Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has voiced strong reservations about the government’s decision to unilaterally declare August 4th as Founders’ Day, casting doubt on the legitimacy of this annual commemoration.
He noted that the choice of August 4 as Founders’ Day was largely driven by its significance as the anniversary of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) Party’s establishment, rather than any broader historical or national significance.
Franklin Cudjoe expressed lingering doubts about the suitability of August 4 as Founders’ Day, given the UGCC leaders’ willingness to adopt a gradualist approach to independence, which contrasts with the more radical stance of other key figures in Ghana’s independence movement.
He proposed that Ghana consider marking more pivotal dates and events in the fight against colonial rule, rather than only observing August 4 as Founders’ Day, to acknowledge the existence of more significant milestones in the country’s struggle for independence.
“The best decision was just leaving July 1st as the day Ghana became a Republic and name it anything. August 4th is just a day. Many things were born, humans, animals, and plants…”
“A modern center-right political party should not be shepherding its followers and the entire population to dwell in ancient rituals of dates, aimless religious symbols (cathedrals), and reverence for vaunted chairs roaming in expensive SUVs fuelled by tax-payer money while the driver drives with unrestrained adrenaline into a monstrous debt iceberg, leaving the country broke like a church cockroach”.
Franklin Cudjoe
He called on the government to invest in the people’s well-being, ensuring they have the means to support themselves, which would cultivate a sense of patriotism and loyalty to the nation, rather than prioritizing the commemoration of August 4th as a holiday.
Founders’ Day: A Matter of Consensus, Not Imposition
Moreover, Prof. Ransford Gyampo emphasized that the establishment of Founders’ Day, rather than Founder’s Day, should be the outcome of a collective plea for recognition and a broad consensus, rather than a decision made unilaterally.
Prof. Gyampo emphasized that it is impossible for this government to unilaterally rewrite Ghana’s political history, as it is a fixed and established narrative that cannot be altered by a single entity.
He emphasized that the most the government can achieve is to temporarily tamper with the punctuation of “Founders’ Day” versus “Founder’s Day”, but this is a fleeting effort, as Ghanaians are well aware of their true history.
“JB Danquah and co thwarted the efforts at founding Ghana, and it just cannot make sense that suddenly, those who frustrated the fight for independence are being inserted by force, as part of the fighters”.
“On account of some of the pioneering roles the UGCC played, particularly in serving as the first political party to be formed in the Gold Coast and the party’s subsequent invitation of Nkrumah to serve as its General Secretary, we can negotiate and by consensus, insert the UGCC people somewhere as far as the founding of Ghana is concerned”.
Prof. Ransford Gyampo
He pointed out that until a broad consensus is reached, Ghana will be perceived as having only one founder, just like Kenya, Guinea, and other countries, which are typically associated with a single founding figure.
Prof. Gyampo emphasized that history cannot be changed by force or imposition; instead, Ghana can engage in dialogue and build consensus to recognize the contributions of others to its independence movement.
He emphasized that, in reality, it is Founder’s Day, and the concept of Founders’ Day can only be genuinely accepted and institutionalized through a broad, nationwide consensus, rather than being imposed by the whims of any particular regime.
He emphasized that Ghana needs to revisit its history and recognize that without a collective consensus, any alterations made to its historical narrative are temporary and reversible, as the country’s political history will inevitably default to its original “factory settings”.
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