A Storm Brews Over the University of Ghana's Name: Should It Honor a Founding Father or Its National Identity?
It seems the debate surrounding the University of Ghana's name is far from over, reigniting discussions about honoring a pivotal figure in Ghana's history. Recently, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, voiced his strong feelings about the resistance to renaming the University of Ghana (UG) in tribute to J.B. Danquah, a prominent individual associated with the NPP's UP tradition. This sentiment brings to the forefront a conversation that first gained significant traction in 2024.
Back then, the esteemed Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, addressed a proposal from the then-President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The suggestion was to rename the university in honor of the late Ghanaian statesman, J.B. Danquah. Professor Appiah Amfo, in a candid interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse programme, tackled the notion that individuals who made substantial contributions to the university's inception, like J.B. Danquah, haven't received adequate recognition.
She emphasized that acknowledging such contributions can take many forms, and indeed, these acknowledgments have been made. "I think that all those who played significant roles in the establishment of the university have properly been acknowledged," she stated. "What the president was advocating for was a renaming of the university after him (J. B. Danquah). But that is something that is subject to a huge debate."
But here's where it gets controversial... Professor Appiah Amfo pointed out that the university already boasts a major thoroughfare named after J.B. Danquah – the J.B. Danquah Avenue, a significant artery within the campus. She also countered the idea that the university lacks a distinct identity simply because it isn't named after an individual. "The University of Ghana represents the nation; it represents the nation, and this is a brand that is well known all over the world, all of these years. It is representative of the nation," she firmly asserted.
This entire discussion gained considerable public attention when President Akufo-Addo, who is also J.B. Danquah's nephew, put forth the renaming idea during a 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service for the university. He eloquently detailed the historical context, highlighting the profound influence of J.B. Danquah and other founding members on the decision to establish Ghana's very first public university. He described J.B. Danquah's role as 'inestimable work,' worthy of having his name emblazon on the university itself.
President Akufo-Addo elaborated on the historical significance: "And for me, the most poignant of those memories is the inestimable work Dr. J. B. Danquah did to mobilise the Ghanaian people to insist on the building of this university. It was the inspired leadership vision of this great scholar and nationalist, who was described in his lifetime as the doyen of Gold Coast politics, that, following the establishment of the Elliot Commission, tasked by the colonial government to inquire into the possibility of establishing a university in West Africa, enabled the Ghanaian people to reject the original decision of the British colonial government, based on the majority recommendation of the Elliot Commission, that a single university be established in Ibadan, in Nigeria, for the whole of the then British West Africa, and got it to agree, through a series of passionate interventions in the then Legislative Council. And with the enthusiastic support of the founders of Ghana for the creation of a separate university for our country, on the basis of his minority recommendation. How felicitous was that decision and how greatly it has contributed to the growth of modern Ghana. It would be wholly appropriate, and not at all far-fetched, to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of this university—a fact which, on the 75th anniversary of its existence, should be vividly recalled by all of us who have been, and are, the beneficiaries of his work. Indeed, in many other jurisdictions where there is less heat in their politics and more attachment to the historical records, it would not have been out of place to have this university named after him. Who knows, one day, it may well happen."
And this is the part most people miss... While the President championed J.B. Danquah's pivotal role in advocating for a distinct Ghanaian university, arguing against a unified West African institution based in Nigeria, the Vice Chancellor's perspective highlights that recognition can be multifaceted. The existence of a major avenue named in his honor, alongside the university's strong national identity, presents a nuanced view.
This brings us to a crucial question for reflection: Is renaming the University of Ghana after J.B. Danquah the most fitting way to honor his legacy, or does its current identity as the "University of Ghana" better represent its national significance? What are your thoughts on this ongoing debate? Do you believe historical figures should always have institutions named after them, or are there other forms of recognition that are equally, if not more, impactful? Let us know in the comments below!
