If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the one that we saw of First Lady Theresa Kufuor, welcoming her husband back from Ethiopia; and wrapping her hands around him with a facial expression that is at once tearful and commendatory says it all. No one knows what was going on in the First Lady.s mind but we can guess something like: always knew you could do it and now you have exceeded my expectations. I am so proud of you, my dear husband Indeed behind most successful men are solid and encouraging wives and our congratulations to Mrs. Kufuor for her public display of supportive emotions and nurturing our leader, John Agyekum Kufuor, President of Ghana, past Chairman of ECOWAS and now Chairman of entire Africa land- The African Union (AU).

Many have written and will write on why Ghana and its President were honored on January 29, 2007 with the Chairmanship of the AU. The Decision from the 8th Assembly of the AU in Addis Ababa puts it very succinctly: The Assembly appoints unanimously the Republic of Ghana to the Chairmanship of the African Union of 2007 in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Ghana’s independence and in recognition of the country’s contribution to Africa’s unity and independence.

What has Ghana done to contribute to Africa’s unity and independence? We all remember the conclusion of Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s speech on March 6, 1957 where he said that the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked to the total liberation of Africa. That was a very visionary and bold challenge to proclaim at a time when only Ghana was independent from colonial rule outside Ethiopia, Egypt, Liberia, Libya and Sudan. Ghana’s first inimitable President went to work on his passion and in 1958 invited leaders from all corners of foreign-dominated Africa to an All-African People’s Conference in Accra. If you recognize any names, it is because these individuals who attended this conference were inspired and went from Accra to lead liberation struggles that eventually won their countries independence. Among the participants, Julius Nyerere came from Tanzania, Joshua Nkomo from Zimbabwe, Kenneth Kaunda from Zambia, Hastings Banda from Malawi, Patrice Lumumba from the Congo, Amilcar Cabral from Guinea Bissau; Holden Roberto from Angola and Tom Mboya from Kenya.

More recently, the armed conflicts in the Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone called another Ghana President, John Agyekum Kufuor into service to reduce blood shed, negotiate peace, provide settlement for refugees and restore democracy. All along, Ghana had to set its own example of deepening democracy, providing services for its people and establishing the rule of law. The report of the African Peer Review Mechanism that was read at the just concluded Assembly of the Heads of State gave the pioneering review of Ghana a glowing acclamation- a reflection of the accomplishments of Kufuor’s government.

When the Organization of African Unity was founded in Addis Ababa in May 1963, one of its chief architects was Ghana’s own Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and when it was converted to the African Union, in Durban, South Africa in 2002, one of the signatories was Ghana’s President John A. Kufuor On behalf of Africa and in recognition of Ghana’s forth coming 50th Anniversary, NPP-USA says, well done Ghana, congratulations, President Kufuor. May the electorate reward your Party in 2008.

As we say on this side of the Atlantic, kiss Mama Tess for us