Ghana is marking Founders' Day, today, Friday, August 4, 2023. The day is used to celebrate all the men and women who contributed in Ghana' s independence. Originally, only September 21 was set aside to celebrate the one who spearheaded Ghana' s independence. However, the Akufo- Addo led government in 2019 changed that and made August 4 a statutory holiday to remember all the people who worked to liberate the country from external aggression.
Many have bombarded the Akufo- Addo led government from trying to steal the glory from Nkrumah and instituting another holiday to celebrate the Danquah Busia tradition. Indeed, the day August 4 is synonymous with August 4, 1947, the day that the United Gold Coast Convention was found. The opposition National Democratic Congress have threatened many times that they will cancel the Founders' Day holiday when they take over power.
The NPP are believed to be trying to shift the attention from Nkrumah to the Big 6 which features Edward Akuffo- Addo, the father of President Akufo- Addo.
Manasseh Azure Awuni, former journalist with Joy News and now serving with the Fourth Estate media house has delivered a powerful short message on the occasion of Founders' Day. The journalist chose to put Nkrumah in the spotlight and this is a clear statement that many might have helped Nkrumah gain independence for Ghana, but the key personality who stands tall is Nkrumah.
Manasseh paid tribute to Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana. Manasseh failed to name the others who had supported Nkrumah, but went ahead to celebrate them as well. This run contrary to the Founders' Day message delivered by President Akufo- Addo. The president in a message to the nation focused on celebrating the personalities who supported Kwame Nkrumah to gain independence for the country.
In another development, Oliver Barker Vormawor, the convenor for Fix the country movement, has also posted a photo of the Big 6. He intentional chose to fade the other characters of the Big 6 aside Nkrumah. He gave a sarcastic caption that sought to demean the other 5 partners of Nkrumah.
Other government communicators have also tried to downplay the importance of Kwame Nkrumah and have insisted that Nkrumah could not have done what he did alone. The debate will continue years to come as to whether the celebration is important or whether Ghana should just hold on to the Nkrumah Memorial Day in September.
Total Comments: 0