Ghanaian historian and economist, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, is concerned about the narrative seeking to make the Big Six the focal point of Ghana’s history.
The Big Six comprises; Kwame Nkrumah, Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and William Ofori Atta.
According to Dr Thompson, his attention has been drawn to the fact that some relatives of Joseph Boakye Danquah also known as JB Danquah are highlighting their forebear as the “alpha and omega of our history.”
Dr Thompson, such notion must not be tolerated as ” Ghana’s history is bigger than the Big Six.”
In his recent article, “Beware, the tribal supremacists: Myths of J.B. Danquah and the Big Six,” the historian shares insight to some influential figures who played major roles to Ghana’s independence.
He notes that when the Big Six were incarcerated, the Ashanti Youth Association (AYA), then chaired by Krobo Edusei in 1948 plotted to storm prison and free them.
However, the governor at the time whisked the Big Six to the Northern Territories, under stricter security, “for fear that the hard-nosed AYA members may still make their way up north.”
Edusei later served nine months in jail for his political activism alongside Nkrumah.
The AYA, in its militancy, Dr Thompson said, had also demanded “‘self-government within the next five years,’ compared to the UGCC’s gradualist approach of self-government ‘in the shortest possible time’.”
He highlighted AYA as part of the youth groups such as the Sekondi Youth Association dragged Nkrumah from the UGCC and forced him to form the Convention People’s Party (CPP), which led Ghana to independence.
“They were the original foot soldiers!,” he emphasised.
According to Dr Nii Thompson, the proposed name for their new party was Ghana People’s Party, but Nkrumah asked that “Ghana” be reserved for independence and replaced it with “Convention” to show continuity, at least in name, from the UGCC.
President Akufo-Addo has been accused of rewriting Ghana’s history in order to suit his personal agenda.
During his first term, the president ensured that Thursday, September 21, which hitherto was marked as Founders Day is now celebrated as Nkrumah Memorial Day in honour of Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Now August 4 is marked to celebrate Founders’ Day. This move was met with opposition particularly from those in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
A recent move by the President to rename the University of Ghana after JB Danquah has sparked controversy.
The president made this known during the 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of the University of Ghana on August 11, 2023.
He described Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of the university, owing to some contributions he reportedly made prior to its establishment.
According to some Ghanaians, President Akufo-Addo should remain focused on providing infrastructural development as well as employment opportunities instead of undertaking such an initiative.
Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr. Clement Apaak, has accused the president of trying to give his forebears a prominent place in Ghanaian history.