Former President John Dramani Mahama has debunked the assertion that Ghana as a country was founded by the ‘Big Six’ leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).

Speaking at an event in Accra to mark the Nkrumah Memorial on Saturday, September 21, 2024, Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said that the notion that Ghana was founded by the “Big Six” is being fuelled by persons who want to change the history of the country.

He indicated that Ghana has one founder in the person of its first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, because he was the main catalyst whose efforts helped Ghana attain independence on March 6, 1957.

He added that the leaders of the UGCC, whom people are trying to force on Ghanaians as founders of Ghana, even opposed the country’s independence.

“There are those who seek to dilute Nkrumah's role in our history as the nation’s founder by introducing the idea of a ‘Big Six’. Let me be clear and unequivocal here. While many far beyond the big six being bandied around played significant roles in the independence struggle, Nkrumah was that critical catalyst that brought the struggle to a head and eventually resulted in the historic liberation of Ghana from colonial domination.

“The so-called big six were an accident of history and not a united force, and the historical record shows this. In fact, some of them actively opposed Nkrumah's vision for a rapid move towards independence.

He added, “Indeed, at the time, the struggle for independence had crystallized. The UGCC, which was the party of the ‘Big Six’, was opposed to the granting of independence by Britain. And this is a historical fact.”

Mahama indicated that the attempts to distort Nkrumah’s legacy are one of the reasons why his vision for the African continent has not been attained yet.

“Today we are reminded with deep sadness that the work Nkrumah started is not completed. The future Nkrumah envisioned, a prosperous, united Africa free from exploitation, still calls progressives across this continent to action.

“The liberation struggle is not over yet, but the question is, what happened? What or who truncated the vision and set us back this way? Before we can fully embrace the vision of Osagyefo, we must first dispel the divisive and needless debates that have recently intensified to try to obliterate his legacy.”

BAI/OGB

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