Political science lecturer, Prof Ransford Gyampo, has revealed that President Akufo-Addo’s description of JB Danquah as the founder of the University of Ghana is totally fallacious.
According to him, a reading of just the introductory part of the research piece authored by Lungu, Asamoah-Botwe and Dompere sets the records straight. He indicated that President Akufo Addo’s assertion during the launching of the ‘University of Ghana’s Endowment’ on 7th May 2018 that “it was the inestimable work of Dr. J. B. Danquah that mobilized the Ghanaian people to insist on the building” of the University of Ghana is grossly misleading if he must be charitable.
Prof Gyampo stated that it is a “brazen attempt to re-cast” Ghanaian historical facts.
“By that same token, his contention that ‘it would be wholly appropriate to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of the University of Ghana is totally fallacious. It is a gross misrepresentation of history.”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
Prof Gyampo stated that those statements by the President border on attempts at “appropriating history and pilfering” valor and service to country by other more notable figures, and the collective citizenry.
“We see this case as yet another attempt at assigning unjust and unearned historical dividends to a vastly over-rated political figure who, more than once, first as faculty member, then as ‘Mastership’, even turned down appointments, to join the leadership of the top educational institution in the then-Gold Coast, the Prince of Wales’ College (now Achimota College).”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
Furthermore, Prof Gyampo questioned when and how Dr. Danquah’s “inestimable work” led to the founding of the University of Ghana and also the time Dr. Danquah conceptualize the University College of the Gold Coast.
“What resources, in terms of monies, land acquisition, human capital (such as the faculty) etc., did Dr. Danquah actually mobilize for the University College of the Gold Coast project? If he mobilized funds, did he do it by his solitary self? What role did he play in the structuring and design of the curricular of the University College of the Gold Coast as an affiliate of the University of London? Finally, what convocational and inaugural speeches did Dr. J. B. Danquah deliver at the grand opening of the University College of the Gold Coast on 11th August 1948, or at any other time, if indeed he was the founder?”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
Historical facts on founding of the University College of the Gold Coast
To this end, the political science lecturer explained that “fair, objective, and historically bounded” answers to the questions instruct Ghanaians that Dr. J. B. Danquah – “Kantian Philosopher”, as he called himself, was never the chief campaigner for the University College of the Gold Coast, now University of Ghana, at Legon, let alone its founder.
He expressed that the discourse that follows his 3-part series establishes historical facts about the founding of the University College of the Gold Coast.
“We utilize more than one ‘commissioned’ source to establish that it was the foresight, sense of purpose, and uncommon toil of Sir Arku Korsah (the sole Gold Coaster on the Elliot Commission), the work of many, many, committees and individuals, letters by diverse groups to colonial British authorities, public rallies organized by people rallying call to action on radio by Dr. Frederick Victor Nanka-Bruce, a leading member of Governor Burn’s Committee, that eventually compelled the Secretary of State for the Colonies to agree to the creation of the University College of Gold Coast.”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
Moreover Prof Gyampo insisted that Dr. Danquah later joined the crusade by other groups and became one of the important forces in the creation of the University College of Gold Coast, but did not play the chiefly role in any of the organizations that campaigned for the University of Ghana.
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