Ghana has founding fathers – Cameron Duodu

Veteran journalist, author and African affairs specialist, Cameron Duodu, has waded into the raging debate of who founded Ghana.

In a conversation with the host of The Lounge, Kwaku Sakyi-Addo last Friday, Mr. Duodou said: “We don’t have a founding father; we have founding fathers. Like in the United States, they give everyone his due.”

There has been a longstanding debate on Ghana’s founder, a debate which was revived by President Nana Akufo-Addo during his delivery of Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary speech.

The debate, however, intensified in the lead up to the 70th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) on August 4 which saw renowned politicians and journalists strongly divided over the matter.

Recounting Ghana’s history before independence, Mr. Duodu explained that “Kwame Nkrumah was Prime Minister on the day Ghana became independent but he did not drop from a tree. He came to find a political movement in Ghana, he joined one of them – the United Gold Coast Convention which itself sprung from the Aborigines Rights Protection Society formed by Mensah Sarbah.”

He, however, expressed regret at the failure to duly recognize people for their efforts and participation; a practice he blamed on “fanaticism and propaganda.” The Lounge with Kwaku Sakyi-Addo airs live on Starr FM every Friday from 7pm to 8pm and on GHOne TV on Sundays from 8pm to 9pm.