A Retort to Sekou Nkrumah's Unguarded Attack on Dr Busia

Sekou Nkrumah

Sekou Nkrumah's attack on the political integrity of the late Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia would not have been bothered, had the remarks come from any other person. These remarks have been contained in his usual itch for granting radio interviews, where notorious of him, he usually exhibits some form of cacodoxy, rather inapt of his intellectual credentials. Ghana as a country, and Ghanaians, are currently in a political trilemma, simply because pertinent issues arising for our socio-political welfare have not bothered us the least, leading to a multiplicity of problems unattended to. Issues such as excellence in political leadership with expected level of service performance have usually been ignored.

Ghanaians' choice of political leadership and direction have been very woefully misguided. Misguided out of ethnic sentiments; misguided through tribal bias; misguided by reason of group prejudice, and misled based on personal hatred. Ghana needs help as a country, and Ghanaians need help out of their doldrums of poverty especially, unemployment as a major factor, and lack of effective social interventions in general.

With Sekou's pedigree as the son of former President of Ghana, his literati background, and having developed interest in politics by towing the path of his dad, this is not the time to thoughtlessly revisit history, by criticising historical past events just for the sake of criticism. Though wisdom teaches that the past directs into the future for perfection, it would be most welcoming for a political enthusiast of his calibre to be contributing with viable and workable ideas, opinions, and alternative solutions for solving Ghana's socio-economic and political problems, rather than launching such childish onslaught on Nana Addo, for expressing his admiration for his idolised leader.

We find it appropriately ethical and patriotic enough not to look back into history, and be dredging out what may be subjectively taken for erroneously decided instances, thereby attacking former leaders, whether provoked, or unprovoked. We deem it best and more prudent to concentrate on the present and its happenings. We deem it best to be projecting meaningfully and constructively into the future, and for the sake of generational justice. It would therefore best in our opinion for Ghanaians to listen carefully, and judge who and what can best solve Ghana's mounting problems.

Accusations, and counter - accusations have always yielded counterproductive situational results, therefore, in seeing Ghana as a cherished country of ours, we are in a moment of cogitating for crisis solution, and not a moment of making self - projected facetious accusations.

The aliens quit compliance order, so to say, has its merits and demerits, however, the greater benefit has inured to Ghanaians, and for whose sake it was implemented. At least, our retail industry as a growing economy of today is dominated by Ghanaians, hence minimising unemployment, and this is only to say the least.

Referring to Sekou Nkrumah's rebuttal reason to Nana Addo's statement of adoration for Dr Busia, that triggered his illiberal branding of Professor Busia as a visionless leader, this doesn't stick, because Ghana happens to be the only African country with widely open borders, beckoning influx of migrant pan African foreigners into its fold. I wonder if he can tell Ghanaians, how many Ghanaian migrants are legally, or illegally living and working in his native Egypt, as well as estimated figures for other African immigrant nationals in Egypt. Elsewhere in Africa, none of the countries is reckless with its influx of immigrants, regardless of their ethnic or nationality background, except Ghana. On apartheid, Dr Busia's proposed solution of dialogue that was viciously attacked by anti-Busia factions, is what eventually prevailed and saved South Africa into its democracy. This is just to mention few in support of his perspicacious political and wisdom - filled leadership.

We may be inclined to presume that Sekou Nkrumah is being oblivious to Ghana's numerous problems, including the fact that Ghana is the only African country with the most porous, if not widely open and unguarded borders. Sekou Nkrumah should reasonably imagine being Ghana's leader, whereby he is in charge of an ailing economy struggling to fend for a bloated population, full of unemployment, and mainly through illegal immigration; a population that is ballooning at an unreasonably unprecedented rate, yet with little resources. In the circumstances, as a leader, what would he do?

Dr Busia's achievements in his 2 years and 3 months rule with limited resources, and having inherited a broken economy, is as much appreciated, just as others with long or short duration, with or without plenteous of resources at their disposal. All of them have their achievements thereof.

It would therefore be very strange and contra normal for Nana Addo, as a leader of the same political tradition, not according high appraisement, and with reason, to the performance of his Party's ex - leaders, and which includes and affects his own biological dad, who was ceremonial President in that regime.

Sekou Nkrumah must therefore grow up with reasonableness, and be wiser in his unguarded utterances, and also reason to merit his acquired intellectual credentials.

Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa (London, UK)
Kofi Busia (London, UK)