It is a brazen attempt to re-cast Ghanaian historical facts by trying to rename University of Ghana after D.B. Danquah: Ransford Gyampo writes

A reading of just the introductory part of the research piece authored by Lungu, Asamoah-Botwe and Dompere (2019) sets the records straight.

They observed as follows: “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 we must be charitable.

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. Those statements 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).

When and how did Dr. Danquah’s “inestimable work” really lead to the founding of the University of Ghana?

When did 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?

Fair, objective, and historically-bounded answers to questions above instruct us that Dr. J. B. Danquah, “Kantian Philosopher”, 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.

The discourse that follows in this 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 the joined the crusade and became one of its important forces, but did not play the chiefly role in any of the organizations that campaigned for the University of the Ghana”.

I WILL POST THE ENTIRE RESEARCH PIECE SHORTLY.