Renovation of Nkrumah's Tomb Begins - Rejoinder

Kwame; they are now weeping over your crucifixion. Hear them, and forgive them their transgressions for it is said: “The evil that men do lives after them”. No amount of condolences will be enough to justify your crucifixion. Perhaps you said on the cross that: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. Today, the young generation are confused about the cause of your crucifixion. They are not permitted to know the truth. It is an abomination to talk about the past.

Fellow countrymen, the new African is happy to be here and to inform you today that at long last, the dream many have had for a long time is now a reality and that is: “The vision of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah shall not pass until his real meaning of “Freedom and Justice and self-reliance” is spelled out. At long last the “Abusua-Panyin” (the Ghana government) has spoken the language of repentance and perhaps asking for forgiveness after what Ghanaians did to you in 24th February 1966. Today after 38 years, the scars on the bodies of those who collaborated with the imperialist to crucify you for their own selfish ends are still unhealed despite several attempts to seek regress from the people by moving your coffin from one place to the other as a sign of reconciliation.

Your enemies such as: General Joseph Ankrah, General Kotoka, Major Afrifa, Police ACP Harley, Police Commissioner A.K. Deku (now a leading member of the NPP), Police Commissioner Nunoo, Police Commissioner B.A. Yakubu. Lt-General J.A. Ankrah who justified your "crucifixion" are still having nightmares when your name comes across the lines. Today the people of Ghana are mourning your absence because the country has lost track of the visions that you prophezised. Since your forceful ouster, Ghanaians have endured untold hardships and suffered brutalities and indeed, it is sad to note that at this juncture we don´t even know where we are heading to. Today our honorable Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City, is said to have cut the sod for the commencement of work on the renovation of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah´s former memorial tomb at Nkroful, your birthplace. How ironic, one may add.

They said that the HIPC funded project will be undertaken in phases and will comprise the construction of a main entrance, an information centre, a souvenir shop, and rehabilitation of the mausoleum, walkway, creation of a museum out of the existing funeral parlour, planting of trees and painting of the area. The rest of the renovation project involves the upgrading of existing houses adjacent to the mausoleum and re-building of the Nyaniba and the Ebusua-Panyin´s houses. The first phase of the project is estimated at ¢390 million and is expected to be completed by the end of April this year for inauguration.

One may ask: “Is it a sign of good-will or an indirect apology”?.

Fellow countrymen, I hope Nkrumah will be turning in his grave to hear that at long last despite the fact that his funeral rites were not officially celebrated, his enemies are saying his empty tomb is costing the people of Ghana 390 million cedis. What hogwash!! For an individual who blazed the path to Ghana's independence, the amount in question is minimal. Someone out there should ask what percentage of the amount will earmarked for this project?. Other question the new African is asking is: how much money will then be spent on some of Nkrumah´s good works --all the economic projects that were started or were in progress but which during the three years of the NLC rule, and in keeping with IMF/World Bank conditions, were branded inefficient and suspended indefinitely or completely abandoned.?.

We are all aware of the number of factories and institutions that he left behind. How many of them have been rehabilitated? There were other good development plans such as research, his industrial revolution, how much money will be spent on these laudable ideas?. How much money will be spent on the homeless and on those children whose parents can´t afford sending them to school?. Haven´t we now realised that: “What you sow is what you reap?" Folks, in view of what is going on, pertinent questions need to be raised. What is the need for hailing someone who was said to be dangerous to the development of our country today?. Are our political leaders capitalizing on the good name of Nkrumah to win the sympathy of the people and win elections?. What is the motive behind all these rehabilitation politics?. Are his enemies now demonstrating Nkrumahism?

Fellow countrymen, the new African will not be satisfied until Ghanaians realise that we can unite and resist all sorts of devilish thoughts, hatred, tribalism, and nepotism that can destroy our tradition, economic, social and political endeavours. I hope those traitors like: General Joseph Ankrah, General Kotoka, Major Afrifa, Police ACP Harley, Police Commissioner A.K. Deku (now a leading member of the NPP), Police Commissioner Nunoo, Police Commissioner B.A. Yakubu. Lt-General J.A. Ankrah have now realised their iniquity, and hopefully will not educate the youth of today to follow in their footsteps.

Those who are still alive should be told to organise the official funeral celebration the first president of the Republic of Ghana deserves, if they are now apologising indirectly for their iniquities. Nkrumah deserves a “State Burial” and not a mere decoration of his empty tomb. Fellow countrymen, it is the “TRUTH” that can help us reconcile with our people, and that is what GSDM (Ghana Social Democratic Movement) is about to prove to the people of Ghana in due course. We need to address most of our past issues so that we can educate our children to refrain from such past iniquities. We will then be able to reconcile with our people and then move the country forward.

The country needs people with ideas, wisdom and compassion for their fellow citizen to move the country forward. We need people who are accustomed to: creativity, hardworking, honesty, accountability, justice and self-reliance ideology. We need these values to move the country forward and not hopeless coup d ´etat ideologies or mere political slogans.

Above all, we need politicians who can do away with imperialism and neo-colonialism and remain focused on self-reliance policies. “It is only the truth that can set Ghanaians free”. It is painful to hear the “TRUTH”. You are free to defend yourself with anger and lies after hearing this message, but you cannot hide from the light. God bless you. God bless Ghana. Prince Aidoo Junior (Evangelist) Ghana Social Democratic Movement Source: