Reliving Nkrumah's Dream Ghana - The Youth Challenge

On the 6th of March, 1957, Ghana became independent as we all know with a big dream which was well articulated by the founder Dr Kwame Nkrumah. It was indeed so big that its take off placed Ghana, its leadership and the party that won independence at the jealousy of world powers who felt threatened by her rapid pace of development. Ghana’s radical and aggressive social reconstruction was fascinating and filled with hope to the African but to the imperialists, it forecasted a breakaway from their dominance and control which they never wish to let go of. This wicked envy was to run through the early years of Ghana’s independence through the years of consolidation and the final onslaught of our economic independence till 24th February, 1966. On that dark day, the forces of evil won a battle but not the war. They succeeded in overthrowing President Nkrumah and the CPP but could never kill the ideas, the spirit of the New African that had been sown – the hope of a truly independent Ghana and Africa. Our meeting here today, and the various topics under discussion testifies this and establishes the fact that the war is not over and that believers in Nkrumah and his policies have yet another opportunity to fight fiercely and fearlessly to win the war.

My topic, Chairman is, RELIVING NKRUMAH’S DREAM GHANA – THE YOUTH CHALLENGE. Against the backdrop that we are a suffering people, and have moved backward instead of forward considering the pace at which we set off, and that today more people are disillusioned; my chosen topic thus poses a very crucial question. Has Ghana got a dream? Better still have we ever had a dream? What is Nkrumah’s Dream Ghana under reference? Perhaps the following cases will help us all appreciate whether Ghana has had a dream before or not. And whether that dream exists today or not.

At the declaration of independence, Dr Nkrumah said;

“And from now on there is a new African, this new African is going to prove to the world that after all, he is capable of managing his own affairs. We are going to spearhead in creating our own African personality and identity. This is the only way in which we can tell the world that we have gained the whole battle. We are going to demonstrate to the world, to other nations, young as we are; that we are going lay our own foundation.”

This declaration was to be followed with the famous

“We dedicate ourselves not only in the struggle to emancipate other territories in Africa; the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African Continent”

In 1964, the president in a preface to the seven year development plan wrote:

“The seven-year Development Plan provides the blue print for the future progress and development of Ghana as a nation. It is a programme of social and economic development based on the use of science and technology to revolutionize our agriculture and industry. It is designed to provide the basis not only of our national progress and prosperity, but also our ability to contribute to the advancement of the African continent.

Our aim is to establish in Ghana a strong and progressive society in which no one will have any anxiety about the basic means of life, about work, food and shelter; where poverty and illiteracy no longer exist and disease is brought under control; and where our educational facilities provide all the children of Ghana with the best possible opportunities for the development of their potentialities”

True to this dream, Ghana’s educational facilities were expanded to accommodate students from all backgrounds. Industries were built to offer employment to our workforce. Hospitals and Clinics were built and Health facilities broadened to control disease. Sports and other disciplines and Arts were promoted like never before. Science and Technology were seen as the future determinants of progression, so institutions such as KNUST were established to train people for that purpose. Energy was considered paramount which led to the building of Akosombo, the Atomic City and the Energy Commission which was to look into the prospects of Solar and bio-energy options afar back as 1960. Only God knows what this nation would have been without these initiatives. Yet all of them were met with vile propaganda as if Nkrumah was going to be buried with them when he died. This was an honest and ambitious dream which suffered lots of attacks from the so called lovers of democracy who truly hated the path we had chosen. Ghana was attacked and abused in the Western press and called all bad names just because she wanted to break away from evils of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and the haunting wrenching pains of the colonial era slavery as well as humiliation the entire black race went through.

We were not in this alone without support. While the heat was on, in 1965, the Fabian Society, which is the intellectual wing of the British Labour Party, said of Ghana:

“The problems of Ghana are typical of Africa – typical but not average. The Wealth of the country, the avoidance of the aping of Europe…., the explicit recognition of needs and possibilities; these make Ghana the test case of Africa…. If she succeeds, there is hope for all. If she fails, who else can succeed?”

