Hilla Limann: Forty-five years ago, today

On September 25, 2024, 12:05 PM

Forty-five (45) years ago today, President Dr. Hilla Limann was sworn into office on September 24, 1979, after the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, AFRC had been in power for just 112 days in a counter-coup, deposing the Supreme Military Council, SMC II.

According to the late Osahene Boakye Gyan, who was the main architect and driver of the uprising, the original date intended was September 21 in honour of Dr. Nkrumah to install the first legitimate successor of the late founding President of the Republic of Ghana.

However, intelligence picked the activities of some mutineers who were in the ranks of the AFRC and did not want to leave the scene of plotting some nefarious activities.

Indeed, they came back in 27 months to roll back all the gains of the Limann-led PNP administration.

As we mark this day, may we remember the undying words of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah that “any coup d’etat is an abomination” to constitutional rule. May we remember the memorable words of Dr. Hilla Limann that, “…no one else owes us our living.”

Those who usurped power in the name of a Provisional National Defence Council, PNDC ended up rendering the people defenseless, dis-empowered and impoverished. The verdict is clear – we have no business entertaining adventurism in veiled empty chants of anger, envy, hatred and incompetence.

Never again! The 3rd Republican Constitution was shortlived but we have done well with the 4th Republican dispensation. Let it continue. We must abide by our collective vow to the Constitution, 1992 that no matter how bad anyone thinks it might be, we shall be faithful to it. No matter how long the night takes, the sun will rise again.

The Limann-led government had returned to sanity, hope, respect, and the constitutional rule was manifestly working with the provisioning of essential goods guaranteed. The shops were full again. Ghana Airways and the Black Star Line were receiving retooling and revamping. But, the darkness of December 31, 1981, struck and the rest is history. Was is it necessary? It was NOT, and cannot be justified no matter how desperate we try.

The writer, Emmanuel Kwaku Akyeampong is a Professor of History, Harvard University (USA), Senior Fellow, Africa Center for Advanced Studies (Accra)

In the words of Maya Angelou, “history, despite its wrenching pain cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” May we learn with the positive mindset of reconstruction from our past and vow at all the treacherous tendencies; NEVER AGAIN!

God bless our homeland, Ghana and make our nation great and strong! Long live the memory of Dr. Hilla Limann as intellectually espoused by Emeritus Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah in: Hilla Limann: Scholar, Diplomat, Statesman – A Biography.