The list of men and women who fought tooth and nail to secure for Ghana the title of independence is not exhaustive. They included market women, ordinary people and businessmen like Paa Grant. 

However, when the independence of Ghana is mentioned, six outstanding men come into sharp focus as having held the baton and took the freedom of Ghana to the finish line but others too in small or significant ways were part of the “freedom fight” and indeed deserve celebration.

The 4th of August; Founder’s Day  since 2019 has become a day designated for such august memorial for our forefathers, especially the Big Six who were also the founding members of the first political party, the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in Ghana, then Gold Coast; namely Ebenezer Ako-Adjei –founding member of UGCC, Edward Akufo-Addo – founding member of the UGCC and subsequently Chief Justice of Ghana and President of Ghana, Joseph Boakye Danquah – founding member of the UGCC, Kwame Nkrumah – Prime Minister of Ghana and first president of Ghana, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey,  founding member of the UGCC and William Ofori Atta – founding member of the UGCC. 

In a recent lecture to commemorate the day in Accra, the Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye noted that,  “A recap of the chronology of events showed that before the arrival of Nkrumah, some gallant men were taking steps to lead Ghana to independence. If something had not been founded, what was Nkrumah brought down for? If there was nothing, what was he to come and help to consolidate?” 

According to him, “Nkrumah did not alone compose the classical sonata and constitute the orchestra which sang Ghana’s clarion call to independence in sweet melody, all in two months! The fathers of the nation were there already. They included Paa Grant, J.B. Danquah, Akufo-Addo, Ako Adjei, Obetsebi Lamptey and William Ofori-Atta.” 

There has been a debate however, over whether or not Nkrumah should be credited with founding Ghana or not. The debate, is mostly between the Nkrumahist and the Danquah-Busia political traditions. 

The debate stems from the March 2019 public holiday amendments  HYPERLINK “https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_(law)” bill which was proposed by the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and subsequently passed into  HYPERLINK “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law” \o “Law” law that 4th August be designated as Founders’ Day to recognise all other contributors in the independence struggle whilst 21st September (previously Founder’s Day) as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day. The Founders’ Day is reserved to celebrate the people( HYPERLINK “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Six_(Ghana)” \o “The Big Six (Ghana)” The Big Six) who led Ghana to independence whilst Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day is reserved for Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the leader of the movement towards independence of Ghana to commemorate his birthday, the bill explained.

By Spectator Reporter