February should be Ghana history month

Nii Armah Kweifio-Okai
March 01, 2015

February 4 is the anniversary of Dr J B Danquah’s death in prison custody.

February 24 is the anniversary of the military coup against Nkrumah.

February 28 is the anniversary of the shooting by the British of Ex WW2 servicemen Adjetey, Odartey Lamptey and Attipoe when petitioning for better ex service conditions - an event that well launched agitation for independence

Adherents of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo political tradition set the tone of ideological debate for this month of key political developments in modern Ghana history.

It chose the occasion of the anniversary of Danquah’s death to remind all Ghanaians of the cruelty of his jailer Kwame Nkrumah. This provoked a flurry of exchanges between camps covering the spectrum of the Ghanaian political landscape. The current leader of the DBD faith offered forgiveness to Nkrumah and his adherents, an offer promptly rejected and with disdain by Nkrumaists and their leader who happens to be Nkrumah’s daughter.

Most of the exchanges were on the measures Nkrumah took to secure his government and the people of Ghana, the relentless efforts of the opposition to make the country ungovernable, the consequences of the two dominant ideologies on subsequent political thought and formations in Ghana. In the exchanges, the DBD tradition came out badly for the following reasons.

Firstly it is impossible to delegitimize Nkrumah’s government in Ghana and his role on the continent and in the world.

Secondly Nkrumah had runs on the board - in the physical, socio-economic and psychological transformation of Ghana.

Thirdly the methods the DBD adherents chose to prosecute their grievances against Nkrumah were excessive – in today’s world it would be described as terrorism.

Finally, the circumstances of Nkrumah’s precedent-setting removal from power and his subsequent death in exile forever cast him as victim in the popular consciousness of Africans

I noticed from a number of contributions that the events of the era are not in the personal experiences of most contributors. And then it occurred to me that we are a young population in an ancient country.

It would therefore be necessary to declare every February, Ghana political history month. To be useful in educating the youth in particular, the Nkrumah – Danquah debate must be recast. Ideological think tanks associated with political parties normally take leadership in these matters.

It seems to me entirely responsible for a think tank like the Danquah Institute to be able to define its ideological roots without reference to Nkrumah’s failings, as such references detract from and diminish any credibility the tradition has. Surely a self-sustaining ideology with ongoing political imperatives must be able to stand on its own feet.

The backlash to the tone the Danquah Institute set the debate this February should inform DI’s future strategy next February around.

The month ended with SON address by the President to look into petition to return confiscated properties of Nkrumah’s CPP. Those who readily read political expedience into this gesture undervalue the importance of atonement in social and political cohesion.

A February history month would also provide opportunities for atonement among the political traditions of the country. And God knows how much the country needs atonement, given the emotionally heated interchanges this month.

Nii Armah