Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, son of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, firmly believes that there is no debate or complaint about his father being the founder of Ghana.

Speaking on Joy News' PM Express on Tuesday, Dr Sekou Nkrumah said when Dr Nkrumah was invited back to Ghana, he transformed the dynamics of the independence struggle.

Dr Sekou Nkrumah expressed disagreement with President Akufo-Addo, who recently stated that Ghana was not founded by a single individual.

“There is a history behind it,” Dr Sekou Nkrumah said, stressing many people acknowledge his father’s pivotal role in leading Ghana to independence.

Read also: Nkrumah founder debate: Akufo-Addo caught up in emotions of the past – Dr Sekou Nkrumah

President Akufo-Addo, in his 2024 Founders’ Day address on Saturday, August 3, highlighted the collective efforts of various individuals in the independence struggle.

He acknowledged Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions but rejected the notion that Nkrumah alone founded Ghana.

“While Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable, it is important to acknowledge that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations,” President Akufo-Addo stated.

Read also: ‘I reject completely the notion that Ghana was founded by Kwame Nkrumah alone’ – Akufo-Addo

In response, Dr Sekou Nkrumah criticised this view, stating that President Akufo-Addo is “caught up in the emotions of the past.”

He elaborated on his father’s pivotal roles saying “In 1951, he was the head of government business. In 1952, he became Prime Minister and led Ghana to independence in 1957. In 1960, he ran against Danquah in presidential elections and was elected as President.”

Dr. Sekou Nkrumah stated the significance of Ghana becoming a Republic under his father's leadership noting “Ghana became a republic, which was very significant, so the Queen was no longer the head of state, a British national was not a head of state of Ghana, but a Ghanaian. So that is when the introduction of the founder came in, and Nkrumah captured that.”

He argued that there is “really nothing to argue about or complain about. It was one man because he led Ghana to independence.

"He came to be a symbol of not only our liberation, political oppression, and independence but also our first head of state and our first president. So I don't think I have a problem with that.”

Dr Sekou Nkrumah acknowledged the contributions of others, including the Big Six, stating that their roles are recognised in Ghana’s history: “Nobody's taking that away from them.

Read also: I keep an open mind when it comes to discussing Kwame Nkrumah – Dr Sekou 

"They all served some jail time under the British, including Nkrumah himself, so nobody can take that struggle away from them,” he concluded.

He said, "Dr Kwame Nkrumah as a founder represented all Ghanaians in that struggle [for independence] because he emerged as the leader and became our first head of state and president."

"The President should realise that we all recognise the role of the Big Six and all other ordinary Ghanaians who also contributed and lost their lives," he stated.