Ghana on a high velocity path to independence.

Happy Founder’s Day Fellow Ghanaians.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Mahama eulogizes ‘Ghana’s founder’, Kwame Nkrumah appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Some Ghanaians have berated the President’s Independence Day address, claiming it undermined the efforts of Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in the struggle for independence.

But the Information Minister on the Citi Breakfast Show said there’s no deliberate attempt to change the history of the country and that indeed, J.B Danquah and Edward Akufo-Addo played various important roles in the fight for freedom.

“It is the history as it is. People didn’t even know that there were women who fought for our independence. Even for me, that was the first time I heard about the [Akua] Shorshorshor woman, beautiful name like that who sacrificed her every penny. Every nation has what it calls founding fathers. If you go to America, they talk about John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson among others as the founding fathers of America, even though at the same time Washington had a pride of place in American history.”

He argued that “certainly, it cannot be the case that only one person founded this Ghanaian nation,” hence it was important that contributions of other persons are acknowledged.

“It is important that we acknowledge the contributions of people who started the struggle even in the 1800s all the way till 1946, 1947 before even JB Danquah and Nkrumah and the rest came on board. So the president is simply trying to say that a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for, and we should go back and start acknowledging all the heroes and heroines who helped to establish the Ghanaian nation. It is something that we ought to do if we have to excite the patriotism of our people so that tomorrow we are assured that if we were to do something heroic for this nation and go away, this nation will remember us. That is the motivation that will get you to do the extra that you have to do to get this country working again,” he added.

Mustapha Hamid also hinted that, the Ministry of Education will soon roll out a revised curriculum which will instill a sense of pride in young Ghanaians.

“This thing may look like it is intangible, but it is important for us instill this in our young people that this land is a rich land. We are capable and able to live here as young people and to make the best of lives for ourselves. It’s like the so called American dream. It simply means excelling and being independent and creating wealth and prosperity for yourself.”

“And therefore when I wake up every day and say I am Ghanaian, it should go beyond mere citizenship, which is what the president has been saying. Merely holding a passport shouldn’t be what should make you a Ghanaian. What should make you a Ghanaian is self-belief. Self-belief that this land is where you can make the best of your talents, that this land is a land that creates an opportunity for people to be able to exercise their talents and to excel,” he added.

Nkrumah was the best African leader – Mugabe

Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, who was in Ghana for the country’s 60th anniversary, has described Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as a true revolutionist who fought for the emancipation of Ghana and Africa.

The 93-year old President made the remark while addressing the media at Ghana’s seat of government, the Flagstaff House on Tuesday.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Akufo-Addo didn’t skew Ghana’s history – Mustapha Hamid appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.