Nana Frema Busia.
Respectfully Mr. President, let us dismiss a raging myth that Dr. Danquah is the Founder of the University of Ghana and put that discourse behind us before our substantive discussion.
Dismissing the Dr. Danquah myth as University of Ghana founder
Mr. President, it is rather instructive that three University Professors Lungu, Botwe-Asamoah and Dompre, 2019, following Prof Busia's Research footprints provide evidence in a 28 page article with references and conclude unequivocally, that Dr. JB Danquah was Never Chief Campaigner or the Founder of the University of Ghana. According to the learned Professors: “President Akufo -Addo's assertion during the launching of the 'university of Ghana's Endowment' on 7th May 2018 that “it was the inestimable work of J.B Danquah that mobilized the Ghanaian people to insist on the building' of the university of Ghana is grossly misleading.
If we must be charitable, it is a brazen attempt to re-cast Ghanaian historical facts. By that same token, his contention that ' It would be wholly appropriate to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the Founder of the University of Ghana is totally fallacious. It is a gross misrepresentation of history. Those statements border on attempts at appropriating history and pilfering valor and service to country by other more notable figures and the collective citizenry, as yet another unjust and unearned historical dividends to a vastly over-rated political figure who more than once, 'First as faculty member, then as “Mastership” even turned down appointments to join the leadership of the top educational institution in the then Gold Coast, the Prince of Wales College { Now Achimota School]”
Mr President, thus the fallacious and theatrical premise you have perpetrated for naming the University of Ghana after Dr Danquah, fumbles precariously and should be silenced from here on. Mr President, the discussion below makes it obvious that in the Intellectual arena just like in the Political sphere a comparison between Danquah and Busia is still, and even more so, a Comparison of UNEQUALS.
Thus, Mr President any re-engineering of our intellectual and political history to rename the University of Ghana after your uncle Dr. Danquah will be an unjust and unprincipled public display of lack of integrity.
Indeed Mr. President, sidelining Dr Busia with the complicity of NPP majority in Parliament to ratify the naming of the University of Energy and Natural Resources after Dr Busia simply to relegate him to the back waters of history, does portray the hollowness in the so called Danquah- Busia- Dombo tradition in which Dr Busia's true legacy is in political suffocation awaiting future vindication. Consequently, there should be no ' Awam' or Stolen Verdict'.
Preface:
Mr. President, in this Prof K. A. Busia memorial exoneration of his distinguished intellectual legacy, I am able to state with utmost confidence and conviction, and prove with evidence were it necessary, that H. E. John Attah Mills and H.E John Mahama have more love, compassion and due respect and appreciation for Prof Busia's unparalleled contribution to African socio- political emancipation and intellectual empowerment than you H. E. Nana Addo and H. E John Kufour combined.
Mr President, the Danquah -Busia-Dombo artifice, pay lip service to Prof Busia and treat him with contempt in seeking to establish your own feeble dynasties without a genuine fear of God. Unlike the 'C.P.P' & 'N.D.C'. You are unable to rally around Prof. Busia with the great accord he deserves as The Principal 'U.P' figurehead. Mr President, this is obviously why the tripartite figurehead has been concocted to consume Prof Busia's essence and its amazing goodness while drowning him to entrench clandestine agenda.
Mr. President, the spirit of largess demonstrated by S.D. Dombo in stepping aside in deference to K. A Busia 's leadership of the pre- independence opposition which was enhanced and crystallized By the Progress Party with Prof Busia as Prime Minister was abandoned during President Kufour's NPP reign, which set the tone for abject disloyalty at high octane even now. Mr President you might as well call your Party, Danquah – Kufour- Addo Danquah party because that is what pertains without doubt.
Mr. President I am doing a comprehensive historic analysis to correct the record for Africa and Ghana's authentic legacy for posterity. I will not compromise content to please rampant lack of comprehension in a country your Minister of Communication once said was vision-less, purposeless and directionless. This is why you got our overwhelming votes.
Mr. President, Evidently not a whole lot has changed since those sentiments were uttered according to some indices. I am writing to Intellectuals defined by Prof K. A. Busia as follows:“ An Intellectual is a person who has learnt to use his brains; who applies his mind to problems and ideas and tries to understand them, There are many illiterates who are intellectuals”
Mr. President, You are acting like that New 'Pharaoh' who arose in Egypt and did not know of, or forgot 'JOSEPH' the Prime Minister whose Prophetic Ministry brought delivery in captivity. I will also not compromise content for the convenience of those who are discomfited by TRUTH.
I am Speaking Gospel Truth for a Change of General Direction beyond disloyalty to Prof Busia. Mr. President, Future Generations when they do a retrospective with introspection, may well call me favoured and blessed among women even if I am severally chastised and misunderstood now. I strengthen and encourage myself in the Lord, regardless.
K. A. Busia– the ultimate pan- African global intellectual icon
Mr. President at a time when the western world was indulging in colonial subjugation of Africa with crude theories about defective 'negroid' brain and fake scientific justification about ingrained inferiority of the black man and his in-capacities, Prof. Busia by a God endowed superior intellect debunked their theories of inherent intellectual blemish. Prof Busia was Africa's solo Intellectual Star Banner, shinning bright in the sky above a Continent deemed dark with impenetrable ignorance after unjustifiable centuries of enslavement.
Respectfully, Mr.. President, You ought to emulate Kofi Busia's modesty, humility and strategic intellect as Africa's Premium Educator. I support free SHS in Principle, It is after all a Constitutional Mandate.
