Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia (L), Dr Kwame Nkrumah (R)
Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in a historically emotional letter offered “consolation” to Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia following the overthrow of Busia’s government by the Ghana Army.
A post shared by Sika Official’s X account on Saturday, May 31, 2025 revisited Nkrumah’s letter drawing striking parallels between the circumstances that led to his own ouster and those now facing his successor.
Nkrumah began by stating, “I have just heard on the air that your government which came to power I barely three years ago has been toppled by the Ghana Army.”
He then highlighted the bitter irony, “It is rather significant that most of the evils of which my government and I were accused and which were the main reasons for the overthrow of my administration were apparently the same reasons that motivated the army take-over of your regime.”
The letter adopted a reflective, almost cautionary tone, as Nkrumah suggested Busia subsequently understood the consequences of unreasoned criticism.
“I am sure that you now realise that those who criticise other people without bothering to assign good reasons for their criticisms eventually end up as victims of their own circumstances,” he recounted.
“You will also appreciate the fact that those who sow a wind reap a whirlwind, and after you have finished spoiling other people, you will be surprised to find out that you have spoiled yourself,” he added a proverb to emphasise his point.
Nkrumah defended his own legacy, asserting that during his 15-year tenure, he strived to improve the economic conditions of Ghanaians, acknowledging the unexpected difficulties which were inevitable and for which my people were unprepared.
He pointed to tangible achievements as undeniable evidence of his impact, “Nevertheless, there is evidence of some of my achievements in Ghana, which you, of all people, can’t pretend to deny the fact that I made Ghana what you found it when the same army overthrew my regime.”
He listed several monumental projects as his “handwork,” including the Akosombo Dam, Tema Harbor, Tema Oil Refinery, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and VALCO.
Beyond infrastructure, Dr Kwame Nkrumah emphasised what he considers his most significant contribution.
“The most important contribution I have made to the personality of the black man was that during my tenure of office as President of the Republic of Ghana, I made the African proud of his heritage,” the letter stated.
He also credited his leadership with inspiring political emancipation across the continent.
“Today, throughout the African world, many countries have attained political emancipation as a result of the torchlight I lit in Ghana which my own people including you (Kofi Abrefa Busia) did not appreciate,” the letter added.
The letter also noted the accusations leveled against his own government, which he viewed as a deliberate attempt to discredit him and pave the way for Busia’s leadership.
Nkrumah stated that since his overthrow six years prior and Busia’s assumption of power in late 1969, he has been “watching closely,” implying a continuous observation of Ghanaian political developments.
Read the full letter in X post below
The “Letter of Consolation” Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah wrote to Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia after his overthrow on January 13, 1972. pic.twitter.com/BLNf2Y6FwW
— 𝐀𝐒𝐊 (@askghmedia) May 31, 2025
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After the heavy rains over the weekend, a lot of debris have been left across many parts of Accra. Watch some of the destructions below: