Nkrumah Was No Saint

Former general secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, has advised Convention People’s Party (CPP) supporters to stop criticizing Nana Akufo-Addo for telling them that Dr. J.B. Danquah has forgiven them.

The flagbearer of the NPP at a symposium to mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. J B Danquah’s death said the kinsmen of Dr Danquah have forgiven Dr. Nkrumah for his death.

J.B Danquah was arrested and detained on suspicion of plotting a coup to overthrow Nkrumah. He died in detention at the Nsawam prisons on February 4, 1965 and was given a hasty burial.

Since then, the UP tradition has blamed Dr. Nkrumah for deliberately causing the death of his colleague freedom fighter and co-founder of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) which vigorously fought the British colonial masters for Ghana’s independence.

Nana Akufo-Addo at the symposium called for a truce and urged both sides to let bygones be bygones.

However, CPP members and activists have angrily rejected Nana Akufo-Addo’s olive branch.

But Lawyer Owusu Afriyie on Okay FM’s morning show on Friday urged the CPP to pay attention to the NPP flagbearer and take his call in good faith, rather than replying in anger.

“CPP needs to understand what Nana Akufo Addo said before they react to it. After all, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was never a saint, one way or the other he may have wronged Dr. Danquah and so Nana Addo is right if he said he (J B Danquah) has forgiven the Nkrumahs.

“Though it may be very hard for the CPP to accept that, they should also appreciate the foundations our forefathers laid.

“For now I believe we should talk about how to work as political parties for the development of the country and stop this CPP-UGCC talk,” he maintained.