But, where is the deep logic in your 'quickie' FEE FREE WHOLESALE SHS freebies roll-out in a Country you say is 'broke' and that H. E. John Mahama 'broke' it? Surely, why not arrest and prosecute John Mahama[J.M] for Managerial Negligence and Corrupt Incompetence that Some say is Pointing Back AT YOU? Instead, you are breaking your promises and borrowing wildly to cover up 'J. M's ineptitude? Your Presidency was hailed with such promise.
But, “look at where you have gone to sit”, Mr President. You have set up a Special Prosecutor who says he does not even have the legislative freedom to review the ongoing P.D.S saga in our energy space for example. Have you engineered a window- dressed Paper -Tiger without genuine Prosecutorial authority just for show? Ghana hopes Not.
OUCH, Mr. President, You are allowing John Dramani Mahama to compete against you in the next election? You are taking your chances in a comparative incompetence and corruption competition? Is Ghana a failed state or what?
After proclaiming a FREE mediocre and haphazard education agenda as flagship to score populist political dividends, You are treating Prof Busia as a superior ally you envy by ATTEMPTING TO HIDE HIS CREDENTIALS THAT CAN AID a genuine, purposeful, education overhaul which should be systematic and qualitative with commensurate programmatic infrastructure which is now being formulated in a memorandum as though it were an afterthought.
Mr. President, You have inserted Dr. Danquah into SHS Curricular when he has nothing to do with Youth Education and does not in any way compare to Prof K.A. Busia's phenomenal intellectual achievements illustrated below in detail. Dr. Danquah was involved in Youth Conference politics to prepare them to vote for him when Ghana became a reality but they deserted him for their 'Messiah' Dr. Nkrumah.
lessons learned from Prof. Busia
Mr. President, Let us learn from Prof K. A. Busia. When faced with a tottering unaffordable Free Grants system to University students in a growing population and no money in our coffers, Prof Busia transformed it to a sustainable 'Students Loan Scheme' against the tide of protests but the scheme continues to date, some 50 yrs on.
Prof Busia also instituted the ongoing “National Service Scheme” for Youth training as part of a comprehensive 'self-help projects' an aspect of which Gen Acheampon 'stole' and popularized as 'Operation feed yourself' to our glee but look at the huge drain of foreign imports of basic food on our economy today because we could not wait for Prof Busia's thorough development initiative.
Let us make Prof Busia's bk “Purposeful Education for Africa” a teaching as well as a learning tool for our Professors, lecturers Teachers and students as well as indeed politicians in need. It would seem that the Education Ministry should, now that they have a curriculum memorandum, be rolling out the SHS pilot with full implementation before you exit.
K. A. Busia– The ultimate pan- African global intellectual icon
Mr. President, the Encyclopedia of world biography sums up Prof Busia as follows:“Busia's scholarly contribution proved valuable, not only intrinsically but also for what it has done for the African seeking his identity after centuries of the colonial period.
Busia wrote that 'Physical enslavement is tragic enough; but the mental and spiritual bondage that makes people despise their own culture is much worse, for it makes them lose self -respect and with it faith in themselves'. Part of the intellectual liberation of Africa has come through the systematic analysis of African Institutions by Africans. “Busia's major study, The Position of the Chief in the Modern Political System of the Ashanti [1951] was a ground breaker in this regard. Moreover Busia Personalized the Commitment to Freedom of an African Intellectual. His writings on the Relevance of Democratic institutions to modern Africa found a wide audience and remains both his most important scholarly contribution and a standard work”. 'Oyiwa' Mr. President, how dare any Ghanaian ignorant upstart call Prof Busia an imperialist stooge in light of his eminent historic African - inspired record.
Mr President, Prof. Busia left a dual Legacy of Greatness in African democratic politics and Scholarship by rising to the zenith of political Power with significant contribution to the promulgation of the 2nd Republican Constitution and its implementation as a humble Prime minister. But first, He was remarkably at the highest citadel of Scholarship and academic excellence as the First Collegiate African student at St Anthony's College, Oxford.
Mr. President, Can we imagine this solo African, Prof Busia, blazing intellectual trails in the Upscale Conservative Oxford suburbia all by himself in 1939 in a race bigoted Imperial world?
Mr President, the pure blooded son of Ghana our motherland, Prof Busia is also the Renowned First African Professor, in the world's best rated University, The Oxford University. This was a stupendous achievement of his time and still resonates today. AS a Pan – Africanist Intellectual and Cultural Advocate, Prof Busia discarded the name 'JOSEPH' Frederick claiming he was neither Jewish nor German, to use his indigenous name Kofi Abrefa just before his Oxford, European and world wide advent to signal pride in his distinguished African Personality. He often wore Kente cloth to official functions to radiate self -confidence and to signify pride in his cultural heritage which dazzled his conservative Oxford audience. Prof Busia who was also a lay Preacher was allowed into one of the sacrosant spaces in Europe as Director of studies of The world Council of churches and published a sociological study 'Urban churches in Britain' regarding the role of the church in shaping social and public life. Let me ask Mr. President, were there no British or European intellectuals available to do sociological research? What an honour for African intellect Mr. President!
