The government has declared that March 6, 2010, the 53rd independence anniversary of the nation, will be celebrated in memory of the nation's founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, who made this mown at a lecture organised by the Kwame Nkrumah Centenary Planning Committee at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), described Nkrumah as a patriot whose celebration must be hailed by all. He said the selfless struggle of Ghana's first President to emancipate Africa from colonialism had made him stand tall among various African leaders. The Vice-President further advocated the need to include Nkrumah's works in the various educational curricula to help imbibe in the youth his selflessness and patriotism. He said it was no coincidence that African leaders, at their recent summit, adopted Nkrumah Day on the African Union calendar. He said Dr Nkrumah's ideologies were as significant as ever for the nation, adding that the planning committee owed it a responsibility to work to paint a vivid picture of his life, ideologies and uncompleted agenda for posterity. He said the country would be receiving significant dignitaries from Africa and the world to participate in the activities climaxing Dr Nkrumah's centenary celebration in May. He noted that Dr Nkrumah's humble beginnings and the commendable heights he attained were testimonies that education could, indeed, remove the barriers to success. Mr Mahama said Dr Nkrumah's efforts at galvanising the energies of the youth in the struggle for independence must inspire the government to galvanise the energies of the youth to develop the country. He said he was optimistic that the planning committee's efforts would help eternalise Dr Nkrumah. The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr, said the lecture was the first in a series of 10 to bring the life of Nkrumah and his ideologies to the people especially the youth. He said activities for the centenary would include film shows and a quiz among schools to tell Nkrumah's story and educate Ghanaians on his vision. In a lecture, Ms Esi Sutherland-Addy noted that Nkrumah had a special place for the development of education and was determined to get education to all with the establishment of several basic, secondary and tertiary institutions. That, she said, was because he believed that modern is at ion could only be attained through higher education. She called on African nations to adopt coherent educational policies relevant to the development of the nation and shift from foreign educational paradigms. Dr Gamel Nasser Adam of the University of Ghana condemned perpetrators of neo-colonialism through incompetent politicians and other dubious and fraudulent transactions which sought to derail the nation's development efforts. He said it was necessary that African leaders come together to put up one front in dealing with the Western powers. He called on all Ghanaians to be active agents to change Africa's destiny for the better. The Vice-Chancellor of the UCC, Prof. Naana Opoku Agyeman, said Ghanaians must build their confidence to create new things to better the nation. Also present at the ceremony were the daughter of Dr Nkrumah and MP for Jomoro, Samia Nkrumah, and the Central Regional Minister Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe. The Nkrumah Hall of the UCC presented a portrait of Dr Nkrumah to the Vice-President. Source: Daily Graphic