Aliu opens photo exhibition on Dr Busia's biography

Accra, Aug. 25, GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Monday urged Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to patronise the Photo Exhibition of the Biography Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, Prime Minister of the Second Republic, as an important visual historic lesson.?
"Exhibitions such as this go a long way to guide as; they are necessary testimonials to a path we have trodden, lest we forget," he said.
"They are also record of a time fewer and fewer of us remember; a time when 50 per cent of the present population of this nation was not yet born."
The 10-day exhibition mounted at the National Theatre by the Busia Foundation, is in five sections and portrays the family, academic and political activities of Dr Busia as Opposition leader, Prime Minister and in exile.
Born on July 11, 1913 Dr Busia, political icon of the United Party, precursor of the ruling New Patriotic Party, (NPP) is acclaimed as an excellent academician, committed patriot and humanitarian. Vice President Mahama said the exhibition, which also mounts some of his personal effects, "exists to promote his vision; to remind us of his love and passion for democracy; good governance; civic education and respect for human rights".
Some of the outstanding pictures are those he took with his mother, Nana Darkoah, his wedding picture with his wife Naa Morkor, described as an all African Wedding at Oxford, and with his primary school mates at Wenchi Primary School, in 1922.
Also of note are photographs showing when he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Oxford, in 1940; his graduation day at his Public Convocation at the University College of Gold Coast in 1955 with colleagues; his inaugural lecture as Professor of Sociology and Culture of Africa at the University of Leiden, Holland, in October 1960.
Photographs of political significance include those taken with young President Kufuor, then a Progress Party Parliamentary Candidate of Atwima Nwabiagya, Ashanti, while on a campaign trail; responding as Opposition Leader to Prime Minister's Nkrumah's motion for Independence on March 6, 1957 and with President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo on a State Visit to Ghana during which Dr Hilla Limann, President of Ghana's Third Republic was the interpreter.
Vice President Mahama noted: "Dr Busia is not alone in these photographs...He was with family, colleagues, friends and people from all walks of life... They were our first road markers, our first professors, our first public servants, and our first role models. "They were experiments, no matter how well, or sometimes admittedly how poorly, their attempts succeeded, what mattered most was how well they tried."
Professor Abena Busia, daughter of Dr Busia, said the exhibits were an improvement of those mounted five years ago when the Foundation was formed as many photographs were recovered over the period, including a box of albums retrieved recently at the Tema Medical Stores. Some of the publications and clothing of Dr Busia have been mounted.
Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Naa Morkor and members of the Busia family and a cross-section of the public were there to view the exhibition, which forms part of the activities commemorating the 25th anniversary of the death of Dr Busia.
It would close exhibition with a special performance of sacred music by a Choir of 1000 Voices on September 4.