Mr. President, Professor Busia, an intellectual 'tour DE force' on the world stage, was also the First African to hold a Professorship at a Dutch University by Royal appointment, as Professor of Sociology and Culture of Africa, at Leiden university at the Hague Netherlands as well as concurrent Faculty Chair at the Institute of Social studies at the Hague. As leader of the opposition in exile, Prof Busia sacrificially resigned from these joint illustrious Academic positions due to Dr. Danquah's arrest and detention under PDA in 1961 to seek global attention to political oppression in Ghana and Dr. Danquah's arrest and eventual death in particular. Prof Busia also canvassed support for political detainees in Ghana and made a conscientious call for sanctions against Dr Nkrumah's repressive and totalitarian regime which is an acceptable international norm for which he is unjustly criticized. According to his recent biographer Anane –Agyei, there is apparently a street named 'Busia Strut' near The Hague. This would certainly be in appreciation of our native son Prof Busia's contribution to European knowledge base. However in Accra, Ghana even the street in front of his own residence which used to be Busia Street, has been changed to Safo Adu Street. Why Mr. President?
Mr. President, This sacrificial resignation of Professor Busia at great cost to his Academic career and family obligations while in exile himself, on account of Dr. Danquah coupled with his subsequent uplift of your father H. E. Edward Akufo-Addo to the highest possible honor of ceremonial President and also significant cabinet appointments on merit to S.D. Dombo as his Minister for the Interior and your family Members, i.e. Mr William Ofori Atta popularly known as Paa Willie, member of the big six as Minister of Education and after a reshuffle as Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as Mr Jones Ofori Attah as Ministerial Secretary of Finance and Economic planning, shows Prof Busia's largess and commitment to the principles of justice and fairness with regard to their prior service to the nation.
Mr. President Prof Busia's cumulative overtures when viewed in the context of your current disrespectful downgrade of him shows the bounds of your ungratefulness which honestly borders on wickedness in my view. Mr President, Indeed on arrival from Exile in 1966 Prof Busia with much grief and compassion went to lay a wreath at the graveside of Dr. Danquah in an' Each his brother's keeper' familial bond which he preached as a policy mantra to Ghanaians. Why can you not reciprocate to give Prof Busia his merited and appropriate honour Mr. President?
Mr President, your own father H. E Justice Edward Akufo- Addo , had this to say about Dr Busia: “Political scientist as well as sociologist, Kofi Busia was the first Ghanaian to occupy a Chair at the University of Ghana, that of Sociology and from that position, he became the inspiration of a whole generation of Ghanaian academics and scholars who admired his industry, intellectual honesty, patience in exposition and brilliance. Kofi Busia in the fifties, as he was to remain for the rest of his life, was one of the most outstanding figures in the African academic world”
Yes Mr. President, that most brilliant, outstanding, African Academic, Prof Busia taught Sociology in various African, European and American universities including Northwestern, Evanston in the 50's and 60's and was also the First African Professor in a Latin American University at the Centre for African Studies at the El Colegio de Mexico as a UNESCO Guest Professor which was also unusual at the time.
Mr. President, in view of Prof Busia's international remarkable and unusual feats which would in today's global discourse qualify to be in the Guinness book of Records, one could name the University of Ghana after Prof K. A Busia even if he had never set foot there. It would seem that his supposed proteges in seeking to establish themselves are threatened by his grand stature and are thereby treating him as a superior opposition whom they begrudge.
Mr. President, Now, Let us hear what his alma mater Oxford University has testified of Prof Busia: “He was an exceptional human being, an outstanding example of a universal man,... a formidable Professor, whose academic achievements were of the highest order. .. UNESCO and other scholarly bodies held him always in high regard.... At Oxford, at University college, at Nuffield and at St Anthony's College there was full recognition of Dr Busia as a Scholar and Professor ... Certainly there have been few political leaders in Africa, Leophold Senghor is an exception who have been professors in their own right. Dr Kofi Busia's former tutor at Oxford, Harold wilson comes instantly to mind in Britain and so does President Woodrow Wilson,[USA] the inspiration behind the league of nations. There is a real parallel between Kofi Busia and Woodrow Wilson in that it was the challenge of critical events together with a belief in direct personal responsibility which led Dr. Busia to enter the political arena in defense of principles which he held dear.'
I have automatic 'gooze bumps' Mr. President, those Principles Prof Busia held dear which caused him to also leave the safe and pretigious confines of the university of Ghana where his indelible footprints are ingrained in order to face the affront of inordinate dangerous totalitarian politics, were democratic African Principles represented in his scholarly standard work ' The position of the chief ' referenced by the world encyclopedia of biography.
Mr. President you have attempted to constrict and banish the formidable universal man, Dr Busia in abysmal tribal politics. The truth is Mr President you have circumvented Dr Busia's intellectual legacy with a woeful due to a conflict of interest in an opaque nepotistic ploy to elevate DR Danquah to extraordinary prominence above all mortals in Ghana dead or alive. How can a newly created and virtually unknown university that is yet to establish a reputation in the annals of international universities not to mention no realistic standing even in Ghana be a notable honor to commemorate Dr, Busia simply because it is cited in Fiapre in Bono Mr President, by this political betrayal dressed up as an honor you have-exiled Dr Busia from befitting national honor and insulted Ghana and Bono, This is honestly shameful, dont you think Mr. President? Hhmm!
