I strongly disagree with H. E. Nana Akufo-Addo for stating that the University of Ghana could be named after JB Danquah.
The University of Ghana can maybe name a Hall of Residency or any facility within the University after JB Danquah but suggesting that the whole University of Ghana should be named after JB Danquah is absolutely ridiculous and provocative to the University community and Ghanaians at large.
For strategic marketing perspectives, the brand, University of Ghana, serves as a promotional and National tourist destination for the Republic of Ghana. This is the only University carrying the brand name, Ghana and you want to change to what? In fact, any attempt to name the University of Ghana after JB Danquah SHALL Be RESISTED AT ALL COST by academia and well meaning Ghanaians.
Was University of Ghana built with the personal funds of JB Danquah?
Was the University of Ghana built on the personal lands of JB Danquah?
Does the University of Ghana use personal funds of JB Danquah to pay staff of the University Community?
Why must we named a whole University of Ghana after JB Danquah because of his Advocacy for the University?
Was JB Danquah the only person who advocated for the establishment of the University of Ghana?
Why then not named the University of Ghana after:
1. Chairperson and members of Asquith Commission.
2. Mr. David Mowbray Balme, the first Principal of the University College of the Gold Coast.
3. Chairman of the College Council who made a request to Nkrumah’s Government in the 1960-61 academic year for a legislation that constituted the University College of the Gold Coast into a full University with power to award its own degrees.
4. Speaker and Members of Parliament who passed an Act of Parliament on October 1, 1961(Act 79).
5. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who assented the University of Ghana Act into law and became its first Chancellor.
6. Nana Kobina Nketsia IV, then Omanhene of Essikado who served as the first Interim Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana.
7. Notable personalities below who also largely advocated for the establishment of the University of Ghana:
(a). Sir Arku Korsah
(b). Dr. F. Nanka-Bruce
(c). Rev. Prof. C. G. Baeta
(d). Sir E. Asafu-Adjaye
8. Chiefs and People of La who made lands available for the establishment of the University of Ghana.
9. Cocoa Farmers who raised substantial amount of monies for the establishment of the University of Ghana.
10. Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II who agreed to Bradley’s recommendation that the Premier University of the Country should be located in Accra provided that another University would be established in Kumasi. This was rightly so because substantial amount of the Cocoa Revenue for the establishment of the University of Ghana came from the ASHANTI REGION.
We SHALL STRONGLY RESIST any attempt by Akufo-Addo’s Government and any future Government to re-name the PREMIER UNIVERSITY OF GHANA after JB Danquah or any individual.
Just like, President Akufo-Addo and his family members, and to large extent members of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) have REFUSED to accept that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is the Sole Founder of Ghana because he is not the only person who advocated/fought for the independence of Ghana, why must Ghanaians and the University Community accept the assumption from President Akufo-Addo that, the University of Ghana should be re-name after JB Danquah because he led advocacy against the minority report of the Elliot Commission which was suggesting that the University College for the whole of British West Africa should be established at Ibadan in Nigeria? The fact that JB Danquah led an advocacy means that there were equally Prominent Personalities, Scholars, Civil Society Organizations, Committees etc that also separately and jointly advocated for the establishment of the University College of the Gold Coast.
If we don’t accept the Founder’s Status of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for Ghana then it is absolutely morally, politically and ethically wrong for President Akufo-Addo to suggest that we should re-name the University of Ghana after his grand-uncle JB Danquah.
Mr. President, instead of re-naming University of Ghana after JB Danquah, can your Government establish a new “University of JB Danquah”?.
Fellow Ghanaians, regardless of political affiliations, it is our collective Patriotic duty to protect and preserved the brand name of the only Premier University in the country, the University of Ghana.
Again, it is very important that, the management of the University of Ghana takes steps to update its history on the official website of the University to reflect every significant personality or institutions and traditional authorities that contributed to the establishment of the University.
After messing up the economy he wants to mess up the premier university? Eii
I concur with this brilliant argument.
It is so reach of reasonable grounds that all should and must align with. Very constructive and objective, Ghana must read this piece from this objective man.
What is really going into Akufo Addo ‘s head? He wasn’t voted into power to come and rewrite Ghana’s history. Is this the battle of the Lord’s cry he fooled those of us who voted for him? JB Danquah’s contribution should not go beyond Danquah Circle and Danquah Institute!
Very educative information and nicely aligned. Worth reading, JB Danquah not the only advocator, all must be honored equally.
please establish a new agricultural mechanisation university somewhere
in Aframplains and name it after the tauted JB.
It’s sad that the President’s comnent has been deliberately or ignorantly misrepresented. What was said as I read it, is not that UG should be renamed immediately, but that when due consideration is given to J B. Danquah’s role in getting UG established, he MAY be given that honour in the FUTURE.
All the misinformed people mixing half-truths with absolute untruths must find reliable sources of information on this topic. For instance, there’s authentic publication of a letter written from Nswam prison to Osagtefo President Nkrumah, in which Dr. Danquah himself fully narrated how the efforts to get Legon established were executed. You may also learn how Dr. Danquah got the Accra Sports stadium built.
Just because you DO NOT like the facts of history CANNOT change them!
It is for example factual that 50% of the Big Six were direct relatives of the current President Nana Akufo-Addo. So all you who think reference to the UGCC in the independence struggle is “rewriting the history” to sideline the role of President Nkrumah are believing your own lies.
I agonize that ill-informed people are using the media to confuse many, who sadly become victims of their own unwillingness to find and READ the history themselves!!
Please Mr. President fix Ghana’s economy and STOP this needless naming of Ghana’s premier university after JB Danquah. Give us a break Ghana doesn’t belong to you, your family or the Akim Abuakwa people. Thanks
Should the University of Ghana be renamed after Razak Opoku for his immense contribution in establishing three University Colleges of London at Legon, Ibadan and Freetown?
Whether misinformed or not Ghanaians in general will resist any attempt by him or any future government.The people of La will resist such move, period
we do not need you to come explaining what the president said to us. at least, he spoke English. UG can’t be name after JB Dankwa. he’s not the most most important personalityto consider in honouring individuals who advocated for that school.