It is “Father of Ghana”!

“….Turn around the “Founder’s Day” program. Reposition it as “Father’s Day” and give it a Ghana-centered twist along the lines discussed by the tactless Sheila Jackson Lee when she waded into the Ghanaian political discourse without care and all the facts about Mr. Rawlings. But yes, we know that Ms. Jackson Lee is not a Mickey Leland whose seat she has held since 1994, after the untimely death in the Ethiopian hills of that true African-American patriot from Texas. “Founder’s Day” is for political parties and bands with groupies, as “Father’s Day” is for proud countries and patriots. “Father’s Day Ghana” ought to be a day of uncommon service to Ghana and sustainable social living. Start celebrating by cleaning up filth, painting drab cityscapes, and planting nurturing trees!...” (Prof Lungu, 1 September, 2009).

For Ghana-centered reasons, we cannot wait any longer but wade into the on-going discourse about the “founder” question. The 10 Sep 09 piece by an outfit called “Oman Ghana Research” is one in a series that is wrong, misguided, and uninformed on many grounds. That includes their attempt to answer the question by reference to the concept of “State.” Fact is there is no useful international lawyer or historian who can say that there ever was a self-governing entity called “Gold Coast Ghana” that freely entered “into relations with other states” for the sole benefit of the people in the landless contraption they call “Gold Coast Ghana.” It is at once childish as it is self-serving, if we can reference several essays by this same individual. The other fact is, “Statism” did not originate in 1933 with the Montevideo Convention. We will posit that any sophomore college student who has taken a freshman course or two in World History, Geography, Political Science, Sociology, or Economics, ought to know the difference. More important, until 1957 when people in the Gold Coast won their independence through social, political, and cultural struggle, “Ghana,” the new State, had no sovereignty that was recognized by any other “State.” Seems to us there is some confusion in the mind of the person at OmanbaPa Research about the difference between a “Territory” and a “State,” among others.

We will ask OmanbaPa Research Group to try again. That is no useful research, we dare say.

However, we agree with OmanbaPa Research Group on one point. Prof Mills and the NDC crew are not doing justice to Ghana-centeredness in the way they’ve framed the problem as a “Founder” question. We will posit that given Ghanaian history, “Founder” is an equally, misguided, divisionary, and uniformed model. Therefore, for equal measure, we will ask why the NPP, OmanbaPa Research Group, and others would want Ghanaians to operate as if Ghana was founded by six (6) men? Precisely the ones they call “The Big Six.”

The “Big Six” Founders’ concept is a tad bizarre. But is it more than bizarre. It is unabashed political propaganda intended to serve a particular parochial interest, plain and simple! However, it may have the capacity to serve Ghanaian unity given the historic background and compelling national interests. Even so, few people will argue that there ever was a unity of purpose among the so-called “Big 6” when the independence of the Gold Coast truly mattered, during 1955-1957. Besides, why is there not a single woman among this “large” group of “Big Six”

As we’ve said many times on this forum and in other venues, the problem with Ghana has to do, for the most part, with acute lack of knowledge among the general population and many so-called intellectuals and “educated” individuals, journalists included. There is an acute lack of knowledge of World History, Science, Technology, Literature, and yes, Political-Economy. Then throw in discordant marriage to foreign religions, ethnic bigotry, and lack of recognition/respect for women and children. But we are getting off-track!

We are saying that it ought not to be “Founder’s Day” or “Founders’ Day,” if you are truly interested in rallying Ghanaians to a call greater than themselves. In fact, to answer that “National Honor Day” question, one needs to ask at least two (2) central questions: (1) What are the greatest principles that made Ghana “Free” and (2) Who, more than any one, championed those principles?

We will submit at least two “Freedom Principles” for the purpose of brevity in answer to those two central questions. The first “Freedom Principle” is “Independence Now.” (Compare that to “Independence latter - we are not yet ready”). The second “Freedom Principle” is “Organic-central governance for Ghana.” (Compare this one to “Federal-confederate governance for Ghana”).

We will submit that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah stands heads and shoulders above all “Men,” “Women,” and “Nananom” when we attempt to faithfully, dispassionately, and Ghana-centeredly answer the central questions. In that sense, we agree with Vice President Mahama this time when he says that “the achievements of Nkrumah run through the length and breadth of Ghana. He laid a solid foundation in the country's infrastructural architecture."

One would need to be flexible, mature, and even unchild-like, to desist from assigning an overly restrictive significance to “infrastructural architecture” in this case. In all Ghanaian societies, that is what “Fathers” worth their names have done, and are supposed to do! Dr. Nkrumah did that before the independence of the Gold Coast, and after the independence of Ghana. The interesting thing is others on the Accra grounds felt compelled to summon Nkrumah to Accra in 1947 to lead the struggle for independence. We know that Nkrumah obliged and was ready for independence now, as only wise and altruistic fathers/ patriots are. But others even among the so-called “Big Six” weren’t.

It is “Father’s Day,” stupid! But this is not sexist the way Ghana goes, and “stupid” is only for emphasis!

We are arguing that from the point of view of Ghana-centeredness, the useful concept to rally Ghanaians is “Father of Ghana,” as typically implied when we use the term “patriot.” The Latin-origin patriota, Greek-sourced pat?rm, “Father” for “Patriot,” all reference an individual who loves her/his country and supports its authority/interests. The concept of “Father” is as true for George Washington, the “Father of the United States,” as it is true (and very constructive) for Nkrumah and the achievements of Ghana since Nkrumah.

Again, for the Ghana national identity and cohesion question, it ought to be “Father’s Day.” However, this is not to be confused with “Fathers’ Day” and (Mothers’ Day) as “celebrated” in the United States and in other countries. “Father Day Ghana” ought to be a day of service and sustainable community living. Make it a day of cleaning, painting, and tree-planting, in fact.

Turn around the “Founder’s Day” program. Reposition it as “Father’s Day” and give it a Ghana-centered twist along the lines discussed by the tactless Sheila Jackson Lee when she waded into the Ghanaian political discourse without care and all the facts about Mr. Rawlings. But yes, we know that Ms. Jackson Lee is not a Mickey Leland whose seat she has held since 1994, after the untimely death in the Ethiopian hills of that true African-American patriot from Texas. “Founder’s Day” is for political parties and bands with groupies, as “Father’s Day” is for proud countries and patriots. “Father’s Day Ghana” ought to be a day of uncommon service to Ghana and sustainable social living. Start celebrating by cleaning up filth, painting drab cityscapes, and planting nurturing trees!

“Father’s Day Ghana” ought to truly recognize Ghana’s first political leader and hero for his role in standing up for a united Ghana for the benefit of all. In that sense, Dr. Nkrumah is the spring for Ghana’s democratic dispensation. After all, he murdered not a single individual in darkness while he was briefly at the Ship of the Ghanaian State. We submit that detention is not political murder, particularly when the detained refuses to consume food produced locally. And must we remind others that some of the so-called “Big Six” behaved and acted like children when it truly mattered, during 1955-1957? Did they not invite Dr. Nkrumah to come lead the struggle for the new State as only a father, a patriot, would? Don’t fathers do that, precisely?

It is “Father’s Day,” haba!

Prof Lungu: Ghana-Centered and Ghana-Proud. Always!

© 17 September, 2009. Prof Lungu, Tokyo, Japan.