Danquah vrs Busia – Renaming the University of Ghana focus on Kofi Busia's contribution to the University of Ghana
Mr. President: The University of Ghana at inception was an exercise in INTELLECTUAL EMBARASMENT without any African professor, thereby given credence to theories of inherent African intellectual inferiority in spite of our loud freedom hosannas and independence requiems. The University of the Gold Coast as it was then known, before the advent of Prof Busia was a mocking irony in the giant face of Dr. Nkrumah's famed Independence proclamation that:
“The black man is capable of managing his own affairs”. The University of Ghana was a loud affirmation of the inaccuracy of that proclamation which was just uttered in the air, more aspirational than truthful. The University of Ghana was solid proof and mockery of Dr. Nkrumah. It made it clear that the black man was incapable of managing his own affairs, particularly, his own intellectual affairs, thus given credence to the inferiority of the African intellect. In fact to date most African leaders have embarrassingly proved that the Black man is incapable of credible national management and prudential governance with myriad excuses which are no longer valid. But I digress?
Mr. President, It is the The iconic fame of ' THE PROF', Dr Busia, with his acclaimed wit and mystique that effused the University of Ghana with intellectual dynamism and robust international acceptance. As a matter of fact Mr. President, for the University of Ghana to merit the honor of being named after Prof Busia, the University itself in relative academic doldrums need a significant upgrade for its credentials to match up the honor that will be bestowed upon it by being named after Prof Busia. It is really the University that will receive the ultimate benefit from Prof Busia's name and image not Prof Busia posthumously.
Mr. President, How could we have a university which was to be Africa's Prime Experiment in scholarship with an all 'white' Professorial team? Our independence declaration was applauded to the high heavens, we declared we did not need the 'white' man, we sacked him and rejoiced regally and greatly with abandon and aplomb and then like Jokers we put the 'white' man who had established the elementary schools we take pride in also in control of our highest level knowledge -base and curriculum development and instruction. We had declared ourselves self- sufficient and wanted to link our obvious dependency syndrome with others in similar or less favourable states to find meaning in our liberation? This sounds more emotive than practical or enthralling to me. In 2019 we in Ghana and Africa at large are trying to wean ourselves off western aid with towering Chinese imperialist loans and pathetic grants for 'neo-submission'. AGH !! ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ ?
Too much digression, Mr. President, Oh dear, oh dear, My alma mater, and your Alma Mater, the University of Ghana was a laughing stock, showcasing the 'white' man’s patent triumph and intellectual superiority except that there was a Kofi Abrefa Busia with a rescue intellectual capability who was already on the world stage, K. A. Busia was a graceful antidote to Africa's perceived intellectual malaise. It is the man with a universal imprint on intellectual excellence and pioneering spirit Prof. KA Busia, who redeemed the image and reputation of the University of Ghana from being 'civilized' by Europe as the First African Professor at the university of Ghana.
Mr President, Prof Busia was used to being a solo African intellectual presence in Oxford, and globally but he also became a solo African Professor in his native Ghana in an all 'white' Professorial enclave at the University of Ghana. What an incongruity!
• Mr. President how can we afford to not appropriately applaud and acknowledge that Prof Busia was a huge conspicuous role model for all African youth? • Mr. President we have named the Balme Library at the University of Ghana after its first “white” administrative head, Professor Balme, but we cannot name the University after its Intellectual maestro Prof Busia? Let us listen to Prof Balme
Success of the University of Ghana accredited to Dr. Busia
Mr. President, Prof David Mowbray Balme the University of Ghana's colonial First Vice Chancellor who worked closely with Dr. Busia soon after its inception and after whom the Blame Library is named testify as follows: “Dr. Busia is the best and strongest influences for good that the University of Ghana was fortunate to possess... Busia's Publications became well known, and helped to win a High Reputation for the University of Ghana among International Scholars. Without such a Reputation it would have been difficult for the young university to attract either staff or students of the best caliber. To Dr Busia therefore and to others like him, must go the THE REAL CREDIT FOR THE UNIVERSITY'S SUCCESS. Many men might have had their heads turned by such Fame, but Dr. Busia remained always modest, thoughtful and considerate of others and completely without conceit. He was a beloved colleague respected by all. When he spoke, we could be sure that his words came only after careful thought. When he gave advice we knew that it should be heeded. When he disagreed, it would have been a foolish man who did not pause to reconsider. When he approved of a proposal that was the surest confirmation that it was not only wise but also humane and kind. For rarely have intelligence and great love been so combined in one person as they were in Kofi Busia”
Mr. President, Prof Balme also asserts that Prof Busia's exceptional insight was used on many occasions “ to influence the university's Policy in the right direction” Mr. President if it is Dr. Busia's exceptional Intellectual Reputation and phenomenal Scholarly contribution as well as Policy insights that established the University of Ghana's Success so that, the real credit for Success goes to Dr. Busia, should there be any controversy as to who the university of Ghana should be named after?
Mr. President, Indeed Professor Balme further attests of Prof Busia as follows: “There was no humbug in Kofi, no swank no trendiness; he could cut to the heart of the problem and express his analysis in compelling logical and beautiful English He disdained the 'CANT' surrounding race relations, which he called a “PSEUDO PROBLEM”; “ HUMAN UNKINDNESS IS THE PROBLEM” Kofi Busia would say and “ IF IT IS RACISM TO WANT TO STRENGTHEN A SPECIFICALLY AFRICAN CULTURE AND SOCIETY THEN I SHALL BE RACIST”
Mr. President this is the Gospel according to an unflinching global African Personality Kofi Busia, whose Pan -African mission was to strengthen a specifically African culture and society. Thus, It is in line with resolving the HUMAN UNKINDNESS INEQUITY WHICH CREATED A SUB HUMAN African image of 'a negroid with monkey brain' that convinced and inspired KOfi Busia's Grand VISION TO RECREATE THE AFRICAN PERSONALITY WITH DARING, NOT CARING, IF HE WERE AN INVERTED RACIST USING HIMSELF AS A ROLE MODEL. Are you getting it Mr. President? Again Mr. President how on God's good earth could anyone with their senses intact even conceive of kofi Busia as a western stooge? Shame on Kofi Busia's detractors whose daily meal is falsehood and cheap politics because the NPP that has imprisoned Prof Busia within it does not answer his ridiculous critics. Prof Busia, has become a soft target punch bag, Not any more Mr. President,
Mr. President with this established Premise of strengthening African Culture and society, Prof Busia who wrote a book titled “ The Sociology and Culture of Africa” joined the University College of Gold Coast {GHANA}as a Research Lecturer in 1949. According to Prof. Balme, when he was invited to head a proposed School of African Studies, he said he would not TOLERATE that stating That: “This university is not for the world to study Africans but for Africans with any others who care to come to study the world”.
