Renaming NPP the "Danquah-Dombo-Busia" Tradition is long over due

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), an offspring of the most consistent political tradition in Ghana the United Party (UP) will be celebrating its 17th anniversary which falls on July 24, 2009. The occasion will be used to rename the party's tradition as the "Danquah-Dombo-Busia" instead of "Danquah-Busia" as it is presently known. This is long over due and worth commending considering the role the late Chief Simon Diedong Dombo played in the sustenance of this great political tradition.

In December 1957, the new sovereign Convention Peoples Party (CPP) government passed the Avoidance of Discrimination Act that was aimed at ensuring that political parties were nationally based. Consequently, the opposition parties merged into one party called the United Party (UP) under the joint leadership of K.A. Busia (NLM) and S.D. Dombo (NPP). With 15 seats from the Northern People's Party (NPP) and 12 from the National Liberation Movement (NLM) after the 1956 Legislative Assembly election, Chief S.D. Dombo could have been the leader of the UP tradition in 1969 but selflessly passed it on to Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia. Chief Dombo, a renowned Chief of Duori in the Lawra/Nandom District of the Upper West Region of Ghana was an astute politician notwithstanding the fact that he was not as educated as his contemporaries in the South. He was Certificate 'B' Teacher having completed Government Teacher Training College in Tamale in 1945 but has an envious track record.

In fact Chief Dombo was a founding member of the Northern Peoples' Party along side others like Chief Mumuni Bawumia, Tolon Naa Yakubu Tali, Kabachewura J. A. Braimah, Mr Imoro Salifu and so on. Chief Dombo and many others from the northern part of the country made sure that the UP tradition was deeply rooted in the three northern regions.

I totally agree with Dr Obeng Busia an NPP stalwart and nephew of Proffessor K A Busia when he said " One historical figure of the Party who always comes to mind as a classic example of subordinating individual ambition for the greater good is the late Chief Dombo. When it became clear that the only way the formidable CPP could be dislodged from power was through a coalition of the smaller opposition parties, Chief Dombo, who then controlled 13 Parliamentary seats and was the Official Opposition Leader, surrendered his leadership of the Opposition to Dr. Busia and accepted to become the latter’s deputy in the newly-formed United Party. In fact, it is against this background of the history of selflessness on the part of this founding member of the Party that I suggest that we call the tradition the Danquah Busia-Dombo tradition"

We Northerners in the modern NPP are always told that the Akans have permanently hijacked the leadership of the NPP and its predecessor parties.We are told they are looking down upon us and the other minority tribal groups like the Ewes and the Gas as far as the leadership position is concerned. They say we are alienated against, classified as the minority and has always played second fiddle to the Southerners.

We are told of being manipulated, belittled, fooled and used by the Akans. The situation in which Chief Dombo relinquished the party leadership to Busia in 1969, the inability of Alhaji Aliu Mahama to get the nod to lead the party in 2008 and the fact that leaders of the UP tradition, from Danquah to Busia to Victor Owusu /Ofori Atta to Adu Boahen to J A Kufour right up to Nana Akufo-Addo are all Akans is often cited as examples of such manipulations.

We are told by adherents of the UP Tradition Chief Dombo not only sacrificed political ambition for the evolution of the UP. As the majority partner in the merger of parties, he could have come to the table with pre-conditions to be the leader of the UP rather than deputy-leader. Chief Dombo also sacrificed family life, as well as personal freedom, and even threats of death, to defy President Nkrumah even with the passage of the PDA. He was jailed twice by Nkrumah for his 'activism', the second, in 'condemned cells'. But for the 1966 coup, Dombo, like his compatriot, Danquah, would have died in prison. Chief Dombo eschewed power for the sake of it, in favour of honour, justice, fairness and servitude. Otherwise, he could easily have done one of two things: run off into exile and be safe, or taken the bribe President Nkrumah offered, of a ministerial position, if he would 'cross carpet' on to the opposition side like a host of others did.

He believed in principles, and was willing to die defending them. Arguably, it can be surmised that Dombo's strident opposition to a power-drunk President Nkrumah's crusade to form a one-party State, helped preserve Ghana's current multi-party democracy!  Against a background of such, the NPP would indeed smack of elitism, if a distinguished par-excellence man like Dombo was not a founding father. He had no books and quotes and doctoral letters ascribed to him! When the UP 'Tradition' is talked about it should not be the misguided and misinterpreted '...property owing...' and elitism that should take sway, but the humanity, service above self, humility, self-sacrifice and honourable traits that mould and build societies, that matter. Dombo's kind of traits. Traits that connect with the broad masses of our people, and set good examples for aspiring leaders to emulate.

Perhaps the most convincing argument was put forward by Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, the Executive Director of the Danquah Institute when he said, “We cannot agree more with the suggestion that adding Chief Dombo’s name to the NPP tradition would make it more complete and more appropriately represent the cross-regional roots and currency of Ghana’s most enduring political tradition. For starters, renaming the tradition Danquah-Busia-Dombo would be a powerful message to the rank and file of the party, especially the young men and women who are expending energy, time, money and mental acumen to the cause of the NPP, that it’s a party worth dying for, one that recognises and rewards hard work".

Currently however this subject is treated by many NPP members as if some particular people have vested interest in it. Some have sought to downplay or minimize the relevance of geographical identity as a significant key to unlocking political loyalty in Ghana.

As Gabby further argued; "Ghana comprises of the Regions of the Colony (in the South), Ashanti (including Brong), the Northern Territories and British Togoland. Parts of British Togoland covered the North. J B Danquah, can be said to represent the South. K A Busia can, therefore, represent Ashanti. This leaves the Togoland protectorate and the Northern Territories being symbolically left out of the tradition that grew from the UP - Danquah-Busia tradition. To add Dombo to it and call it Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition can go some way to take care of this."  It is a truism that geographical considerations and ethnicity has become an integral part of politicking in Ghana. During the last election, these issues featured prominently in the campaign of NDC. They exploited and and fanned geographical and ethnic differences to win votes. The NPP need to do a lot of strategic planning in terms perceptions as to whether the party is broad based or not. I am simply elated the NPP is working hard to present a a geographically and ethnically diversified face. Renaming our tradition Danquah-Dombo-Busia is another great step towards achieving this.

The NPP is so tagged with the brush of ethnic based being Akan–based that adding Chief Dombo's name will give a major boost to the image of the party. The party needs to defuse that perception now, more than ever.

In conclusion I wish to say that without Chief Dombo and the Northern Peoples Party, the UP tradition could not have been, because it could not have been able to present itself as a broad-based national party. It is in the light of this the renaming of our tradition "Danquah-Dombo-Busia" must be welcomed.

Long live the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition; Long live the NPP; Long live Ghana!!

By Mahama Haruna. maharun1@yahoo.com