In our article “Nkrumah On Solar Energy, Scientific Research, & Science Education” published on Ghana and elsewhere, we attributed a 1964 speech to Nkrumah in which he made the following prophetic remarks about alternative energy:

“I have also recently directed the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission to investigate and expand research on the possibilities of solar energy, which is already going on at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. It is estimated that even one-tenth of the solar energy failing on the earth’s surface would be enough to produce an amount of energy several times the amount generated at present. In Africa we have no lack of sunlight, and the development of solar energy should, in fact, be one of our main scientific preoccupations…”

Well, general readers here are some of the comments Ghanaweb readers made in response to the published speech (we follow a nominal order in which readers posted their comments under the said speech. We also effected some few corrections here and there to enhance readability in some cases):

Prof. Lungu:

READ: 25TH NOVEMBER, 1964

"...I have also recently directed the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission to investigate and expand research on the possibilities of solar energy, which is already going on at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. It is estimated that even one-tenth of the solar energy failing on the earth’s surface would be enough to produce an amount of energy several times the amount generated at present. In Africa we have no lack of sunlight, and the development of solar energy should, in fact, be one of our main scientific preoccupations..."

WE SAY: Professor P. L. O. Lumumba had it right: Dr. Kwame Nkrumah had it just right!

ITEM: There Was No Dumsor (Dum-sor) Under Kwame Nkrumah!...

MODINE SANE: “THE MAN'S FAULT WAS BEING TOO FAR AHEAD OF HIS PEERS. NEVER KNEW NKRUMAH SAID ALL THESE. KWARTENG, GOD BLESS U FOR SHARING THIS POWERFUL SPEECH.”

Robert Cudjoe: “Nkrumah is dead but his IDEAS are not dead.”

Kofi Badu: “Nkrumah lived many, many years ahead of his time and the imperialists and neo-colonialists acknowledged it. On his death in 1972, Queen Elizabeth II acknowledged the fact that he lived many years ahead of his time.”

Sankofa: “Without a shadow of a doubt! Show me a greater leader in terms of thought and achievement… Check your facts. Nkrumah had wanted to appoint Danquah as chair of the board of one of our state institutions. This met with resistance from UGCC. Nkrumah was far too wise to hate anyone.”

E. Obeng-Gyimah: “Is this really a true report from the Osagyefo himself? How amazing and full of foresight? I never knew he was thinking about all these possibilities. Dumber is a disgrace of our dear country. I'm quite amazed that both the government and the private sector are not doing enough to resolve this issue. Since Kwame Nkrumah's Volta dam, we haven't been able to create another and even think about another possible source of energy. All our leaders do is big talk no action; Ministers and MPs are full of insults and no ideas to move the country forward. Until we shun political bickering and really begin to think of our beloved country, we will continue to be the laughingstock for other nations. We beg for lots of money from so called first world countries but lack accountability. We just spend and not create anything and that is a perishable recipe. Brothers and Sisters, we need leaders with true vision and guts to lead; instead selfish and money-hungry venoms with lots of selfish inclination.”

Johnson Tunu, @johnsontunu2: “Sad we lost him so early, we'll realise his plans nevertheless. Countries sometimes develop fast, under the right leadership and historical circumstances; often there is stagnation. Kwarteng is raising consciousness to help overcome the present impasse.”

C.Y.Andy-K: “Yes, he was a visionary extraordinaire! World class and top of the league, towering above even many First World leaders of his times. And even now, that speech resonates with much energy and force, even if nuclear energy is now considered as not safe. So is coal too, btw! When comrade Mkey Gyeamerah posted this speech on Okyeame in the '90s, he silenced the anti-Nkrumah against people. Her eon Ghanaweb, thanks to anonymity possible, they can only hurl invectives at the good messenger who brought us this piece to show us what we had lost by the dastardly overthrow of the Nkrumah regime. Had Nkrumah stayed in power for another 4 years, there won't be dumsor in Ghana today, and Ghana would have become an indutrailised country with the completion of all those factories and projects already under construction when the coup occurred. Nkrumah was not just talk. He was an action man. Thanks, Nyebro Yaw, for bringing us this gem. Andy-K.”

