A political scientist, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has called for the removal of Koku Anyidoho‘s name on a new bust erected in honour of late former President John Atta Mills.
According to him, Mr Anyidoho’s role cannot be ruled out or underestimated in the commemoration of Prof. Mills’ legacy.
However, his [Koku] name on the sculpture makes it wordy and too clumsy, hence his call.
“Koku’s role is known and can never be discounted. But in humility, it must be dropped in order not to make the writings on the statue too clumsy and wordy,” Prof Gyampo wrote on his Facebook wall.
The monument has been erected at the Asomdwee Park in Accra and was unveiled on Sunday, July 24, 2022, following the rehabilitation of the graveyard.
This was during a wreath-laying ceremony to mark 10 years of his demise.
The words on it read: “This was unveiled by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and assisted by Samuel Koku Anyidoho, Founder and CEO of Atta Mills Institute. Sunday, July 24, 2022. To God, Almighty be the Glory.”
This has generated controversies, especially as to why Prof Mills’ name was omitted with President Akufo-Addo and Mr Anyidoho’s name engraved.
Prof Gyampo, who believes President Akufo-Addo’s name on it is in the right direction, has proposed the wording should have read:
This statue of Prof J.E.A Mills, 3rd President of the 4th Republic (Jan 2009-July 2012), was unveiled by H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, Sunday, July 24. 2022.
Meanwhile, Mr Anyidoho, who is the founder of the Atta-Mills Institute, has asked persons who have issues with his name on the bust to go and wipe it.
Below is Prof Gyampo’s full post: