The head of the hist ohistory department of the University of Cape Coast has disputed claims by Pro-Nkrumaist that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made a attempt to distort the history of Ghana through his 60th Anniversary Independence Day speech.
The President after the speech which sought to recognise the contribution of various nationalists to the Independence struggle of Ghana was accused of seeking to rewrite history by burying the achievements of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Thus view has been held by acclaimed Nkrumaist and CPP sympathisers including the managing editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt.
They also add that the President was ‘twisting’ history to celebrate his family and celebrate the contributions of JB Danquah over that of Kwame Nkrumah.
Contributing to the discussion on Joy News’ news analysis show, Newsfile, Prof Kwame said the President spoke facts about the Independence history of Ghana and would never see the speech as a smokescreen to celebrate JB Danquah over Nkrumah.
“I don’t think the President distorted history. What he spoke were facts…people were expecting him to pay glowing tribute to Nkrumah but history is written from perspectives and that is the perspective of the President…,” he opined.
He argued that the only problem he had with the President was that he interpreted history history from the eurocentric view which African historians reject.
African historians, he argued further do not agree that the Bond of 1844 started the colonisation of Gold Coast as subtle colonialism had already started in the country.
The history professor added that he learned a great deal of history from the President’s speech.
“Just had not heard if the two market women who financed Nkrumah and I will add that to a chapter of a book I am contributing to.”