Thus Prof. Busia had a much broader international scope for an excellent African University that could compare favourably with any in the world. Mr. President we Know without dispute or shadows of doubt from Prof Balme that it was The iconic fame, reputation and prolific Publications of Dr. Busia, that grounded the University of Ghana's fledgling roots firmly. Concerned about the 'blackened' low grade image of Africa, Prof Busia elevated our indigenous consciousness by his divine gifting in genius scholarship and established not one but three of the Universities foundational faculties which project AFRICAN Culture and Personality for Universal Exposition and International cultural Exchange. The University of Ghana was initially specifically linked with the University of London as an affiliate University for award of degrees.
Mr. President, as the university of Ghana's FIRST AFRICAN PROFESSOR, Prof Busia gave Ghana and the world of academia an integrated : Sociology, African Studies and Music departments instead of a solo African studies department that was proposed and yet to be established CREATION of African Studies /African Music as an Academic Program at University of Ghana Under an Umbrella/ inter disciplinary Sociology Program
Mr. President, According to our revered Emeritus J.h Nketia who was considered the father of University of Ghana, [I suppose that makes Prof Busia the University of Ghana's grandfather], The African Studies Program owed a great deal to the Foresight, Interest, Good will and Stature on campus of Prof Busia. .Prof Nketia recounts how Prof Busia in order to give the University of Ghana an African Orientation, after floating the idea of an inter departmental notional school of African studies, which others could not conceptualize, established the Department of African studies within his Sociology Department. According to Prof Nketia the Novel concept of the scholarly study of musicology in Ghana began when Prof Busia had a vision of an African Music University and established a Research fellowship in the sociology department for research into folklore, language, music and dance for which Prof Busia recruited Prof Nketia and set him up on his road to fame just as he set others up in politics including you father Mr. President.
Mr. President, Prof Busia who was Prof Nketia's icon insisted that a University in Africa must think of an academic program as its orientation. It was Prof Busia who spearheaded Prof Nketia's career path at onset by equipping him with a car, driver, tape recorder a technician from GBC he had employed and even a generator to set him off on his initial and subsequent fieldwork which resulted in the “funeral dirges of the Akan People, 'Drumming in Akan communities”, “folk songs of Ghana etc under Prof Busia's tutelage. It was Prof Busia who created avenues and also encouraged scholarly music presentations at international conferences which brought Prof Nketia and African and Ghanaian music to national and international prominence.
Mr. President it is due to Prof Busia's pioneering work of promoting this brand of African musicology prior to the study of African musicology in the United States of America for example and his gratitude for Prof Busia’s discovery of him that Prof Nketia dedicated his work, “the dynamics of music Making” to Prof Busia.
Mr. President, Prof Busia who was also a Philosopher taught contemporary sociological theories and social philosophy among other key courses brought enthusiasm and creativity to his three offspring inter disciplinary department of Sociology, African Studies and African music and dance as scholarly rather than just performance subjects and also initiated Prominent international visiting scholars and Professors from overseas f or intellectual socio -cultural exchange.
Mr. President to date which historic Faculties at the University of Ghana HOST international exchange students the most? We have American, European, Asian and other African students who flock to African studies, music and dance as well as sociology and other departments for instruction at the University of Ghana which were piloted by Prof Busia. Thus, Prof Busia is a continuing banner of African intellectual embodiment and significant foreign exchange Earner for Ghana and the University of Ghana Alleluia. His vision that 'the world and other Africans who care, should come and study the world here in Ghana rings true for all time due to Prof Busia’s vision of Projecting scholarly excellence.
How did Prof. Busia do it all?
Mr. President, the magnitude of the uniqueness and amazing Greatness of Prof Busia is demonstrated by the fact that his political and Scholarship portfolios were intertwined. Prof Busia was concurrently holding the intellectual fort at University of Ghana, establishing departments , teaching and researching and churning out legendary Publications while taken on international teaching engagements as well as concurrently involved with the heady dangerous politics of pre independence in the Legislative Assembly as Public Enemy number one and chief Nkrumah Critic and representing the Interests of Ashanti and Brong- Ahafo incorporated, while honoring international Professorial engagement.
Mr. President, it is noteworthy that, It was in 1954 when the UGCC had been totally wiped out of existence without representation in the Legislative Assembly that Prof Busia who had been in the Assembly since 1951, purposefully resigned from the university of Ghana to pay full attention to his cherished commitment to democracy as a famed and eloquent opposition leader
Mr. President, as a matter of fact President Nkrumah determined to 'sift' Dr. Busia and render him irrelevant the same way Dr. Danquah had been completely stopped in his tracks. A law was passed specifically aimed at ousting Prof Busia from Parliament relating to a ceiling on absences from the assembly due to Prof Busia's international teaching engagements. It is one such engagement which Prof Busia purposed in his heart to undertake, in violation of Dr. Nkrumah's law that coincided with a tip off of his impending arrest that culminated in Prof Busia's so called voluntary exile. Prof Busia's first Exile was a’ life- saving compulsory supposedly mysterious EXIT’.
