Opinion: August 4th in Ghana; Bane or Blessing?
It is interesting how people who don't learn from history are bound to repeat mistakes of the past. I learnt this in my Government class in 2006. Are we in for another remarkable 4th August 'treat' in Ghana? I recalled how 4th August has often taken a different twist in the affairs of this country. Often takes off from somewhere and ends in the opposite direction. August 4 has always been a slippery slope path in our governance architecture.
Such was this morning. As million droplets of rain found their way into the soil, preempting a good sleep for someone who had a sleepless night, a resounding gong sailed through the TV-Africa channel on the 26" television hanging on the yellowish wall. Checks on the wall-clock shows it was a little over 6:00 am; few persons cladded in red and black started converging at the Obra Spot. Then I quickly reached out for the Pokupharma Calendar hanging on my door.
I scrolled through the dotted numbers under the blue written month of August. As I checked through, it was a Wednesday and a holiday in Ghana. I knew it was a holiday because all the Public Holidays were circled in red to isolate them from the rest of the days. Well, further checks revealed the obnoxious 4 italized in the middle of the numbers. I scratched my occiput several times as I recalled so many events of August 4. But why was it a holiday in the first instance?
Great question! We all know of the famous United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), the brains behind it, and how it made inroads in the colonial governance structure. Today, it's not meant for the nitty-gritty of UGCC or it's operations. However, it has an indelible mark on the celebrations earmarked across Ghana under the Amended Public Holidays Act, 2018. It is undoubted that UGCC was launched on 4th August 1947. Remember today is also August 4. Remember it wasn't a day earmarked for Celebrations four years ago.
We should also not forget it was same 4th August 1844 that our freedom, self governance and control of our resources was handed over to our Colonial masters. Historically, it is a documented fact that Ghana's Sovereignty was dashed to Colonial rulers on this same day. This was the day the 8 Fante Chiefs appended their acceptance to colonialism. So, in as much as this day has been earmarked to celebrate the formation of the first political party cum pressure group in Gold Coast (now Ghana), we shouldn't also forget it also marked a sad day in our nation's history; the beginning of slumber and lost identity.
According to the revised Statutory Holidays Amendment Act passed in Ghana's Parliamentary in 2018, it highlighted amongst other reasons why 4th August should replaced the 21st September Founder's Day which was instituted in 2001. August 4 was instituted in 2018 to celebrate all the gallant heroes and heroins of the country.
Hence it's name "Founders' Day" with emphasis on the placement of the Apostrophe. So, this is the holiday we have just celebrated. But was the reason only to commemorate the Bond of 1844 or the formation of UGCC? Who is a founder? What's the difference between freedom fighter and founder? Was Nkrumah a founder or Freedom fighter?
Well! I think there is more to it. But what I don't understand and still can't understand is the cancellation of the Republic Day, 1st July. Our only day worth celebrating. July 1st is like a university student who has graduated with distinction and wouldn't such a feat worth celebrating? Interestingly, August 4th in Ghana depicted Matriculation whiles July 1st is Ghana's Graduation.
So how come we slated 4th August as a day to celebrate our heroes and heroins instead of the graduation day? Isn't it where efforts are measured? And haven't we heard that half work done deserve no pay? So, who is honoring who, for what effort and the efficacy of the effort towards our development. Well! I think a lot of younger people are thinking in the same direction.
This has also attracted backlash from various quarters with differing agenda. Some were of the view that it was a diabolic agenda to belittle Nkrumah's legacy. However, I have often disagree with some of these assertions connoting these holidays in our calendar. Some of them are unnecessarily slated and hence a waste of productive hours.
For instance, the newly instituted January 7 Constitution Day, the 6th March Independence Day, 4 August Founders' Day, and the 21st Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day has become obfuscate and a platform for belittling ourselves and our leaders. Instead of highlighting their contribution to our development, so that we can pick few lessons, we rather plunge into an unnecessary debate as to who founded what and when which goes on to belittle others. This wasn't supposed to be the motive behind such celebrations.
A lot of young people of my generation wouldn't understand why 4th August has mysteriously become a Public holiday when March 6 is still there? And what for? All we know is Founders' Day. A day set aside to celebrate the founding fathers of our nation. However, in my explicit opinion, gallant heroes and heroines can be celebrated on either 6th March or 1st July to honor the statement that any nation which doesn't honor it heroes is bound to fail.
Even though the most important of the days worth celebrating is conspicuously missing in our Holiday calendar under the Public Holidays Amendment Act, 2018, July 1st, (the fruit of all these labor), could've served as a one stop shop for this honor. This could've been my exposition in the write up. However for the want of time, I will concentrate on 4th August #fixthecountry demonstration that has expressly made a statement to the government and all stakeholders like the previously held August 4 events.
This year's 4th August has an interesting dynamic to the previously labored ones in the 19th and 20th century. Even though they all centered on making a bold statement towards good governance, increasing participation and equality and Justice, this demonstration called for a rotten public system, a degenerated private sector, dire economic woes worst than what triggered the previously held August 4th movements, moral fuss, collapsed security amongst others, into an order befitting of democracy. Another citizen centered approach.
Even the holiday, Founders' Day has not come without its own challenges. Its introduction saw a nation divided into two; Nkrumahs and the Danquahs. Something the supposed "Founders" fought against. This triggered trumping feet, chanting war songs, dirges and songs of freedoms whenever the colonialists tried such. What has happened to the 'Unity of Freedom' that our Founders in whose names we celebrate handed to us? Even celebrating them should come in unity and harmony. Isn't it?
We all agree that Nkrumah was the first prime minister and the first president. We also agreed that Nkrumah laid a solid roadmap for Ghana's Economic development in whose footsteps Ghana still dwells albeit ineffectively followed. And we all agree that he must be celebrated. The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day has been endorsed by all even though it's currently twisted to it's current name under the amended Public Holidays Act in 2018. Yet, it's still accepted by all. Worth it.
Holiday celebration should be holistic, acceptable and backed by eminence. August 4th, has come to stay in the annals of history. No doubt about that. However, the omission of 1st July, when Ghana attained full Republic status, should call for a relook into the holidays under the amended Public Holidays Act in the country.
Even though August 4, has it's many shades in the history of Ghana, we should be wary of what 4th August 2021 entails before it gives birth to another faux-par, as in Bond of 1844 which lured our people to handover sovereignty to colonial rulers or a mirage as in UGCC which never saw it's intended purpose.
In the meantime, as 2021 August 4, presented #fixthecountry demonstration; one of the most peaceful, non-politically align demonstration which has courted members from across the governing and opposition parties has indeed reminded us of a different 4th August. August 4 has presented one of it's many faces once again.
The #fixthecountry movement has succeeded in all fronts so far; a successful virtual demonstration after it was denied access to the well known Ghanaian way of protestation. It generated millions of tweets and hashtags on social media. This grounded its base. A successful jump over of a legal block against the Ghana police service and has succeeded in moving protesters from virtual into the streets of Accra. Such a remarkable feat!
However, as guided by history and August 4 exegesis, will the #Fixthecountry movement be like any of it's August 4 predecessors?
By Al LATIF Kambo-Naa
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