Danquah Circle Accra, Ghana
Danquah Circle, Accra
Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah, one of the fathers of Ghana’s independence movement, who died tragically in detention, without trial, at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons in the early hours of February 4, 1965.
This beautiful statues are located in Osu. Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah (better known as J.B.) was born on December 21, 1895 at Bepong-Kwahu, His father was Emmanuel Yao Boakye who was the chief state drummer of Nana Amoako Atta II, Omanhene of Akyem Abuakwa until he became a Christian evangelist at 40.
His mother was Lydia Okum Korantemaa of the Royal family of Adadientem near Kyebi. The couple had four other children: three girls and one boy besides J.B. Danquah. Nana Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah - Ghanaian statesman, pan-Africanist, scholar and historian. He played a significant role in pre- and post-colonial Ghana. In fact, he is credited with giving Ghana its name. During his political career, he was one of the primary opposition leaders to Ghanaian president and independence leader Kwame Nkrumah. |
Danquah was born on December 1895 in the Ghanaian town of Bepong in Kwahu in the Eastern region. He was descended from the royal family of Ofori Panyin Fie, once the rulers of the Akyem states, and still then one of the most influential families in Ghanaian politics. His elder brother is Nana Sir Ofori Atta I and he is the father of actor Paul Danquah.
J. B. Danquah entered the University of London immediately after completing secondary school and was educated in law and philosophy. He was the first continental African to receive a doctorate in law from the University of London. He also became the first president of the West African Students' Union.
Danquah became a member of the Legislative Council in 1946 and actively pursued independence legislation for his country. He helped to found the pro-independence
United Gold Coast Convention. His historical research led him to agree with Dr Kwame Nkrumah's proposition that on independence the Gold Coast be renamed Ghana after the early African empire of that name.
Among his writings are Gold Coast: Akan Laws and Customs and the Akim Abuakwa Constitution (1928), a play entitled The Third Woman (1943), and The Akan Doctrine of God (1944)
In 1949, the historical town of Saltpond, saw the birth of a new political force, namely, United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC). Founded by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah a conservative and a liberal thinker, like his colleague
Dr Kwame Nkrumah, a leftist, had a vision and a path he had always hoped for Ghana to toe, though both great men were parallel on ideological values.
Prior the breakaway of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to form his own movement, he was the only payee executive member of the United Gold Coast Convention (U.G.C.C) and was given the responsibility to organize, create the awareness, mobilize and spearhead the ideals for which they stood for.
Danquah became a member of the Legislative Council in 1946 and actively pursued independence legislation for his country. He helped to found the pro-independence
United Gold Coast Convention. His historical research led him to agree with Dr Kwame Nkrumah's proposition that on independence the Gold Coast be renamed Ghana after the early African empire of that name.
Among his writings are Gold Coast: Akan Laws and Customs and the Akim Abuakwa Constitution (1928), a play entitled The Third Woman (1943), and The Akan Doctrine of God (1944)
In 1949, the historical town of Saltpond, saw the birth of a new political force, namely, United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC). Founded by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah a conservative and a liberal thinker, like his colleague
Dr Kwame Nkrumah, a leftist, had a vision and a path he had always hoped for Ghana to toe, though both great men were parallel on ideological values.
Prior the breakaway of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to form his own movement, he was the only payee executive member of the United Gold Coast Convention (U.G.C.C) and was given the responsibility to organize, create the awareness, mobilize and spearhead the ideals for which they stood for.
In 1960 J.B. was nominated as the UNITF Party's presidential candidate to contest the April 1960 elections against Kwame Nkrumah. Though he lost, he won a number of unexpected votes, receiving (124,623 by 1,016,076) of the votes and defeating Nkrumah in the Volta Region. The UP, after losing the elections, went into violent opposite against the CPP. J.B. the UP's presidential candidate was equally very virile in his attacks: "The country had been wrecked by the government incompetence and wasteful fiscal and administrative policies" he oft charged.
The CPP responded by detaining Danquah and some MPs Victor Owusu, Joe Appiah, S.G Antor, D.K. Afedo, the Rev. Ametowobla - on October 3, 1961.
The immediate grounds for his detention according to the detention orders served on him ware that on September 12, 1961 with two men, Ismaila Annan and Atta Border, he attended a meeting at which plans for subverting the CPP Government was made. It was also alleged that through him certain traders passed £ 10,000 to the workers of Sekondi-Takoradi to induce them to organize a strike against the 1961 Budget.
From his Nsawam Prison, J.B. in his characteristic way, wrote several letters in protest against this detention. On June 22,1962 he was released. On January 8,1964 he was again arrested and detained after Police Constable Ametewee's attempt on the life of Nkrumah on the grounds of the Flagstaff House.
J.B. was alleged to have been implicated in the plot to assassinate the President. In prison, his health deteriorated fast and on February 4. 1965 he suffered a heart attack and died in the condemned cells of the Nsawam Prison. Despite the adverse political atmosphere of the day, he was given a hero's burial at his hometown, Kibi.
A Committee of Inquiry that investigated conditions in prisons after the 1966 coup pointed out that J.B, was ill-treated and intolerable conditions were imposed on him. According to the Report he was chained and made to sleep on the bare floor. When he fell ill and suffered from asthma, he was refused medical attention.
For J.B's relentless struggle for democracy and human rights in Ghana, the NLC which overthrew the CPP organised a national funeral for him and rehabilitated him. In 1967, the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences of which J.B. was a founding member, instituted the J.B. Danquah Memorial Lectures which are delivered annually in February.
