Lessons of June 4

Thirty-nine years ago today, it was a rainy day in Accra and the guns of revolution were firing all over. I will spare you the details that have been repeated and disputed often.

Here, in my view, with the benefit of time, are the timeless lessons.

1: The core VALUE of June 4th, ACCOUNTABILITY, was betrayed when the architects protected themselves with the entrenched indemnity clauses of the 1992 Constitution.

2: Those who are CORRUPT or CORRUPTIBLE CANNOT fight CORRUPTION.


3: ENVY and BITTERNESS are not strategies for transforming a country. They are excuses for those who are failing and the next time someone attacks your neighbour because they have 2 water-closet toilets in their house, point them to the bible and prayers, not to guns.

4: Not all RICH people are CORRUPT.

5: For the transformation of a society, goodwill is not enough-- know-how matters.

6: We honour our motto, FREEDOM and JUSTICE, only in the breach. Those whipped, imprisoned and killed (martyrs) of June 4th did not get JUSTICE.


7: Revolutions consume their own children-- Many of the key figures of June 4th are dead or alienated from Rawlings. Boakye Gyan, who made it happen, would not have been welcome at the celebration today.

So, my fellow Ghanaians, on this day, join me in a prayer for Generals Acheampong, Afrifa, Amedume and the other martyrs and their children and their widows. Let God strengthen them.

May God forgive us for their pain and let us vow --- Never Again.