A critical retrospection of Ghana and Africa vindicates the position of the Fabian Society when they addressed the question of Ghana at a time when there was so much pressure on us and heap of attacks were launched on the person of Nkrumah on one hand and the sovereignty on Ghana on the other. It is worth appreciating that after the overthrow of Nkrumah to date, every effort and space has been employed to discredit, destroy and perpetually uproot the seed he had sown in Ghana, Africa and the World at large. It is a sad case for all humanity indeed!

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is obvious from the above that indeed at independence, through the period of our republican status and the days of consolidating our independence politically and economically, there was a clear vision which guarded deliberate steps towards a big dream to make Ghana an example for the entire world to emulate. Indeed this dream was not aimed at making the world turn around with imperialism the way round, where we will become masters and they slaves. In the words of Dr. Nkrumah in addressing the UN General Assembly conference of 1960;

“The flowing tide of African nationalism sweeps everything before it and constitutes a challenge to the colonial powers to make a just restitution for the years of injustice and crime committed against our continent.

But Africa does not seek vengeance. It is against her very nature to harbour malice, over two hundred million of our people cry out with one voice of tremendous power – and what do we say? We do not ask for death of our oppressors, we do not pronounce wishes of ill-fate for our slave masters, we make an assertion of a just and positive demand, our voice boom across the oceans and mountains, over the hills and valleys, in the desert places and the vast expanse of mankind’s habitation and it calls for out for freedom of the Africa: Africa wants her freedom! Africa must be free! It is a simple call, but it is a signal lighting a red warning to those who tend to ignore it.”

Recent leadership and policies in Ghana clearly show that we have abandoned this lofty dream of extricating ourselves from the strings and manipulation of some foreign power or people to the detriment of our progress and developments. There is no vision, there is no clear direction, and we lack the courage and inspiration to move towards this golden goal of self determination. Ghana has no organized programme deliberate targeting the youth to mould, train and build them for the purposes of national service. This is where, Mr Chairman, I would to take a quick look at the Young Pioneer Movement (YPM) which has often been one the areas used to lambaste and bastardize Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP government and justify his overthrow. The movement according to Most Rev DR J.S.A Stephens was formed create new citizens of Ghana to project the African Personality on the continent who would be filled with the fear of God, patriotism, respect of parents, respect for government and public property and each person regarding one another as his brother’s keeper.

The Young Pioneer Movement was founded to bring together all the separatist (tribal, regional, religious etc) youth organizations that existed in Ghana; to imbue in the youth confidence; to equip our growing young people with the knowledge and skill and make them fit into this ever growing world of diversity as well as compete with the youth of other nations for all the available opportunities. The exercise that brought into force the YPM was a well organized led by men of credibility. The team comprising Mr Kofi Baako, Krobo Edusei, Prof Abrahams, Kofi Batsa and Mowbray Elliot with the Most Rev Dr J S A Stephens, past President of the Methodist Conference, toured nations like, USA, USSR, Germany, UK, Israel to study their youth policies/programmes and concluded on the idea forming Ghana’s Youth Movement. In the words of Dr Mathew Tetteh, one of the leading instructors of the movement; “the movement was to prepare our young men and women for various tasks that a new emerging nation was required to undertake to survive and remain truly independent”.

Among the courses that the short existence of the movement from July 1, 1961 to 1966 introduced its members to included seamanship, airmanship, diplomacy and international relations etc etc.

The Code of Discipline of the Movement read; Love of Country, Punctuality, Discipline and Obedience, Honesty and Morality, Fieldcraft, Love of Work, Reliability and Secrecy, Comradeship and Forbearance, Unaffectedness, Self Control, and Striving to Faultlessness.