Mr. President Dr. Nkrumah's exclusive politics entered Kofi Busia's University of Ghana enclave when the Osagyefo 'got religion; and decided that the maiden university's “white' associations particularly with the University of Ghana's Special affiliation with the University of London was an embarrassment.
Consequently, Mr President, Kofi Busia's rather native “Black' African Studies department was 'intercepted' or 'attacked' for transformation because according to Prof Nketia, the Osagyefo 'was not happy with the University perpetuating its seeming colonial and foreign stature in independent Ghana’
Mr. President is this what Prof Kwapon refers to as “When a shadow began to fall on this institution'? Interestingly, Dr Nkrumah set up an International Commission to review the university which culminated in setting up a semi- autonomous Institute of African studies. According to Prof Nketia there were already plans to relocate African studies from its base at Kofi Busia's sociology where it was birthed and broaden its cope to assist Faculty Research in any field, not just in African studies. Thus, ironically, nothing New occurred. Infact the newly established Institute according to Prof Nketia began collaboration With UCLA ie University of California in Los Angeles USA, Consequently it seems it was just a shift of emphasis from University of London perhaps offensive because Kofi Busia had obtained a composite Bachelor of Arts degree there had connections there?
Mr. President Professor Balme, the University of Ghana first VC, who said that Prof Busia is Irreplaceable, confirms: “Later when schools of area studies became fashionable, not for anthropological singularities but for cross disciplinary research, they were only doing what he {Prof. Busia} already advocated and practised in his own department”
Thus, Mr. President, the naming of African Studies faculty at the University of Ghana after Dr Nkrumah is an affront to the memory and rightful honor due Prof Busia for his establishment of the African studies program and department in Ghana for inter- related scholarly diagnostics.
Mr. President Ghana has really been unkind to Prof Busia and you ought to know better. However you Mr President, are just about to put a 'rusty nail in the coffin of Prof Busia's buried legacy' in diverting deserving attention from the myriad contribution of Dr. Busia to academia not only in Ghana but the world over. WHY MR PRESIDENT?
Mr. President, Dr. BUSIA's EXCEPTIONAL INTELLECT which is his trademark is acknowledged over and over again by all and sundry. Let us listen to Ghana's last colonial Govenor once more.
“I was fortunate enough when I lived in Ghana to see Kofi Busia quite often and usually alone. I always enjoyed these meetings because I soon realized I was dealing with a RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PERSONALITY, EXCEPTIONAL IN CHARACTER AND INTELLECT”.
The Dr. Danquah myth Demystified
Mr. President, regarding the floating suggestion that the University of Ghana be renamed after Dr Danquah, BECAUSE he is credited with a proposal to the colonial administration to establish an African university in Ghana has been thankfully dealt with above.
However, Mr. President even if this were true, a proposal to establish an institution does not have sufficient nexus or causative relationship with that institution, to justify or merit the naming of the institution after the proponent? We cannot say genuinely, that but for the proposition, the institution would not have ever existed. Otherwise I could propose a relocation of the capital of Ghana from Accra to Fiapre in the Bono region where the University of Energy and Natural resources is located to give gravitas to that university recently making waves for not exactly the right reasons, and if this were done, the interesting scenario would be that Ghana's new capital would now have to be renamed after me. Preposterous, Mr President?
Mr. President, By the same token we would have to change the Republic of Ghana to Busia Republic because Prof Busia was the first person to officially reveal 'GHANA' to us before it came into being. While this country was still the Gold Coast and its Territories. Prof Busia, registered the GHANA Congress Party 'GCP' in 1952, five years before independence in 1957] and entered the Legislative Assembly as its sole candidate in 1954.
Shall we therefore say that because Prof Busia was the first person to 'actualize ‘Ghana’ in utilizing the name before its formal adoption, he should be honored by changing the name of this country from the Republic of Ghana to The Busia Republic? OR, are we going to have a debate here also as to whether it should rather be Danquah Republic because it is Dr. Danquah who is credited with researching the name, the appropriateness of which is being disputed in certain quarters, OR perhaps it should really be Nkrumah Republic because Dr. Nkrumah wrote a book entitled Ghana and he was our First President, since some are saying first in time is Might, and might is right even if you have a great fall. Mr. President you probably will agree that these are circuitous non helpful trivial arguments.
Furthermore Mr. President it is the quality of instruction, Reputation and Quality of human capacity with integrity and knowledge output for his own survival and service to God, Country and humanity as opined by Prof Busia that makes a University. Otherwise anyone with a cluster of buildings in a compound or family dwelling could call it a university and we would all be certainly doomed.
Prof. Busia's contribution to Achimota and Wesley College
Mr. President, Whereas we have been made aware of Dr. Danquahs refusal to teach at Achimota College from our distinguished Professors Lungu, Botwe-Asamoah & Dompre, Conversely, Prof Busia entered Achimota College as an Achimota Council Scholar and was a student as well as a Teacher at Achimota College. Prof Busia read for the university of London Bachelor of Arts Degree and was selected from Achimota to Oxford University as Africa,s First Collegiate Student. Thus Prof Busia is both a product of Mfantsipim and Achimota but was also an educator at Achimota or Prince of Wales College as it was then known.
