Political historian Prof Mike Oquaye, has said no Ghanaian child must be taught in school that Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, declared the Gold Coast independent of British rule at the Old Polo Grounds.
The Speaker of Parliament said at the 40th anniversary lecture of former Prime Minister Prof Kofi Abrefa Busia on Tuesday, 28 August 2018, that Nkrumah’s 6 March 1957 “At long last, the battle has ended; and Ghana, our beloved country, is free forever” speech at the Old Polo Grounds, did not amount to a declaration of independence as has been taught for over six decades in Ghanaian schools.
According to Prof Oquaye, that famous speech was a precursor to a rally by Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP), adding that it took place before the actual declaration of independence for the Gold Coast in parliament on 6 March 1957.
“That was a CPP rally and Nkrumah was entitled to let his supporters know that the struggle was in fact ended. Independence was declared hours later in Parliament,” he said.
Prof Oquaye said Dr Busia, who was the leader of the opposition in parliament at the time, seconded the independence motion when it was moved on the floor of the National Assembly.
“In this connection, let me say categorically that Nkrumah did not declare independence at the Old Polo Grounds. The motion for independence was supported by Busia and was carried and the Duchess of Kent declared Ghana independent at the National Assembly by the authority of Queen Elizabeth II,” he noted.
The Speaker added that: “No Ghanaian child should be taught that Nkrumah declared independence at the Old Polo Ground”, adding that “never in his [Busia’s] life was he not supportive of Ghana’s independence”.
“I want to use this occasion to remind Ghanaians that when Nkrumah moved the motion of destiny in the National Assembly for independence, it was Busia who seconded it and it was unanimously carried.”
“His role in Parliament was a prophet. He was opposed to the anti-democratic methods adopted by Nkrumah and the CPP, and spoke up against them”, Prof Oquaye said.
Source: classfmonline.com
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What is wrong with you mike ocquay. we still love kwame
Obiba you shaaaa! Massa pharaoh was a dictator, Mugabe was a dictator, Gaddafi was a dictator. Nebuchadnezzar was a dictator, the Queen of England is also a dictator no wonder the great osagyefo dr kwame nyansanyi Nkrumah was also a dictator. Now, Africa is the best place anyone can live. We are more civilized than all the stiwwwpid places some of you ignorants admire. No place in the world is better than Africa. All we need to do is to get a good hearted leadership and control all our resources.
I am particularly surprised of how Ghanaians understand history. On Africa they claim the continent had its own history before the white man came some 6 centuries ago but when it comes to Ghana, the country had no history before Nkrumah came around 1947. What a double standard by these socialist boys and girls! Independence can never be declared by the subject as the eminent professor is to correct. It is the ruler who grants and declares! Reporting what happened in parliament can never be a declaration. Now, when it comes to patriotism who can be more reliable than the who seeks to establish a liberal society as opposed to the one who entrenches himself as a life President without any substantive vice? It amuses me when people point their fingers at the wrong person as a traitor in Ghana. The worst traitor Ghana ever had and shall ever have is our first president. It must also be known that he must bear the full responsibility for the backwardness of the African continent.
So all dis while what did de so called professor teach his children.....***barred word***.Dr nkrumah is the fada of de nation...we dont know any other CIA agent.....nkrumah lives.
Is this man truly a professor of political history? Does he understand the vocabulary of declaration? What happened in the assembly was passing of the resolution. What the duchess of kent did was to affirm what had already been achieved by dint of Nkrumah. Whether Busia seconded the motion or not is secondary and immaterial. This attempt to replace the sterling gallantry of Nkrumah with some dull traitors of our independence will not wash. Never!
Master-Servant relationship, it is master who declares the independence of the servant. However, Nkrumah's declaration gives us hope in the African.