Final Funeral Rites To Be Held For Dr J.B. Danquah

Final funeral rites are to be held for the late Dr J.B. Danquah, one of the Big six and a doyen of Ghanaian politics. The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin says the rites are necessary because the late J.B. Danquah was buried without funeral rites 37 years ago, and no one was allowed to weep on his death.

Osagyefuo Amoatia gave an account of Dr Danquah's death and said on that fateful morning, it was out of anger and frustration from the poor treatment meted out to him in prison that he had a heart attack, which killed him. Mr William Ofori-Atta (Paa Willie), one of the Big Six, was given barely a few hours to take Dr Danquah's body away. "And when his body was brought to Kyebi, the town was filled with policemen to ensure that there was no funeral held for him and no one was allowed to weep for him."

He has subsequently directed the Okyeman Council and the family of Dr. J. B. Danquah, to form a committee to prepare a programme for his final funeral rites. The Okyenhene, who was speaking at a memorial service to mark the 37th anniversary of Dr Danquah's death in prison said the committee should be formed with the Palace to finally put his soul to rest.

The Okyehene regretted that although the Dr J.B. Danquah contributed to Ghana’s politics and helped in the establishment of institutions such as the University of Ghana and Cocoa Marketing Board, none of these institutions remember him in any way.

The Okyeman's concern is therefore to ensure that their royal, who sacrificed his life for the country, would be given a befitting burial as part of the reconciliation exercise. "Okyeman's only request is that Ghana must remember that it is through the instrumentality of Dr Danquah that today (John Agyekum) Kufuor is President, just as Nelson Mandela's work made (Thabo) Mbeki President of South Africa."