Okoampa, Nkrumah Did Not Invent The "Verandah Boys"!

"Many of his ardent supporters and fanatics detest to hear this but, in reality, the politics of insults and lies is what differentiated the Nkrumah-led Convention People's Party (CPP) from the relatively more urbane and staid United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and the Busia-led United Party (UP). Such lies, of course, began with an upstart Kwame Nkrumah claiming to have been personally called a “Verandah Boy” by Danquah partisans. In reality, Nkrumah had only been accused of deliberately lining up professional and intellectual misfits for cardinal administrative positions in his government."

- Okoampa-Ahoofe, Kwame, "President Mills Cannot Deviously Co-opt the Church!", Feature Article of Saturday, 6 August 2011

Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr. is caught red-handed openly claiming that the origin of the "verandah boys" was a lie put up by Kwame Nkrumah as a personal insult by Danquah partisans, even though, the truth of the matter is that that "Nkrumah had only been accused of deliberately lining up professional and intellectual misfits for cardinal administrative positions in his government". In his indefatigable attempts to re-write the history of this country, this time he has fumbled big time! The "verandah boys" remark by J.B. Danquah was made long before Kwame Nkrumah even formed his government. Indeed, Danquah made that remark even before the formation of the CPP in 1948.

According to an eye-witness who is no other person than the daughter of Paa Grant, Mrs Sarah Esi Grant-Acquah, in her essay, "In the beginning was…PAA GRANT" Danquah called the followers of Kwame Nkrumah "verandah boys" long before Nkrumah formed his government. Indeed, this happened in a meeting at Paa Grant's residence at Takoradi, namely Beach Crescent House.

Here is how she recounts the story:
"I remember once there was a meeting at Cape Coast Town Hall and the hall was full with people, including Paa Grant, Kwame, Nkrumah, Blay, de Graft Johnson, etc. After the prayer to open the meeting Kwame Nkrumah spoke, Paa Grant spoke. As soon as Danquah got up to speak there was an uproar – some of the young men disrupted the meeting throwing about chairs and insulting everybody – Paa Grant and all. This confirmed to them that what they heard was true. So, they decided to call Kwame to Paa Grant's house for a meeting – only Kwame and the Founders. As they were settling down to start the meeting they heard some commotion downstairs, so Dr. Danquah went to the window to verify what was going on. I personally witnessed this event. There were about 50 supporters of Kwame noisily beating drums and singing:

“Danquah, Kwame Nkrumah aye wo den?
Danquah, Kwame Nkrumah aye wo den? Nye?
hon na wo kra no ma ofiri aborokyir bei a ?
“Danquah, Kwame Nkrumah aye wo den?
For each verse they replaced Dr. Danquah's name with that of the Founders – Papa', “Ako Adjei” etc. I recognized some of these supporters as frequent visitors of Father. One of them was Pobee Biney – TUC Gold Coast Railways. When they saw Dr. Danquah, they became more agitated. They started insulting and calling his name. This was the time Dr. Danquah asked, “Who are these verandah boys” ? Paa Grant was able to calm them down for a while. He came down once or twice to do so."

The arrogant Danquah who looked down on ordinary people taking part in politics made those remarks in Paa Grant's house, whilst Dr. Nkrumah was still a member of the UGCC and clearly not when the CPP was in power! Therefore, Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, the professor of creative writing is not writing history but fictitious propaganda when he concludes his obviously silly feature article with:

"Many of his ardent supporters and fanatics detest to hear this but, in reality, the politics of insults and lies is what differentiated the Nkrumah-led Convention People's Party (CPP) from the relatively more urbane and staid United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and the Busia-led United Party (UP). Such lies, of course, began with an upstart Kwame Nkrumah claiming to have been personally called a “Verandah Boy” by Danquah partisans. In reality, Nkrumah had only been accused of deliberately lining up professional and intellectual misfits for cardinal administrative positions in his government."

Shame unto you!

Forward Ever! Backwards Never!!!
Cheers!
Nana Akyea Mensah, The Odikro
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