'We have spent 60years arguing about Nkrumah and rather less time doing what he actually did' – Sam Jonah

The Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Sir Sam Jonah, has urged Ghanaians to look beyond prolonged debates over Kwame Nkrumah's political legacy and pay greater attention to the nation-building agenda pursued during the country's first President's administration.

According to Sir Jonah, Nkrumah's contribution to Ghana should not be assessed solely through political arguments about his presidency but also through the infrastructure and institutions established during his tenure.

He made the observation on Thursday, September 17, 2026, when he delivered remarks at the opening of the 15th Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Lectures at UCC.

Reflecting on the development theme of this year's lectures, Sir Jonah said Ghana's post-independence discourse had placed considerable emphasis on arguments about Nkrumah while giving comparatively less attention to the practical development agenda associated with his administration.

“Nkrumah built. Akosombo. Tema. The motorway. The Ghana Education Trust schools. The universities, including this one.”

He said the former President recognised that political independence alone could not deliver meaningful national transformation without economic and industrial development.

“Whatever else is said of him, he understood that independence without industry is a flag without a factory.”

“And we, his heirs, have too often been content with the flag.”

Sir Jonah said the country had spent decades examining and debating Nkrumah's record, but had not devoted the same level of attention to pursuing the development-oriented approach for which his administration was known.

“We have spent sixty years arguing about Nkrumah and rather less time doing what he actually did, which was to build things.”

He made the remarks in connection with this year's memorial lectures, which are being held under the theme, “Kwame Nkrumah, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Perspectives on Constitutionalism, Development and Pan-Africanism.”

Sir Jonah said Nkrumah's approach to national development remained relevant to Ghana's current circumstances, particularly the need to convert national aspirations into concrete projects and institutions capable of improving people's lives.

He also emphasised the responsibility of universities and other intellectual institutions in advancing national development.

According to him, academic institutions should not restrict themselves to producing knowledge but should also contribute to turning ideas and knowledge into practical outcomes.

“A university is the one place in any country where silence is not an option – where knowing is supposed to become saying, and saying is supposed to become doing.”

The UCC Chancellor said Ghana's development challenges should therefore encourage a more practical examination of Nkrumah's legacy, with greater emphasis on the lessons from his nation-building efforts rather than continued arguments over his political record.