Mr. President According to Professor Kwapon, University of Ghana's first Vice Chancellor, During his Achimota College engagements Prof Busia founded the “Plato Club' and adopted as his motto, The Greek sages aphorism: 'THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING' what an inspiration this would be for his students and colleagues as they deliberate on this!
Mr. President, Likewise Prof Busia also both trained at Wesley college and taught there as a student teacher as well as a fully trained teacher with such impact that a library at Wesley college is named after Prof Busia.
Mr. President, Prof Busia was thus involved with a comprehensive facet of generational youth education in Ghana at elementary and University levels as well as Training of Teachers as an Educationist and Mentoring Peer Professors as well as developing the careers of others such as Prof J. H. Nketia and various significant personalities worldwide.
Furthermore Mr. President, Prof Busia also has a record in Civic Education to improve the quality of human for our socio- political development, as well as in being a formidable Model of premium scholarship worthy of Emulation, as well as a Major National Asset whose professional conduct and humble attitude, galvanized and sustained national interest in Education and the search for academic excellence by many in Ghana, Africa and the world at large..
Dr. Busia as University of Ghana foundational father
Furthermore Mr President, in recounting Dr Busia's contribution as a founding father of University of Ghana and as an exemplary scholar of his era Prof. Alexander Kwapon, the first African VC emphasized the remarkable contributions of Dr. Busia to academia not only in Ghana but the world over:
In awarding an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in appreciation of Dr Busia's distinguished services to his country and humanity as a Scholar, Researcher , Politician and Statesman, he stated; “You are no stranger to this Hill, You were among the early pioneers who helped lay the foundations of the University of Ghana …. It was a fitting and deserved honor, that you should be the first African to head a department and hold a chair in this university, in the field of Sociology. That was in the beginning, in 1959 when a shadow began to fall on this institution …...At a time when many of your colleagues were content with one first degree, you went on to acquire four! In all your fields you ranged with a versatility and competence worthy of emulation” [Prof Kwapon March 14, 1970]
Mr. President, if Dr. Busia played an early pioneering role as a foundational father of the University of Ghana and was a scholar's scholar even to his colleagues as an 'iron sharpeneth iron', a role model worthy of emulation should there be any controversy as to who the university off Ghana should be named after?
The do not rename the University of Ghana hypocrisy
Mr. President, The imposing University of Science and Technology is a marvelous Precedent of a grandiose public University named after our First President Osagyefo, Dr Nkrumah.
When Ghana decided to really honor Dr Nkrumah we built a fine mausoleum in his honor with some bells and whistles to match his contribution to Ghana and Africa and we even moved his mortal remains from his home town Nkroful to Accra .We did not carry his honor inversely to bury it at Nkroful.
Furthermore a stately looking and conspicuous African studies department at University of Ghana is named after the Osagyefo as though to mock Prof Busia, who established African studies at University of Ghana as his brain child and also a professor of African studies and a proponent of African identity y and dignity in universities world- wide including as a UNESCO Exchange Professor.
Mr. President, We are currently building a National Cathedral to honor the God of all the earth whose abode is the heavens and the earth is his footstool. The magnitude of election victory GRATEFULNES is such that the surrounding architectural relics because they are supposedly of colonial origin must be destroyed to make way for GOD. Why don’t we tear down the Elmina, Cape Coast, Christianborg Osu castle and all other castles because they are colonial relics?
The point here is the suitability of the designated edifice for purpose. In the case of Prof. Busia and the University of Ghana we do not have to build anything or tear down anything. His Reputation and footprints astride the University of Ghana like a perfectly fitted glove, So then, what is the naysayer agitation all about?
As we did for Dr. Nkrumah why can we not do same for Dr. Busia? Why is Ghana being undemocratically discriminatory to Prof Busia who has a dual distinguished and superlative legacy and has been vindicated by the institutionalization of multi- party democracy as a preferable political module the world over instead of Dr. Nkrumah's Totalitarian Ideology.
Mr. President, Why do we want to downgrade Prof Busia who is himself a remarkable honor and hallmark in the annals of world scholarship history for Africa. Prof Busia is Africa's exemplary leadership Personified. He represents the democracy intrinsic in our culture and in Prof Busia's published works.
Mr. President, are we saying that Knowledge impartation to generations of youth is irrelevant to our national developmental Quest? A nation’s development is only as good as the quality of Education it gives its citizens. Look at us today, quite a number of people will not be able to read and comprehend this open letter including intellectually lazy educated people who will just indulge in frivolity!
Mr. President. It is the t violated spirit of my father Kofi Abrefa Busia turning in his grave that is directing me to seek the justice that is supposedly enshrined in our constitution and motto and to boldly defend the cause of his legacy's chained freedom.
Mr. President if we are now praising our great and famous men why are you 'THE ONE' to rewrite Ghana's history and compromise Kof Busia, 'the father of multi- party democracy's ' name in the story when his long overdue Glory is to be revealed. .Please Free Prof. Busia to his rightful place not only in our political but intellectual history at the University of Ghana
Mr. President K. A Busia's dignity in freedom has been changed to a chained freedom by the NPP that has boxed him up in their so called tradition? Dr Kofi Busia was a larger than life Figure. He was an intellectual giant for sure who made our multi party democratic credentials much richer and more elevating that the constricted and maligned space he has been accorded.
