Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, the son of Ghana’s first president, has criticized President Akufo-Addo and his administration for what he perceives as an obsession with historical grievances.
This comes in response to President Akufo-Addo’s remarks on Founder’s Day, where he emphasized that Ghana’s independence was a collective effort and not the achievement of Kwame Nkrumah alone.
In his speech, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged Nkrumah’s significant role but argued that the struggle for independence involved many contributors.
“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.
His comments have sparked backlash, particularly from members of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and some political historians.
Sekou Nkrumah, speaking to 3FM’s Beatrice Adu, accused the current government of being trapped in past conflicts.
He argued that while Nkrumah’s leadership in achieving independence is clear, acknowledging his pivotal role does not diminish the contributions of others.
He suggested that the focus should be on unifying over historical achievements rather than engaging in debates about who contributed most.
“The president is still living in the emotions of the past and still unable to let go of what happened in the past. We all agree that Nkrumah led Ghana to independence. People would argue that others struggled with him. But the point is that he captured power. He led us to independence. So, let’s not take that away from him. The ‘Big 6’, their contribution cannot be disputed but it was unfortunate …. three of the ‘ Big 6’, and two actually died under Nkrumah,” he stated.
He added that “…we all accept the contribution that the others made. And actually, they even invited him to become the General Secretary of the UGCC. But at the same time, we don’t need to be petty. I think we should all rise above that and try to understand our history and the history is for all of us as Ghanaians.”
Nkrumah emphasized that while it is important to recognize the collective effort, it is counterproductive to dwell on past disputes.
He urged the NPP government to move beyond historical rivalries and focus on a more inclusive understanding of Ghana’s history.