Alfa-Alfa: “In hindsight, it is such a pity that Ghanaians threw away the baby and the bath water!!! I agree with 'MODIN SANE' that "Nkrumah was far ahead of his peers." Ghanaians and, indeed, the world, are sadly trudging back to 1964 when this luminary laid out his elaborate plans for the alleviation of the plight of humanity through science. He patently demonstrated his repugnance to the use of nuclear weapons and power for mass destruction. In 1962/63 he sent Ghanaian volunteers as human shield to Agadir, Morocco, to protest the French nuclear bomb test in the Sahara. His foresight, his intentions were true and genuine. His only fault was that he lived far, far ahead in the future of all of the world which is now warming up to the ideas of Kwame Nkrumah on atomic and nuclear pursuits.

I might say that his constant references to socialism and the assistance and contributions by the Soviet Union in partnership for concretizing and achieving his ideals, was to secure the wherewithal and scholarships and facilities in higher education, learning through which many Ghanaians were trained and schooled in the Eastern bloc. He has pointed out that the Akosombo hydro-electrical project was funded by the United States at the instance of President Kennedy. Does that not counterbalance his hobnobbing with communist Soviet Union? If it were not for the Akosombo project, Ghana would have long been on the auction block by now.

In this regard, while building the infrastructure for his industrialization programme, for the country to fully benefit from the training, he sent many young Ghanaians abroad to study.

Many people might have different views and interpretations on Nkrumah's world political philosophy, but if this speech at the foundation laying ceremony at Kwabenya were to be read impartially and without prejudice, the National Liberation Council (NLC) did not have to invite Sir. John Cockcroft, the British atomic scientist to simply rubberstamp their own short-sighted views that Ghana was not yet ripe to undertake projects and studies in the atomic sciences. Today, Prof. Allotey and other Ghanaian scientists and mathematicians are quite a proof that Kwame Nkrumah had a lot of foresight! He was far, far ahead of us all!”

Ken Ababio: “Nkrumah is the greatest African and the evidence is overwhelming. Is it not surprising that Nkrumah had a vision of solar energy even before the WHITEMAN embraced it?”

Kofi Amponsah: “The great Nkrumah had the vision of Solar Energy 51 years ago, even before the WHITEMAN thought about it. Nkrumah was a political genius who was bent on closing the gap between the WHITEMAN and the BLACKMAN, and turning Africa into united and industrialised power. This made the WHITEMAN too afraid of him, hence those several assassination attempts on his life and removal from the political scene by the CIA and British INTELLIGENCE. Only stupid Ghanaians don't appreciate what Nkrumah stood for.”

Kwame Appiah: “There has never been any African with the calibre of the great Nkrumah. His vision, wisdom, selflessness and his burning desire to uplift the BLACKMAN made him an exceptional African.”

Fatawu: “It is sad and unfortunate that the enemies got rid of him before he achieved all these.”

k, no problem, a: “If we do not realise our mistake as a nation, and correct it we will never progress. Nkrumah was on top. We can take some of his schemes, plans and ideas without necessarily being CPP but acknowledging that it is from Nkrumah and it is good and relevant. It does not make NPP or NDC less important. It is just taking a good thing for Ghana. The electorate will always vote for a performing party. That time will come soon.”

Kwame Amoafo: “All anti-Nkrumah writers will certainly bow down their heads in shame after reading Nkrumah's thought-provoking speech of November 24th, 1964…”

Francis Kwame Oduro: “The great prophet Nkrumah's speech he made 51 years ago is a MUST READ. What a wonderful man! He thought about SOLAR ENERGY even before the WHITEMAN did.”

Asaase: “A true prophet, Osagyefo!”

KWABENA OHEMENG, LONDON: “If death can be exchanged I will die for Osagyefo to be resurrected to continue from where he left things after the CIA/Busia coup of 1966.”

Kwame Buor: “Thank you Francis for educating the academic IDIOTS who have been spewing nonsense and hiding their identity.”

Conclusion: What do you think about these comments, some of which are obviously provocative and open to additional debate?

We shall return…