Ladies and Gentlemen, isn’t it a wonder therefore that this very movement was and is still been described by some uninformed minds and ignorant scholars as a tool that was used to idolise Nkrumah, inform on parents, and to teach the youth to hate God? Yes, Mr Chairman, about the hatred for God, there is indeed an incident that gave rise to it. With your kind permission I will delve into that. Most Rev Dr Stephens recounts that it all started when Bishop Roseveare of the Anglican Church of Ghana attacked Dr. Nkrumah and the Young Pioneer Movement at a Synod meeting in Sekondi. In his address, he described the President and the Movement as ungodly and blasphemous and that Nkrumah was been presented to young people as the MESSIAH. It is interesting to note that this Bishop was a personal friend of Dr Nkrumah and had had dinner with him the very night before this scandalous attack on him and the movement. The issue led to the repatriation of the Bishop which was hailed by a lot of Ghanaians. As the case was getting out of hand, Most Rev Stephens and some of his colleagues together with Ghana mission in the UK organized an encounter on BBC, one of the media that were used to spread this rumour at jet-like speed.

In the interview, the Archbishop of the Canterbury, Bishop Ramsey asked Bishop Roseveare what he knew of the YPM. His answer was: “It has come to my knowledge that young people and school children in Ghana were been taught to be atheists; that there was no God, that Nkrumah was Messiah, and that Nkrumah never dies” etc. When he was asked if he ever discussed the issue with Nkrumah who was also his personal friend, the answer was “NO”. The leadership of the movement had two strong religious leaders on it; Most Rev Dr Stephens and Mr B A Quarcoo who were present in the studio. So the Bishop again asked if he knew them and if he thought they would teach godlessness. His answer nailed him. “Well that is what people have been saying”. Surely, his speech and damage were based on rumour and idle talk. He apologised to Nkrumah, Ghana and his own Britain. President Nkrumah was more than glad to welcome him back into the country. Yet the damage had been caused and very little could be done to reverse it. Apparently, this same reason would be reinvented to justify the overthrow of Nkrumah and the CPP in 1966, February 24.

Mr Chairman, The strength of every nation is measured by the alertness and consciousness of its youth, the foot soldiers, to rise to duty at all times. Every army is as strong as the soldiers. If the soldiers are weak, the army is weak and can hardly stand to defend their sovereignty in the event of an attack. Ghana at fifty needs an army of strong, committed, focused and courageous youth who will form the moving wheels (workforce) of development today and become the visionary, dedicated leaders of tomorrow. The build up of an army requires a lot of training and discipline of purpose. It is imperative to find lasting solutions to our overwhelming challenge as a nation to train our youth to live in readiness to fight for Ghana against indiscipline, corruption, poverty, hypocrisy, mediocre, illiteracy, disease and of course foreign invasion culturally, politically, religiously, socially, technologically and economically. In my opinion, the Young Pioneer Movement offers a lot of answers.

This then leads as the next important part of my paper, the Youth Challenge. I shall address this, Mr Chairman, by recalling a story Nana Kobina Nketia V, Omanhene of Esikado Traditional area once told a group of students including myself. He said the youth today find themselves in a situation comparable to a man searching for a black ant, on a black mountain, wearing black shades, in a black night. It seems impossible because the classic sense of sight is woefully comatose in this regard. Nonetheless, we are privileged to have five other senses working namely; Hearing, Taste, Smell, Touch, and the recently argued sense VISION. I believe the good Lord in His own wisdom advertently gave us all of that to compliment one another in difficult times such as this. The greatest challenge of the youth therefore is self realization. We need to ask ourselves who we are; where we come from and where we are headed.

Fortunately for us, reading people like Dr Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, George Padmore, Casley Hayford, Dr Kwegyir Aggrey, Mandela, Frantz Fanon, Cabral Amilcar and many of our African freedom fighters, thinkers and philosophers, offers hope in the quest to self realisation. We therefore need to read deep and wide, use the ideas that are relevant today to advance our course. But Mr Chairman, knowledge is just one step. We need to put the knowledge which I often describe as potential power to application to make it power.

