I have planned to write some articles on Ghana where citizens will go to perform their four-year rituals of electing their governors. I got carried away. I am now returning to it.
Let me own up that I was among those that supported President Akufo-Addo. I was a regular panelist of Radio Frittiti, a pro NDC radio station in Amsterdam and angered my fellow panelists for supporting the then NPP presidential candidate. It was a labor of love as we did not receive any renumeration.
No, I was not naive. And I also know enough of the political history of Ghana to know NNADA’s political antecedents and the role his political dynasty played in truncating Ghana’s and Africa’s progress with their support for the CIA-inspired coup in 1966.
The reason was simple. Ghana’s then President John Mahama who with his counterpart in Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, I considered leaders of my generation were huge disappointments. Both were visionless and clueless and they both surrounded themselves with insanely-corrupt fawning acolytes.
So, as was the case in NIgeria where, to my eternal regrets, I rooted for Muhammadu Buhari, I went out of my way, to support Akufo-Addo.
To say that Akufo-Addo was one huge disappointment is to be guilty of inapt language.
From where does one even begin to assess a man who promised so much, gave hope to so many people only to underwhelmed them with a truly abysmally atrocious performance?
As he marches to the twilight of his administration, the Ghanaian leader managed to etch his name to the list of egocentric, egomaniacal and megalomaniac misrulers of Africa.
For a leader that one would struggle to name a single redeeming feature, Nana Akufo-Addo recently went to unveil a statue of himself!
Whichever way we through it around, and whichever way his spin-doctors attempt to spin it, this is one gross and very insensitive act on the president’s part and it has deservedly sparked controversy and criticism from many quarters.
Given the general economic hardship and sociopolitical disillusionment, the insensitive unveiling reveal a man whose personal ego transcend commitment to his people’s feelings.
Ghana has never in recent times had a period of buoyancy, but the last eight years under Akufo-Addo have registered the worst performance that anyone can remember.
To begin with, how could the president and his handlers failed to realise that their act flew in the face of traditional norm as in most African cultures, statues are erected to deserving departed ancestors whose lives and contributions warrant perpetual remembrance.
Statues and monuments are seen as enduring symbols of gratitude and respect for ancestors who served the people selflessly.
Most African cultures emphasize humility and modesty. By unveiling a statue of himself President Akufo-Addo forget one of his people’s proverbs, “Dɔm asefoɔ nnsi nkɔfa wɔn ho da” / “Those who fight for the people should not proclaim their victories.”
By seeking self-validation and self-recognition the president demonstrated a shocking disconnect from the principles of humility that his culture teaches.
Another Akan proverb which should have guided the president says, “Se wode ahwe wo ho so a, wode wo ho tutu atwerebo” – “If you raise yourself up, you bring yourself down.”
It is not clear how the president and his handlers justify this act of self-celebration which is at odds with his supposed role as a servant of the people and
Perhaps Ghanaians will not feel so affront by their leader’s pompous egocentric posturing were the country’s economic problems not to be so dreadful.
Truth be told: Ghanaians are struggling. The economy of Ghana is in a terrible shape, inflation is unbearable and Ghanaians are groaning in pains.
Citizens must be wondering in which universe their leader and his handlers live not to notice their pains.
As mentioned above, Akufo-Addo raised the expectations of Ghanaians to stratospheric high. When he assumed office, there were high hopes that his government would implement policies that would stabilize the economy, weaned it away from its dependency on donors and IMF support, and launch Ghana on an industrialization path that would encourage manufacturing and create jobs.
Unfortunately, Akufo-Addo has dashed the people’s expectations. Under him, over the past eight years, the economy has deteriorated, the Ghanaian cedi has depreciated sharply against major currencies, and inflation has risen substantially.
The American dollar exchanged 1:4 when Akufo-Addo started his rule; today, it is 1:16.
Naturally, all these have caused economic instability which has adversely affected the lives of millions of Ghanaians, who struggle daily with the increasing cost of living.
Akufo-Addo did not only failed to make good of his promise “One District, One Factory” initiative to create on factory in one district, under him, many factories have closed.
Thus the building a statue in his own honor while the economy struggles reflects a tone-deafness to the hardships endured by ordinary Ghanaians.
Given the parlous state of the economy and the fact that the country goes to the polls in a few weeks, it is difficult to imagine what made it impossible for the president to calculate how this might negatively impacted his party’s chances in the December elections which are expected to be a tight race.
Why does the president failed to realise that dissatisfied Ghanaians look for solutions and not self-aggrandizing symbols?
It is equally baffling why the Ghanaian leader chose to priorities unveiling his statue over addressing the pressing problem of environmental degradation caused by illegal mining, or “Galamsey.” Major Ghanaian rivers such as the Pra, Offin, and Birim have been polluted by mining activities, causing long-term damage to water sources and agricultural lands.
Despite public outcry and promises to address the issue, the president has failed to implement effective measures to curb this environmental destruction. The lack of appreciation for ecological preservation by the government has compromised the livelihoods of countless Ghanaians, particularly those in rural areas who depend on these rivers for drinking water, irrigation, and fishing.
