Continue Works of Adu Boahene – Prez Urges Young Writers
President Akufo–Addo has urged young historians and writers to continue works of the late great historian, Prof. Albert Adu Boahen and his epigones.
Speaking at the re-launch of Prof. Robert Addo-Fening’s book, titled “Akyem Abuakwa, 1700-1943, from Ofori Panin to Sir Ofori Atta”, on Monday, he said “young historians and writers should help establish that great continuum of Ghanaian history which defines the determination of the Ghanaian people to build a civilisation founded on the values of liberty, common humanity and solidarity.”
Recounting the history of writings on the continent, the President noted that, notwithstanding the massive evidence of 10th century Al-Azhar University in Cairo and 10th century Sankore University in Timbuktu, and their manuscripts, there are several who accepted and believed that there was no written history of Africa.
However, these early writings, some insist, were not set out in a chronological framework, and, at best, provided information on earlier ethnic societies and traditional states.
“It was, thus, left to the new generation of professionally-trained Ghanaian historians, of the post-independence era, to take up the challenge thrown at their forebears for nearly three centuries,” the President mentioned.
He believes the new generation of writers would make a difference.
In eight chapters, the book talks of Akyem Abuakwa from its origins in 17th century Adanse, through its relocation to Banso, on the backside of the Atewa hill under Nana Ofori Panin, commonly regarded as the founder of the Akyem State, and subsequently to Kyebi, in the valley of the Birim River, after 1727, and also insight into the life of Nana Ofori-Atta, as a traditional ruler, legislator and patriot, amongst others.
Just as Prof. Adu Boahen did for him, President Akufo-Addo was happy to learn that Prof. Addo-Fening is also mentoring young historians, and, thus, awaited eagerly the publication of an M.Phil thesis, titled “Nana Sir Ofori Atta and the Process of Educational Change in the Gold Coast (1912-1943)”, written by Frank Afari, who received supervision from Prof. Addo-Fening.
He disclosed that “Under the direction of the great historian, Professor Adu Boahen, then Head of the Department of History at the University of Ghana, Legon, during the 1960s and 1970s, a coterie of young, enthusiastic undergraduates of history were offered scholarships to undertake post-graduate studies abroad.”
The relaunch of the book is the first comprehensive, historical study of the rise and growth of Akyem Abuakwa, originally published twenty-one (21) years ago, in 1997, by the University of Trondheim, in Norway, by Prof. Addo-Fening.
According to the President, the study is a good pointer for the new generation of Ghanaian historians.
By: Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum
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