It’s very expensive to write African History – Elizabeth Ohene

Veteran Journalist, Elizabeth Ohene, has stated that it is very expensive to write African History due to financial difficulties faced by African countries.

Speaking at the 2017 Biennial Conference of the African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA) on the theme African Studies and Global Politics at the Great Hall, University of Ghana Thursday, she said it is very expensive to gather, tell and publish research materials on history of Africa.

“If we don’t write our own stories, the western countries with enough resources will always tell us our stories for us,” the former BBC news anchor said.

She however said what matters most is what Africa report about itself.

ASSA was set up in 2013 to promote Africa's own specific contributions to the advancement of knowledge about the peoples and cultures of Africa and the Diaspora.

Madam Elizabeth Ohene used the occasion to address some recent controversies in the Country including who actually founded Ghana.

She said recent comments by a section of the public, including those from the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) that an attempt is being made to re-write the history of Ghana, was rather unfortunate.

Madam Ohene said it is an undisputed fact that J.B. Danquah researched and campaigned for the adoption of the name Ghana at independence.

The Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketsia said African Studies has been ongoing since the existence of Africa.

He said Africa is a mess in reality as most of the things it does has been westernized.

The ceremony was graced by Chiefs, Members of the Diplomatic Corp, the Academia and the public.