We therefore need to participate and involve in all the processes concerning and impacting our lives. The youth feel left out of the nation’s developmental agenda. Hopelessness and despair abound everywhere. The elderly who had the opportunity as youth to be part of decisions making and were indeed assigned specific roles in both the execution and implementation of plans have strangely denied the youth of today the same opportunity. So what do we see, from the Executive arm of government to Civil society, there still exist very old people who are tired and really need to fall back and allow strong, energetic ones to step in while they offer the needed advice and experience. I must confess however, Mr Chairman that nothing good has ever been achieved on a silver platter. We therefore need to fight for this status.

The youth must call for reforms in our educational system. Students are always a product of the kind of educational system they go through. If there system is a problem solving one, of course the products will become problem solving people. If it is problem accumulating one, obviously we will have students who pile up problems and become liabilities to society instead being assets. I have heard many people complain about the crop of university, polytechnic and training college graduates that we have today. But these people fail to even discuss the kind of system that makes them. Our institutions are saddled with programmes that have no relation whatsoever with the peculiar circumstances of our nation. The few relevant ones are not modified to meet current demands of the knowledge and information age. It is therefore incumbent on the youth to loudly raise these concerns and damn the consequence thereof.

Networking and the establishment of superior human relations is another challenge that beckons the response of the Ghanaian youth. To enter the open world, we must first learn to close our ranks. If only the youth of today shall stand side by side each other in face of the difficulties and constitute a united force, it will be hardly possible for anybody to ignore their importance and their worth. But so long as the youth remain divided over petty issues of position, political differences, tribal backgrounds, we shall continue to suffer from the avoidable manipulation of the elderly politicians, academics, chiefs, civil servants, etc. Unity of the purpose must be the guarding principle, for in unity alone lies strength.

Yet another challenge we must assert ourselves to is the creation and nurturing of big and challenging goals. We need to have a set of big dreams fashioned and shaped in line with the dreams of first President and foremost Patriot – Dr Kwame Nkrumah who laid a solid foundation without which this nation would have been crumbling and torn apart. Beyond this, let us translate the dreams into working ideas; harness them into practical achievement for the celebration of all. The youth can come together with their little loans and allowances to form a cooperative which has the potential to grow into a big company for their collective well being.

Voluntarism is a virtue the young of today must aspire to if we really want to make it further. If you must lead, you must first learn to follow. This could be in the form volunteer teaching during long vacations by students from tertiary institutions to the advantage of their younger ones in the second cycle and basic schools. It might as well be to help District Assemblies in tax collection and information dissemination etc. There is a lot the youth can offer society to merit the call to higher duty. The success of the CPP to win elections and declare Ghana independent was a direct result of the selfless service rendered by the youth of those days. Ghana’s ability to move towards economic emancipation came about mainly the youth saw life beyond material gains and satisfaction. Only if our value system would be driven in that direction, this nation would be saved of the many drug cases and criminal adventures that seem to be the order of the day.

The youth must not assume the arrogant position of thinking that the elderly have nothing good to offer. Both the mistakes and the good deeds of the elderly have useful lessons to teach the young. And it is important that the youth learn and drink from that fountain of experience. That is how we can avoid the mistakes of the past and continue the lofty deeds for the good of all. How regrettable it will be to commit a mistake that could have been avoided because it is a known case?

Lastly, I wish to re-echo the words of Ghana’s sage, Dr Ephraim Amu; This is our land of birth. It is precious to us secured with the blood of our forebears. Today is our turn to build upon where they left. In this bid, we have allowed vile and unswerving egocentrism to dominate us which has led us to our present situation. It remains a fact, that if Ghana will progress or retrogress, the character and deeds of the citizenry reigns supreme.

Fifty years, “of misinformation and malicious rumour mongering has earned us a generation who do not know how to appreciate their own greatness and their own achievements as well as potentials. People with weak morals and backward disposition do not read for truth. They monger, and with their mouth, they tear themselves and their beloved nation apart, throwing their nation’s legacies to the wind only to gasp for death in poverty."