Former President and flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has pledged to restore Founder’s Day to honor Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s pivotal role in Ghana’s independence.
Speaking during a celebration of Nkrumah’s 115th birthday in Nzemaland, Mahama urged citizens to resist efforts to misrepresent Nkrumah’s legacy.
He remarked on the persistence of animosity towards Nkrumah, referencing the recent backlash over a derogatory comment made about the late leader.
“The hatred and bitterness harboured by those who disliked and hated Nkrumah still erupt from time to time, as exemplified in the recent outrage that was expressed by the whole nation by the description of Kwame Nkrumah in the derogatory term of ‘that your Kwame Nkrumah,’” Mahama stated.
Mahama emphasised the need to acknowledge Nkrumah’s contributions, insisting, “History cannot be revised, no matter how you feel about our children’s textbook with different versions of your history. Founder’s Day must be a day that recognises Nkrumah, the leader who delivered independence to Ghana and whose vision was continental in scope.”
He assured that if the NDC assumes power in 2025, they will address historical inaccuracies and reinstate Nkrumah’s legacy.
“The next NDC government, Inshallah in January 2025, would seek to remove the distortions in our history and restore Kwame Nkrumah to his rightful place in the history of Ghana,” he said.
Founder’s Day was traditionally celebrated on September 21—Dr. Nkrumah’s birthday—to recognize his significant contributions to Ghana and his broader impact across Africa.
However, the celebration was altered by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who proposed a change in both the date and the spelling—Founders’ Day on August 4, to include other key figures in Ghana’s independence.
In 2019, the public holiday amendment bill was passed, officially changing Founder’s Day to acknowledge the contributions of all six founding fathers: Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Edward Akufo-Addo, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori Atta, and Ebenezer Ako-Adjei.
The new date, August 4, marks two important historical events: the formation of the Gold Coast Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society in 1897 and the establishment of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in 1947.
This change aimed to honor all members of the Big Six involved in Ghana’s independence.