Prof Gyampo shreds academic competence of Kpessa Whyte

Head of Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has told former boss of the national service secretariat Michael Kpessah Whyte he needs patriotism lessons from his level 300 students, to help him cure his Lack of appreciation of the issues in Ghana.

Professor Gyampo accused former president John Mahama of being part of the reason Ghanaians are no longer patriotic, especially the poor leadership performance he put up. According to Mr Mahama, politicians are likely to consider the interest of their relatives and friends first before others.

But his comments were met with criticism from section of the public including Prof Gyampo, who reminded JM of his chronic “family and friends” leadership role.

But Dr Whyte responded by attacking Prof Gyampo for his views. However, he said Kpesaah Whyte has low level appreciation of the subject but will be willing to offer him a seat at his level 300 class so he can be taught the subject.

Read statement below:

Prof Yaw Gyampo writes: I have read the attacks of Kpessa-Whyte and I have decided not to respond in the manner I wanted to. I will briefly summarize my epistle I earlier wrote to him.

1. I offered a classical definition for Patriotism yesterday in my interview with Citi Fm.

2. Any serious minded academic who goes by that definition would appreciate the truism that patriotism is dead in Ghana and no one seem to want to die for the country.

3. In my interview, I identified the mechanisms for instilling patriotism. They include civic education, and exemplary political leadership.

4. It is a truism that we have severe deficits of civic education and exemplary leadership in promoting patriotism in Ghana.

5. Exemplary leadership as a tool for instilling patriotism inter alia, manifests in passionate speeches that calls on citizens to give their best and to die for their country. It also manifests in the modest attitude of leaders. It manifests in the sacrifices leaders make just for the sake of their nation, including halving salaries, refusing to take per diems and other allowances in a poor country. It manifests in a leader’s willingness to affiliate with ordinary people and joining them to clean choked gutters like Jerry Rawlings used to do. It manifests in willingness to save money and not incurring huge costs for the nation.

6. These and other tangible manifestations charges people emotionally and make them willing to also die a little for the country. These manifestations would make people voluntarily willing to be posted into rural villages just to undertake their National Service.

12. You initially paraded yourself as an independent scholar. I was particularly elated when you were given an appointment to serve in the administration of JDM. But you suddenly sacrificed your objectivity and couldn’t help sanitize our politics. Your attempt to draft fresh graduates as traffic wardens could not promote patriotism because it was not properly thought through. To say the least, it was jaundiced.

13. As to what gives academic fame, I agree with you that it doesn’t come as a result of serial calling analysis. You insinuated that my analysis were like a serial caller. That’s your opinion. As an academic, I know the more one climbs higher the ladder of academic progression, the more one gets to know he knows nothing. So, forgive me if you think my analysis are like a serial caller. I am still learning. But if you have time, kindly “google-scholar” me to see my serial calling research outputs and where they have been published.

14. Finally, you seem to take offence anytime I criticize those you bootlick. Remember it all started when I criticized the late Prof Mills. But what you still haven’t found about me is that I don’t fear those you bootlick, let alone your good self. I will keep on firing my mind at all times and you are free to respond at any time. But when you do, please lift the bar a little by offering a superior argument, not the argumentum ad hominem fallacies you commit in your responses.