Friday, February 20, 2015 marked yet another honour to the name and works of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah – Founder of modern day Ghana and the Ghana National College in Cape Coast.
Alumni of the Ghana National College founded in 1948 by the then General Secretary of the UGCC, Kwame Nkrumah, organized the maiden Nkrumah-Plange-Mensah-Kane- Nelson-Sackeyfio Appreciation Lecture in honour of the founding father and founding teachers.
The College was founded out of the necessity to fill the void created by the dismissal of some 9 students and 3teachers who had marched in solidarity with the detained leaders of the UGCC by the colonial authorities from Mfantsipim School, Adisadel and St. Augusine’s Colleges.
In a brief introduction of the unveiling of the appreciation lectures, ‘Nana’ Egbert Faibille Jnr, an alumnus remarked that “as it is said that water takes its colour from the sky, so can it be said that Ghana took her name from the Ghana National College” which was founded 9 clear years ahead of the attainment of independence.
RATIONALE
According to Nana Ben Odai, the President of the Ghana National College Old Students Association, “It is almost 67 years to the day Ghana National College was founded by Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah.
“The teachers he used in that enterprise were Kwesi Plange, J.J. Mensah-Kane, H.P. Nelson, all of blessed memory and Lt Col H.W.A.K. Sackeyfio (retd), who is alive.
“Nananom feel a sense of duty to honour these valiant men for what they did for Ghana in very trying circumstances in 1948 at the height of the Gold Coast’s struggle for independence.
The appreciation lecture is going to be a yearly event and will be delivered by distinguished Nananom to show the world that the seed that was sown in 1948 has borne fruit and continues to do so with various Nananom excelling in all spheres of human endeavour,” Nana Odai said.
FIRST SPEAKER
“In instituting the lecture, we have chosen as the first speaker, Prof. Allotey. Apart from being the first form one student admitted to our school, his work in the sciences has been recognised worldwide and indeed gives meaning to our school’s crest which has the sun’s rays shining in general on the continent of Africa and particularly on Ghana.” Prof. FKA Allotey’s dmission into the college was unusual compared to all other students
“Prof. Allotey has in turn shone his intellectual light on the world from Ghana National College on Africa and the world in general. We of Ghanacoll are very proud of his achievements,” he said.
Ghana National College was founded in 1948 by Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah under very unique circumstances. Dr Nkrumah named it the Ghana National College, nine clear years before the Gold Coast attained independence and took the name Ghana.
The basis of the founding of Ghana National College is that when the Big Six were arrested and detained in the wake of the February 28, 1948 shootings and looting, some students from the three boys’ secondary schools in Cape Coast, namely Mfantsipim School, Adisadel College and St Augustine’s College, went on a demonstration to demand their immediate release.
Alarmed by the boldness of the demonstrating students, the colonial authorities moved swiftly to punish them. The government set up a commission of inquiry chaired by Justice S.O. Quashie-Idun, to, among other issues, establish the causes of the students’ demonstration, identify students who participated in the demonstration, identify any teachers who assisted the students and make recommendations as to appropriate sanctions.
LECTURE
Prof Francis Kofi Ampenyi Allotey recounted his personal encounters with the founding father of the college from his early days in the college and as he grew and explored the world of academics particularly in science. He emphasized that the first President even as Prime Minister invested heavily in Science.
“Dr Nkrumah saw the importance of Science and Technology in deciding the future of our world and he invested heavily towards it in both human resource and infrastructure wise.” He cited the Kwame Nkrumah College of Science and Technology now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the Atomic Energy Commission at the Dome-Kwabenya Atomic City as well as the sponsorship of a large number of students into superior institutions of science around the world as examples.
Prof Allotey admonished his audience with his attitude at problem solving which in his view would go a long to affect the nation positively if we were all to adapt it. He said “my attitude in life is to avoid complaining. When I meet a problem, I don’t complain. I solve it. When you see a problem, don’t complain. If you can solve it.”
DISMISSAL OF STUDENTS
The Quashie-Idun commission ended up recommending the dismissal of all the students who were identified to have participated in the demonstration and also the dismissal of any teachers who showed overt or covert support to the students.
In all, about 150 students from the three boys’ schools were identified and dismissed. Four teachers, namely Messrs Kwesi Plange, J.J. Mensah-Kane and H.P. Nelson from St Augustine’s College and H.W.A.K. Sackeyfio from Mfanstipim School, were dismissed.
On the release of the Big Six, the parents of some of the dismissed students approached Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah about the predicament of their dismissed children. He in turn asked the dismissed teachers to start classes immediately for the students from rented premises.
He gave the teachers £10 out of his salary of £25 to buy kerosene tins, boards and other incidentals to start the school.
The teachers carried out Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah’s instructions and on July 20, 1948, he personally inaugurated the school in Cape Coast, naming it Ghana National College.
At the founding the College, Osagyefo envisioned the setting up of many more schools across the country. True to his word, upon assumption of office as the leader of the Party with the highest number of seats in Parliament, the nation embarked on the Accelerated Development Plan which saw the opening up of many more schools under the Ghana Education Trust scheme.
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