Mr. President, not a single university in Ghana made it on the world university rankings of 2019, not even Kofi Busia's University of Ghana! Yes I have said it, whether we acknowledge it or not Kofi Busia's legacy imprint is all over our First and Principal public university. It is such an unmitigated shame that In the 2018 African ranking, University of Ghana ranked almost bottom at 17 out 0f 19 in the African ranking. This reflects a rather poor quality and low standard of education in Ghana as compared to even other peer African countries let alone global standards. What a dishonor to the memory of Dr. Busia !
Mr. President, to borrow from the new name of the former forestry school recently making waves on the Ghanaian scene for not exactly the right reasons. Why are we wasting the Busia Intellectual Energy that could fuel our most Essential Natural Resource, The Youth? The university at Fiapre in Bono region certainly does not befit the colossal stature or the acclaimed historic Prowess in international scholarship of Dr. Busia who St. Anthony's college- Oxford, his lama mater calls a Formidable Professor and a Universal man.
Busia as a legacy
Mr. President let us round up the view of Prof Busia as Africa’s number one Legacy figure, by taking a sneak summary view of him by Prof Kwapon:“ … Your pupils and students at Wesley college , Kumasi, Achimota College, here in Legon, the Universities of Leiden, The Hague, Wageningen, North western, Mexico, York, Oxford etc where you taught .. will remember you as a devoted and patient teacher, insistent upon excellence, attention to detail clarity of thought and expression and originality, qualities which you yourself exemplify in all your works, You have been many things in your time: Scholar, administrator, teacher, research worker, preacher, educationist, politician, statesman { author} and even public enemy number one. You have emphasized the role that education must play in transforming the human resources in Africa for development and progress … as we confer on you this distinction, we do so with the hope that the challenge of your exemplary career will be taken up by the Youth of Ghana”
Mr. President, I am concluding this intellectual memorial with: A CALL TO POSITIVE ACTION NOW: Oh that the Busia of Africa's world renowned intellectual capital would be used to galvanize the youth of Africa, his heirs, to whom he dedicated his seminal work “Africa in search of democracy”, in a renewed call to scholarship and Developmental Dignity for the common good of a genuine African renaissance. This is also in light of Africa free trade agreement and other continental and sub- regional initiatives that require deep thought and applied intellectual insights.
Mr. President, We can graciously vindicate Dr. Busia's vision and leverage his phenomenal intellectual reputation from an elevated national “Scholarship Reform platform” by naming the University of Ghana regardless of intellectual doldrums after Prof Kofi Busia as part of his legacy imprint to intellectually reinvigorate Scholarship and Excellence. Mr. President, We must not denigrade the man who is the Foremost African Scholar of the Past Century Mr. PRESIDENT.
Mr. President, It is interesting don't you think, that you have loyalists with misplaced allegiance to you instead of to Ghana who are discomfited by truthful assertions due to deals cut or goodies they enjoy. They want to prop you up no matter what! The irony is certainly lost on them that it is your great appreciation of the patriotism inherent in Hon. Martin Amidu's energetic insider critique and exposure of corruption and unrighteous deeds within the highest levels of NDC that caused You Mr. President to appoint him as our Wailing Special Prosecutor who according to him is in need of operational enhancements and support!!! it is also the reason he is applauded as a citizen vigilante.
Mr. President you have made a local call at your inauguration for us to be citizens not spectators and an international call for Ghanaian Women to be dynamic and Active in politics. Oh la la. Mr. President It is the righteous call of people of my ilk who love Ghana enough to tell you unadulterated truths boldl,y who should be encouraged so that you can in good faith improve your performance for the common good of mother Ghana.
Mr. President as I was saying the other day I AM in tune with the Pure Politics of the Great I AM, the hand of God that rules in the affairs of men and is the ultimate determinant of ruler-ship without fear.
Mr. President in a supposedly free christian dominant Ghana, where free speech is supposed to be protected under your democratic human rights watch, If we cannot Trust you, WE can Trust God who has given US a Spirit of Love of POWER and of a Sound Mind certainly not Fear
Mr. President the statements of fact in my opening submission is not to be construed as an endorsement of H. E. John Mahama's candidature. I have in past articles like “of systemic dysfunction” and “Politics of ironies” condemned foundational violence and corruption in NDC after forensic audits I was involved with sponsored by World bank during President Kufour's administration but You as Attorney General did not touch a lot of the findings that were before you such as the intentional bankruptcy of Ghana Airways for example and other pertinent issues that pricked some people close to your chest.
However Mr. President, something you have done at your Presidency Now, displeases God and this Lay Preacher's daughter who has inherited his prophetic blessing in the political arena is only a divine conduit of revelatory messages for edification. “Asem bi beba dabi Anaa”?
Mr President Let me posit a GREAT CONTROVERSY and leave it hanging for a while. “ “Asem papa bi a mate ne s3 if you were to do a proper Retrospective with Introspection of all our leaders including our untouchable Osagyefo Dr. Nkrumah who we worship, Kofi Abrefa Busia stands Taller as the historic figure who served us with his higher intellectual heart and soul! And you say “Eiii Asem Kese ben na worekofa Aba Yi”. And I smile and say:
According to Prof K. A, Busia :”When the hand of Providence makes us participants in great and historic events, we find ourselves too engrossed in them to realize their full significance, It is only given to those who in the hindsight of history can see such events in a larger perspective to appraise them fully”
Therefore Mr. President, the series with analysis continues after a short break to deliver Gods Greater Sermon. Consequently I shall do a major digression to deliver a Prophetic Message Next. So Please DO stay tuned Your Excellency.”