HONOURING A GREAT MAN (SEPT 18,, 2009)

WE at the DAILY GRAPHIC are greatly inspired by the enormity of goodwill, flowing in the direction of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, on the occasion of his centenary birthday to dedicate this special edition of the paper to his memory.
With the declaration of September 21, his birthday, as a statutory public holiday the majority of Ghanaians from all walks of life and of all political persuasions have reacted in a way that puts the national and international icon beyond doubt.
The array of political giants who turned up for the official launch of his centenary celebrations and the diversity of political groupings they represented bore testimony to that iconic status, even among those who disagreed with his politics and economic philosophy.
In his maiden address to Parliament in February 2009, President John Evans Atta Mills announced the intention of the government to honour the memory of such a great man whose contribution to the development of the country and Africa, formed the basis for his being voted the most influential African of our time.
Soon after he had realised his dream of achieving independence for Ghana, Dr Nkrumah put together a seven-year development plan to set the pace for Ghana's socio-economic transformation.
Further to that, he dedicated himself to the task of liberating the entire black race from the bondage of colonialism.
It is now an open book that local saboteurs and their external collaborators ensured that Nkrumah did not succeed. And we would not want to disturb the prevailing chorus of praise for him by further opening that book.
It is enough to acknowledge that his achievements both at home and abroad, particularly in Africa, would continue to leave indelible imprints in the minds of many across the globe.
Enforced by actualities of his work, the many educational institutions such as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast, roads such as the Accra-Tema Motorway, the Akosombo Dam, Tema Harbour and township, health facilities, second cycle schools and hundreds of industries across the country, his legend will forever live on.
It is our hope, however, that the present euphoria will inspire the current and future generations to complete his unfinished business of total liberation, economic and political, of the entire black race and beyond.