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Opinions of Monday, 24 February 2020

Columnist: Samari Samson Eliasu

Dr K. B. Asante deserves more than State Supported Burial Enough

Dr. K. B. Asante Dr. K. B. Asante

We live in a country where people who made sacrifices for the country are just forgotten suddenly if their children or grandchildren are not in top government offices. Meanwhile, these are people who lived their lives for the betterment of this country, yet we find it very difficult to make permanent prints of them.

We all know the contributions of H.E Dr KB Asante to this country. This is a person who should have been long celebrated before his departure two years ago.

For me, state-supported burial is not enough to appreciate their unmeasurable contribution to the nation.

I recalled vividly even when DR KB ASANTE was over 90 years, he still made time even at this weak stage to contribute to national issues.

Dr KB Asante after retiring from active service could have opted to stay outside the country to rest and to enjoy advanced and proper facilities, but he chose to be in Ghana so that the nation can tap into his rich experience to enhance and facilitate the development.

I shudder to ask what rewarding thing the state has done or intends to do to acknowledge him and to enable the upcoming youth to emulate the true statesmanship of KB Asante and many others? Your guess is as good as mine.

The only time the presidency acknowledge the demise of KB Asante was at the 2019 SONA, since then nothing visible is done to appreciate the efforts of this man who lived for Ghana.

I will like to appreciate the visionary leadership of Achimota school for their appreciation to Dr KB Asante by naming a block after the legendary man before his departure.

Two years on, and the Ghanaian media are so silent and unappreciative of the very person they used to tap knowledge from on national issues. No Media station in Ghana tried to keep alive the memories of the legendary KB Asante.

As independent day celebration is fast approaching, media houses would have tried as much as they can to get the views of the statesman but today no media house, no government official has made efforts just to echo Dr KB Asante's legacies.

We have seen instances where public structures and institutions

are faced with renaming just to satisfy the parents and relatives of top politicians. Dr KB Asante spoke on national issues a week to his departure, this does not show only a clear commitment and selflessness but putting the interest of the nation above all things including his old age and everything that matters.

Indeed, a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for says President Abraham Lincoln

Let us honour them while they are alive. Let us make indelible prints of the deceased and unrecognized heroes not only state-sponsored burial. Let's

name major roads, public institutions or erect a status and organize memorial lectures honour of K. B. Asante and all other falling heroes who are not giving the recognition they deserve.

I remain a citizen