“I completely reject the claim that Ghana was founded by one man” – Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana.
On 4 August, Ghanaians engaged in a brawl about who founded Ghana. This argument began in 2009 when President Evans Atta Mills designated 4 August every year to honour Kwame Nkrumah as the founder of Ghana. When Nana Akufo-Addo became the President of Ghana in 2017, he altered the celebration to encompass every person who contributed in their unique ways towards Ghana’s Independence.
The brawl is now mostly between loyalists of Kwame Nkrumah, who lavishly call themselves Nkrumanist and the followers of Joseph Boakye Danquah, Edward Akufo-Addo, and Kofi Abrefa Busia. The brawl is now succinctly called the ‘power of an apostrophe.’
The Nkrumanists argue that Kwame Nkrumah is the sole founder of Ghana, and 4 August every year should be celebrated as ‘Founder’s Day’. The loyalists of the later parties also argue that ‘Ghana was not founded by Kwame Nkrumah but by the toils and sacrifices of many.’ Hence, the day should be known as ‘Founders’ Day’.
What if I tell you none of these parties founded Ghana?
I am writing this piece as a contribution to this ongoing debate. I am not here to force my opinion down your throat. However, I believe my opinion will unravel a whole new dimension to this debate. The question, ‘who founded Ghana?’ might appear simple to many. Incidentally, among Ghanaians, it is sensitive and should be approached delicately.
Questioning The Two Stands
Whenever you ask Nkrumanist, ‘who founded Ghana?’ The quick response you will get is, ‘Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah’. When you follow up with ‘why is Kwame Nkrumah the founder of Ghana?’ They will tell you, ‘He led the country’s struggle to attain independence on 6 March 1957’.
When you further ask, ‘Does leading a country to attain independence from a colonialist make one the founder?’ ‘They will nod their head signifying they do not need to talk much because it is a fact!’ When you ask them who founded India? They will look away because they know India was not founded by Mahatma Gandhi but by Chandragupta. Chandragupta, the founder of the Mauryan dynasty unified almost all India under one administration. For this reason, he is regarded as the founder of India.
When you ask Nigerians who founded Nigeria? Many will say Lord Luggard. Because he brought the Northern Nigeria Protectorate and the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria together to form the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
When the loyalists of J.B. Danquah, K.A. Busia, and Akufo Addo, are asked, ‘Who founded Ghana?’ They will tell you it was the effort of many statemen which began with the National Congress of British West Africa which was established on 4 August 1917 and the United Gold Coast Convention which was also established on 4 August 1947, which began the demand for Independence. When you ask them does calling for independence makes one a founder they nod their heads as well. If so, then credit should be given to early nationalists who began the call for independence as far back as the 1850s.
These two parties have some interests which transcend the reasons they give in justifying who a founder is or should be. Let’s take a step back and ask ourselves who a founder is. A good analogy to explain a founded can be borrowed from the business world. A founder is a person who establishes a business. Did Kwame Nkrumah establish Ghana or took over the administration of the state? He assumed control of an already existing country. Does changing the name of a country make it a new country? On the other hand, does calling for independence make one a founder? Borrowing from the world of business again, does calling for a bank to be built in one’s vicinity make one a founder? Certainly, a big no! Kwame Nkrumah and the other nationalists are far from being considered the founders of Ghana.
The most plausible thing for me to do now is to tell you who founded Ghana if it’s neither Kwame Nkrumah nor past nationalists.
The Foundations of Ghana
There was nothing like Ghana or a country in today’s modern sense before the advent of Europeans on the Gold Coast in 1471. The people who inhabited modern-day Ghana were living in groups, however, some of these groups were large and could be considered as Kingdoms, like the Kingdom of Dagbon. After two centuries of interactions with Europeans, that is in the 1600s some of these groups or states dominated others. We can mention the Denkyira Kingdom, the Akwamu Kingdom, Agona Kingdom among others. The famous Asante Kingdom entered the scene in the late 1600s and rose to prominence after defeating Denkyira in the Battle of Feyiase in 1701. The Fante also expanded during this period. The Asante Kingdom expanded after defeating Denkyira to integrate many groups. They concurred and almost dominated the entire area of modern-day Ghana by the early 1800s. This ambition of Asante was cut short by the gradual consolidation of Britain’s power along the Gold Coast.
By 1821, the Gold Coast became a British Crown Colony. Asante had reached its peak and benefited greatly from the slave trade. This resulted in a serious clash between Asante and the British between 1824 to 1831. The British gradually found means to consolidate their power by signing bonds and treaties. In 1844, they signed a bond with some Fante chiefs giving them much influence among them. This bond increased their power and jurisdiction. By 1850, the British bought all Danish possessions on the Gold Coast. This was followed by acquiring the possessions of the Dutch on the Gold Coast by 1872.
The British after 1872 had gained control over nearly the entire Gold Coast. This power was further consolidated after finally defeating Asante in 1874 and declaring almost the entire coast of modern Ghana as the Gold Coast Colony. During this period, areas like Anlo, Adafianu, Aflao, Peki and Tongu were integrated under Britain’s authority to counter the German influence to the east of the colony.
Also, Lieutenant Henderson and George Ekem Fergurson by 1902 helped secure the Northern Territories from Samori Toure as well as the French and Germans.
The Asante people rebelled later in the century culminating in their complete domination in 1901. It was placed under a Chief Commissioner who administered it separately from the Gold Coast Colony in 1902. The three areas: Gold Coast Colony, Asante, and Northern Territories, were all administered separately.
At the end of the First World War, German possessions in Africa were shared among the victors. German Protectorate of Togo was divided between Britain and France to administer on behalf of the League of Nations. By 1922, when the League of Nations approved the mandates for the administration of the Togo by France and Britain, Gold Coast had attained its boundaries.
In 1946, British Togoland, Asante, Northern Territories, and Gold Coast Colony were merged by Sir Alan Cuthbert Maxwell Burns to create one colony. This colony was renamed Ghana, after gaining independence in 1957.
Who is the Founder of Ghana?
Sir Alan Cuthbert Maxwell Burns founded Ghana in 1946. He merged all four distinct territories above mentioned under the power of the British Crown. The British laid the foundations of modern Ghana and must be regarded as the founders.
Conclusion
Changing the name of a country already founded or introducing new colours, flags, system of government, and calls for independence does not guarantee one a founding status. However, Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions towards the attainment of independence in Ghana and most African countries are unmatched. He is regarded as the first President of Ghana. It is also ridiculous that those who stood against him want to share in his achievement of gaining independence for Ghana.