The NRC also honored him by naming a traffic intersection after him. A monument dedicated to him was erected at theDanquah Circle on December 29,1990. The 350 cm high bronze statue which shows him in traditional cloth standing with his left hand resting on a pile of books clearly reveals that the man J.B. Danquah by his life and works has traversed politics and today stands for ideals of learning, scholarship, and cultural heritage.
Dr. J.B Danquah was no saint – Prof. Akosa
Source: Daily Graphic Ghana / 06.02.2015 - Convention People’s Party stalwart, Prof Agyeman Badu Akosa, says after following discussions commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of JB Danquah, he believes organisers were telling stories they themselves knew could not be the truth.
The CPP responded by detaining Danquah and some MPs Victor Owusu, Joe Appiah, S.G Antor, D.K. Afedo, the Rev. Ametowobla - on October 3, 1961.
The immediate grounds for his detention according to the detention orders served on him ware that on September 12, 1961 with two men, Ismaila Annan and Atta Border, he attended a meeting at which plans for subverting the CPP Government was made. It was also alleged that through him certain traders passed £ 10,000 to the workers of Sekondi-Takoradi to induce them to organize a strike against the 1961 Budget.
From his Nsawam Prison, J.B. in his characteristic way, wrote several letters in protest against this detention. On June 22,1962 he was released. On January 8,1964 he was again arrested and detained after Police Constable Ametewee's attempt on the life of Nkrumah on the grounds of the Flagstaff House.
J.B. was alleged to have been implicated in the plot to assassinate the President. In prison, his health deteriorated fast and on February 4. 1965 he suffered a heart attack and died in the condemned cells of the Nsawam Prison. Despite the adverse political atmosphere of the day, he was given a hero's burial at his hometown, Kibi.
A Committee of Inquiry that investigated conditions in prisons after the 1966 coup pointed out that J.B, was ill-treated and intolerable conditions were imposed on him. According to the Report he was chained and made to sleep on the bare floor. When he fell ill and suffered from asthma, he was refused medical attention.
For J.B's relentless struggle for democracy and human rights in Ghana, the NLC which overthrew the CPP organised a national funeral for him and rehabilitated him. In 1967, the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences of which J.B. was a founding member, instituted the J.B. Danquah Memorial Lectures which are delivered annually in February.
The NRC also honored him by naming a traffic intersection after him. A monument dedicated to him was erected at theDanquah Circle on December 29,1990. The 350 cm high bronze statue which shows him in traditional cloth standing with his left hand resting on a pile of books clearly reveals that the man J.B. Danquah by his life and works has traversed politics and today stands for ideals of learning, scholarship, and cultural heritage.
Dr. J.B Danquah was no saint – Prof. Akosa
Source: Daily Graphic Ghana / 06.02.2015 - Convention People’s Party stalwart, Prof Agyeman Badu Akosa, says after following discussions commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of JB Danquah, he believes organisers were telling stories they themselves knew could not be the truth.
He said after J.B Danquah supported every subversive act against the state, he could hardly be painted the saint the UP tradition want the world to believe. And that approach, he said, also belies their calls for reconciliation.
A central theme of the anniversary celebration has been the imprisonment and untimely death of JB Danquah in prison under the Preventive Detention Act (PDA), an act said to typify Nkrumah’s wickedness and abhorrence for dissent. But Prof Akosa, who spoke to Radio Gold on Thursday, said JB Danquah was not arrested for doing nothing and though his death in prison was regrettable, he could not have been an innocent candidate. He said when J.B Danquah was arrested winthin the precincts of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, he was with a prepared speech to broadcast to the nation and the timing was well choreographed to coincide with the attempted assassination of Nkrumah by policeman Constable Seth Ametewe. That brazen attempt, which also followed Danquah’s own conviction that President Nkrumah had stolen his birthright (for he was inordinately ambitious to be president and did everything to prove that), justified his arrest especially when the PDA was in effect, he said. According to Prof Badu Akosa, the leadership of any country subject to terrorism will take far-reaching decisions “and that is precisely what Kwame Nkrumah did.” He said Members of the UP tradition want to foist their version of history on Ghana but that cannot be the history of Ghana. Besides those who criticize the PDA are the same people who cannot even criticize the terrorism they perpetrated. Akufo-Addo speaks on 50th anniversary of J.B. Danquah’s death Source: starrfmonline.com / 02.02.2015 - The 2016 Flagbearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, will Wednesday be one of several speakers at a symposium to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr J B Danquah. A statement issued by the party said: “Wednesday, February 4, 2015, marks 50 years of the passing of Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah, the father of Ghana’s independence movement, who died tragically in detention, without trial, at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons in the early hours of February 4, 1965. “To commemorate this day, the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amotia Ofori Panin; the Royal Asona Family of Adadientem; and the children of the Dr. J. B. Danquah have organised a series of activities on the day, February 4, to celebrate the life of the “doyen of Gold Coast politics.”” It said: “Between the hours of 5pm and 8pm, a symposium will be held at the International Conference Centre in honour of Dr. J.B. Danquah. The event will be chaired by Prof. Mike Oquaye, former 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament. Speakers at the symposium will include: • Prof. S.K.B. Asante, who will speak on “Dr. Danquah’s sacrifice and service to Mother Ghana”; • C.K. Tedam, who will address the gathering on “Dr. Danquah and the Northern People’s Party”; and • Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the 2016 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, who will deliver a speech on the theme “Danquah – The Unfinished Agenda.” The final event for the day will be a procession of family, friends and well-wishers from the Maronite Church to the Danquah Circle, in Osu. The event (was) open to the general public. |
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