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Today marks a special day in the lives of the people of Ghana. Today, 21st day of September, 2016, marks the day of birth of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Ghana’s first president and founder of the state, Ghana.
I wish to take this opportunity to say a happy birthday to my ideological mentor, an inspiration to Africa and the world at large. A man who lived beyond his boundaries and a man who fought for the freedoms of many across the world.
He was a visionary, he had foresight on the direction of the nation and its people. His sayings, his ideas, and admonishings remain fresh in our minds as though he was with us until yesterday.
He achieved a lot for his country and made frantic efforts to leave his footprints across Africa and the world. And he did, winning the African personality of the Melinium spanning 100 (one hundred) years. A life well lived, a vision well espoused, a legacy well printed, and a torch blazing every moment in the lives of all progressives.
His inspiration was to see Africa develop at a speed never experienced before. Having noticed the vast resources of the continent, he knew Africa had what it takes to make herself relevant in the affairs of the world.
He craved and fought for political independence, the first in the chain of total freedom. While at it, he had a clear vision to economically emancipate the continent from the grip of the imperialist which if not done, would result in the knots of African nations tied to the point that none of the young states could untie.
He inspired hope, succeeded in his exploits, and made everything possible to place Africa on the world map. This was never achieved in a vacuum. He had committed colleagues from across the continent and beyond.
He was loved by many, and hated by many. That marks him out as exceptional. No successful leader receives praises from across the spectrum. From that point of view, we can expect those who did not agree with his tact and speed to always criticise and put him in a bad light.
His commitment back home towards developing the young nation was never a smooth exercise. The United Party (UP) never allowed him to work to develop the nation. They opposed every project he attempted to execute for the people of Ghana. They told the people he was borrowing too much for the young nation.
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah made this comment when they finally succeeded in truncating his vision from Guinea, Conakry “…they are telling you that Ghana is bankrupt, they are telling you that our country is indebted, to the extent of some 240 million pounds. What fools they are? How ignorant for them to think that you believe these stupid lies. Open your eyes and look around you, see for yourself. See the splendid new Tema Harbour, see the mighty Volta Dam, see the fine roads….See the schools, the colleges and the Universities. See the clinics, hospitals, health centres and the facilities which we have created. See the factories which are already springing up. These are no debts, these are not debts, they are investments in our future as an independent nation. These are the physical guarantees of the bright new future….together we can put our Ghana firmly and squarely on its own feet…”
Kwame Nkrumah brought them factories which they collapse. Today they realised factories are good so they would built some. Let’s pause and ask them, at what point did they realise the people of Ghana require factories to work as a means of tackling unemployment when they watched and collapsed the over 400 of the factories and industries built through the vision of Osagyefo.
He brought them electricity so they could separate light from dark. Today they can shout dumsor. What hypocrites they have become. When the Osagyefo committed himself in 1962 thereabouts to building the Akosombo dam, they classified it as a profligate expenditure and a needless exercise. Today, because he graced them the opportunity of seeing electricity, they can play politics with power.
Kwame Nkrumah gave them the Accra-Tema Motorway so they could know what we call smooth roads and so they can see portholes on the motorway and complain today. When he commenced the construction of the motorway, they resisted it. They told him he was throwing money away on projects that are of no significance to us. Today, when they drive through the motorway, they complain of the bad nature of the road – a road that would never have existed if he had followed their hazardous politics.
Kwame Nkrumah brought them independence and so they could celebrate 50th independence anniversary and share cars and corrupt the system. When he declared “independence now”, their forebears declared “independence within the shortest possible time”, an indication that they were not ready. Yet, they gleefully deployed monies that were carried in black polythene bags according to Dr. Wereko Brobbey and distributed in the name of celebrating 50 years of Ghana’s independence.
Kwame Nkrumah brought them Ghana so today they can see Togolese among Ghanaians. When he fought to bring the Trans Volta Togoland to be part of Ghana, their forebears resisted the attempt and preferred to remain the prime Ghanaians with strict rights of ownership. That permeates through them today. They can look into faces of passport pictures and allocate nationality to the rest of us. They are able to look us in the face and say “these are Togolese” and must not be on the Ghanaian voters’ register.
Kwame Nkrumah brought thermal plants, so they knew they could bring toy machines in the name of plants. He brought technology into the country to be able to produce power. At the time, the Akosombo dam capacity was not exhausted. Power supply to villages and communities remained low, yet, he had a solid vision to continue to put in place additional power generation capacity. They chastised him. When faced with electricity crises, they went out to search for power generation plants (thermal plants) as Osagyefo did but only succeeded in bringing in what Dr. Wereko Brobbey once again said were toy machines.
Today, they are on the neck of another visionary leader His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. They are telling him he is borrowing too much, providing too many schools, building too many hospitals, expanding access of electricity to too many towns and villages. They are virtually opposed to everything he is doing that would benefit the masses. They have always sought the interest of the privileged few in society. This is where we must situate the NPP; a clear and typical offspring of the United Party of the 1960s!
Happy Founder’s Day to you all!!!
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