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Nkrumah was more African then Ghanaian
By: SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN
A Professor of Pan-African Studies at the Mwalimu Nyerere University of Dar-es-Salaam, has hailed the Pan African ideology of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana. In his words “Nkrumah was more African than Ghanaian”.
Professor Issa Shirji pointed out that if Africa had adopted Dr. Nkrumah’s idea, the continent would have been far ahead of where she is now in terms of development.
Prof. Shirji made this observation on Monday at the Du Bois-Padmore-Nkrumah lecture series organized by the Department of Philosophy, the Du Bois Centre and the Institute of African Studies as part of Nkrumah’s Centenary celebration.
He said Nkrumah’s critics like Julius Nyerere who initially opposed Dr. Nkrumah have now vindicated him. 
Delivering a lecture on ‘Neocolonialism, Neo liberalism and Pan-Africanist Nationalism: Refurbishing Nkrumah’s Legacy, Prof. Shirji said Dr. Nkrumah’s ideology were more relevant now than before.
He said there was the need for African leaders to revisit the ideas of Nkrumah in the quest for socio-economic development for the transformation of the continent.
The Pan-Africaism professor called for a Pan-African intellectual community for use as a market place of ideas to inspire African leaders in their development agenda.
Prof. Shirji described Dr. Nkrumah and Nyerere as two of the greatest African leaders, adding that while Dr. Nkrumah stood for political freedom, Nyerere dwelt on social freedom.
Prof. Shirji said history had proved Dr. Nkrumah right, saying that Africans needed to integrate their economics for the benefit of the continent more than regional and sub-regional groupings.
This, he explained, was necessary to avoid the exploitation of Africa’s resources by western powers.
Prof. Shirji was full of praise for the first Ghanaian President for his efforts at African unity.
Prof. Kwame Gyekye of the Department of Philosophy, University of Ghana, reviewed Dr. Nkrumah’s book on ‘Consciencism which espoused the basic questions underlying human existence.
He described Dr. Nkrumah as “a great thinker with relentless spirit”, adding that Dr. Nkrumah’s philosophical thought illuminated Africa and constituted the vanguard of the African revolution.
*Source:
Ghanaian Times - page: 13 Thursday, September 17, 2009
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