Ghana has no sole founder– Palgrave
Former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security, Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has argued that Ghana’s independence was the result of collective effort and should not be attributed to a single individual.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Monday, September 22, 2025, Dr. Boakye-Danquah reflected on the 116th birthday of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, commemorated on September 21.
While acknowledging Nkrumah’s pivotal role in the country’s political history, he maintained that describing him as the “sole founder” of Ghana is historically inaccurate.
“In a strict sense, Ghana does not have a founder. It was a group of people who came together and contributed to securing independence for the country in 1957. Ghana should have a separate day to celebrate Kwame Nkrumah as our first President, but not necessarily as the founder of the nation,” he said.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah also challenged the notion that Ghana’s development must necessarily align with Nkrumah’s vision.
“Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s dream is not just a dream that everyone must follow. I believe the blueprint of Ghana has already been laid, if you look at some of the historical antecedents. It is difficult for me to say successive governments are living out Nkrumah’s dream, because I feel that it is the ‘Ghanaism’ that we all share which must drive our development, not necessarily the ideals and ethos of one individual,” he explained.
He emphasised that the country’s political evolution, from colonial rule through multiple republics has been made possible by the combined efforts of colonial administrators, nationalist leaders, and various governments over the years.
“We need to appreciate the journey we’ve had as a country. We must weigh the successes of all the republics in the context of global politics and pat ourselves on the back for surviving. Our survival is premised on the foundations laid by the colonial fathers and the people who fought for our independence,” Dr. Boakye-Danquah said.
Comments (0)