His decision to erect a statue of himself amid these failures appears not only self-serving but also disrespectful to the communities whose well-being has been jeopardized by his administration’s negligence.
On Foreign Policy, Pan-Africanist who were old enough to remember the the robust Pan-African postures of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, can only grief and shed tears as they see how Akufo-Addo has transformed the birthplace of Africa’s favorite son into a vassalage of Western imperialism.
Nana Akufo-Addo cast aside Ghana’s historic non-aligned, progressive Pan-African stance to an overt alignment with Western powers, particularly the United States.
One of the most contentious moves was the 2018 U.S.-Ghana Defense Cooperation Agreement he signed with the Americans.
The noxious pact, among other provisions, grants the U.S. military unrestrained access to Ghanaian facilities, tax exemptions for American personnel, and the ability to import military equipment without inspection. American forces were allocated special frequencies in the country’s telecommunications spectrum. Additionally, Ghana is required to waive its jurisdiction over crimes committed by U.S. personnel in the country. This effectively places American interests above Ghana’s own legal and territorial sovereignty.
The president did not bother to tell citizens why the sovereignty of their country was so compromised.
Ghanaians see the agreement as another of the series of betrayal by a president whose 2016 campaign promise was a “Ghana Beyond Aid.”
When he campaigned for votes, the president waxed lyrical about his commitment to make Ghana a paradise on earth. Accra, the capital, he promised would be Africa’s cleanest city.
Unfortunately, rather than to chart an independent, sovereign path to national development, Ghana under Akufo-Addo has become increasingly dependent on external financial assistance and a stalwart of neo-colonialism.
In 2022, the government entered its 17th arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), seeking $3 billion to stabilize its faltering economy. The terms, as always, included austerity measures such as tax hikes, public sector pay freezes, and cuts to social spending. Of course, the measures only deepen public discontent.
Cathedral of Doom!
“On this dirty patch
a tree once stood
shedding incense on the infant corn:
its boughs stretched across a heaven
brightened by the last fires of a tribe.
They sent surveyors and builders
who cut that tree
planting in its place
A huge senseless cathedral of doom.” – Kofi Awoonor
The failure of President Akufo-Addo to fulfill his grand promise to build a National Cathedral would probably be remembered as the greatest failure of his administration.
The president started his tenure with a pledge to fulfill a promise he claimed to have made to his god to build a cathedral that would serve as a symbol of Ghana’s Christian heritage and a landmark for religious tourism. But, as with all of his promises, the cathedral project has instead gained notoriety as emblematic of wasteful spending, corruption allegations, and the misuse of public funds.
He called his cathedral project a “priority of priorities.”
Since its inception in 2018, the cathedral project has cost the state millions of cedis, with very little to show except a huge hole in the prime area of the nation’s capital.
The large gaping hole in the middle of a prime area of Ghana’s capital, Accra, is the only thing the president has to show for his “Priority of Priorities.”
Over $58 million of public funds was reportedly channeled toward its development, alongside private donations. Many prominent Christian leaders and citizens made significant financial contributions, buoyed by the vision of a monument that would symbolize Ghana’s faith and unity. However, revelations about how these funds were used – or misused – have drawn widespread criticism and disappointment.
The project, ostensibly dedicated to the glorification of god has been plagued by allegations of inflated contracts, dubious payments to consultants, and a lack of transparency in the procurement process. Nearly $30 million allegedly went to foreign contractors and architects, and funds were also funneled into unclear administrative costs, further inflating the total outlay for a project that did not even take off.
The Executive Director of the National Cathedral Secretariat, Paul Opoku-Mensah, was forced to resign amidst growing criticism.
Ghanaians regard the unbuilt cathedral as the most poignant reminder of Akufo-Addo’s failed promises. A Cathedral which was envisioned as a national symbol of unity and faith has, ironically, become a source of division and anger, marking a critical failure in his administration’s legacy.
Sadly, the spectacle of self-glorifying leaders in Africa is not a new phenomenon. Leaders like Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Empire and Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire have left behind a legacy of authoritarian excess and economic exploitation, often marked by elaborate self-celebrations that masked their failure to serve their people.
Akufo-Addo, with his education and exposure, should have known better.
African leaders like him who seek to honor themselves risk perpetuating the regrettable tradition of placing personal glory above the well-being of the citizens they are meant to serve.
Akufo-Addo would do well to remember that genuine leadership is defined by one’s ability to inspire and uplift, not by the creation of self-celebratory symbols.
African leaders must prioritize the well-being of their citizens over personal glorification. A true legacy is built not on statues or monuments but on service, humility, and lasting impact.
Leaders who genuinely serve their people do not need to create symbols of their own greatness; the people themselves will carry their legacy forward.
Fẹ́mi Akọ́mọláfẹ́ (Farmer, Writer, Published Author, Essayist, and Social Commentator.)
My latest book, From Stamp to Click (it’s still a hello) is published and is available online at:
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