How did President Akufo-Addo insult Kwame Nkrumah? - Nana Akomea fires back at critics

Nana Akomea has backed the assertions by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that Kwame Nkrumah is not the sole founder of Ghana.

Kwame Nkrumah is widely accepted as Ghana's founder, but President Akufo-Addo has shared contrary views.

During his national address on August 4, which marks Founders' Day, the President said, “I speak to you this evening, rejecting completely the notion that one man founded Ghana. While Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable, it is important to acknowledge for ourselves that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations.”

He added, “Kwame Nkrumah, with his charismatic visionary leadership, was undoubtedly a major actor in the final lap of our journey to independence, and that is why, despite the several unfortunate things that happened after independence under his watch, Parliament in 2019 decided to memorialize his date of birth as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, the only Ghanaian so far to be so honored in our history.”

But the President has come under intense criticism, with some critics accusing him of denigrating Nkrumah's legacy.

One of the critics is seasoned journalist Kwesi Pratt, who describes Nkrumah as the "African man of the millennium," stressing Nkrumah's unprecedented achievements which, to him, cannot be overwritten by President Akufo-Addo.

He warned the President against walking the path of rewriting Nkrumah's story, asking, “Don’t you want the NPP to win again?”

Nana Akomea, the Chief Executive Officer of the InterCity State Transport Corporation (STC), says there is absolutely nothing wrong with what the President said about Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Nana Akomea completely agrees with the President's position, explaining that Nkrumah's struggle for independence was majorly supported by other relevant parties whose names need to be mentioned.

"If Akufo-Addo says Kwame Nkrumah is not the sole founder but rather he stood on the shoulders of other people, how is that a denigration? How people will take it is their issue, but I'm looking at what Akufo-Addo said. If he says Kwame Nkrumah is not the sole founder, how is that a denigration?" he questioned.

Nana Akomea maintained that the likes of J.B. Danquah and others are a significant part of the struggle for independence, hence "if you say he is not the only one, how is that an insult against Kwame Nkrumah?"

"All of them wanted independence," he exclaimed.

Nana Akomea made these submissions on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.