Nkrumah, Padmore and Du Bois remembered

Seven Wreaths were on Saturday laid in memory of Dr Kwame Nkrumah at the Nkrumah Mausoleum, Dr W.E.B. Du Bois at the Du Bois Centre and George Padmore at the Padmore Research Library, all in Accra where their mortal remains are interred.

The three Pan Africanists were honoured and remembered for their role in civil rights activism and the struggle for equal opportunities for the black race and Africa's liberation.

Ms Akua Sena Dansua, Minister of Tourism, laid a wreath on behalf of the government of Ghana, traditional rulers, African-American Association (AAAG), Caribbean Association of Ghana, Canadian Association, Youth of Africa, African American Association of Ghana and the African Diplomatic Corps.

She said Emancipation day sought to recount the achievement of the black men who fought, struggled and laid down their lives in order to obtain their legal, political and social rights.

She said this year’s ceremony marked the 14th edition of the PANAFEST which celebrated the strengths and resilience of the African culture and achievement of Africans in spite of the transatlantic slave trade and its outcome under the theme, "Re-uniting the African family-challenges and prospects".

According to Ms Dansua, PANAFEST was designed to help Africans to reconnect their strengths and thus, rededicate themselves to fully assume their own destiny in recognition of the lessons of history.

She said the day was a call to all Africans and people of African descent to become more committed to the emancipation of the entire African continent from slavery, especially, in areas where it existed in and called for unity in the development of the African continent.

Ms Dansua expressed government's support for the celebration and urged all stakeholders to be involved to make it a success.

She said the programme would be followed by a grand durbar of Chiefs and People of Cape Coast, on Monday, July 25, 2011, witnessed by Chiefs and Queen mothers from other parts of the country and from all walks of life.

Ms Dansua said other events lined-up include visits to historical sites in Cape Coast and Elmina, the symbolic crossing of the River Pra, a Redemption March, and a Reverential Night which includes a candle light procession through the Cape Coast Castle to be climaxed with Emancipation Day Celebration at Assin Manso on August 1.

Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, Deputy Minister of Tourism, said 177 years after the 1834 Emancipation Declaration, the World has not been freed of some horror stories about slavery and other forms of subjugation.

He stressed that government was committed to ensuring complete eradication of child trafficking, forced labour and any practice that bear any form of semblance to slavery either internally or internationally.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng said there has been intensive education on the menace of forced labour and movement of people and the implementation of awareness-creation programmes about some cultural practices that go against the freedom of individuals.

Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, said the Emancipation Day reflected in the struggle to give respect to the African family and the vision shared by Dr Kwame Nkrumah in Europe and overseas in the early part of the 20th century.

He said August 1, 1834, was the day slaves were given their freedom in the British West Indies where Black and white activists had to toil for many years.

Prof Awoonor said the sacrifice of “our ancestors has led to what would have been a disenfranchised people overcoming a restrictive and oppressive position to become the leaders of the society, country and region while working hard to make sure that we have a good standard of living in terms of education, utilities and comfort.”