Sekou has no case! - UG lecturer shreds 'attack' on Nkrumah’s democratic credentials

As Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Ghana, Kobby Mensah, has disagreed with the claim that Ghana's first president Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a dictator.

The claim was made by son of the late president Sekou Nkrumah during an interview with Accra-based JoyNews channel.

He grounded his position on the fact that his father among others imposed a one-party state and declared himself president for life.

“Nkrumah introduced the one-party state. Nkrumah became life president. These are facts; it’s not what you read. And I’m saying that, that is dictatorial but I’m saying it’s because of his socialist path for our development; not only for Ghana, but Africa.

“Yes, he was a Marxist intellectual and he chose the socialist path… so it was dictatorial but it doesn’t mean that it is wrong because that was his philosophy, and people have their philosophy, as today we have the multiparty system.

"That was inherited from the Western system but Nkrumah was against that; he didn’t believe that. He developed to a point where he realised socialism is the path,” he stated.

In reacting to Sekou's views, the professor tweeted on July 17, 2023: "Sekou convolutes (or convolves) his point. The definition of democracy is clear for everyone.

"Nowhere in the definition of dictatorialism (which we all can check) refers to Parliamentary debates, positions of the opposition etc, which Samia makes reference to. Sekou has no case!"

In a snippet from a yet-to-aired interview on the channel, Sekou exchanged views about their father's politics with his sister, Samia Yaba Nkrumah.

Samia, a former lawmaker disagreed with her brother's views stating that for every decision that their late father took as president, he did so through parliament, stressing how he had won three elections during his time in office.

“He believed in democracy that’s why everything was pushed through parliament… every legislation, everything he promoted was done through parliament. This is a man who won three elections with his party…” she stated

“So, you disagree with the word dictatorial?” the reporter clarified from her.

“Strongly! Strongly! Because the manner in which he introduced most of his policies; everything actually, was pushed through parliament. So, he used constitutional means and we can check the records.

“So, are we saying that today when any government of the day pushes through things that the opposition vehemently opposes, that they are dictatorial?” she added.

As if to concede that he had lost the debate, Sekou Nkrumah interjected with a final line that would bring back smiles to their faces:

“I don’t agree with you, but I guess people differ, even siblings.”

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