The Old Vandals Association (OVA) says "there is no - such thing as occultism or occult practices in Commonwealth Hall nor-as far as we know -any other Hall on Legon Campus. Let it be known by all concerned persons that the inmates of Commonwealth Hall have not changed from being vivacious, altruistic, neighbourly, dedicated and affable lads”
A statement signed by the National President, Kwesi Essel Koomson and other executive members of the Association says the decision was arrived at after in depth investigations into allegations of occultism made by Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, Dean of Students, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
The Association said it was "appalled at the disconcerting report" and at its meeting held on September 6 "set up a committee chaired by Mr Kofi Agbogah of CSIR to do in-depth investigations into the matter" to ascertain whether occultism or occult practices existed in Commonwealth Hall.
The "committee reported back that they found nothing that had the semblance of occultism”. The statement said Dr Antwi-Danso also admitted that the news item was in bad taste and blamed the press for misquoting him.
The Old Vandals say having passed through Commonwealth Hall themselves, they could "pronounce that the Hall has a tradition which extols truthfulness, fearlessness and excellence. Of course Commonwealth Hall lads would not allow the excruciating pressures of academic pursuit to dull their desire to enjoy the easy informal side of life - as is found in other University campuses all over the world - Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Harvard, not excepted."
The Old Vandals accused Dr Antwi-Danso of having a "penchant for garrulity, and in spite of the palpable evidence that his disclaimer is only an enlightened afterthought, we are urged by (pacifists) to give him an undeserved benefit of the doubt".
The Association demanded an unqualified apology from Dr Antwi-Danso to the Commonwealth Hall in particular, the University of Ghana as an entity, and the nation in general "for creating an environment for unnecessary panic over his effusions which are nothing less than a quixotic reaction to some phantasmagoric hallucinations."
