Accra: A Founding Member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has disclosed that ethnocentrism played a major role in destabilising Ghana's Second Republic. In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb's Etsey Atisu, he reflected on the political shifts the country experienced following the overthrow of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
According to Ghana Web, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe stated that the overthrow of Nkrumah marked a turning point for Ghana. The four-year rule of the National Liberation Council (NLC), he explained, brought hardships as citizens felt deprived of commodities and personal freedoms, with detentions without trial becoming widespread.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe explained, 'After the overthrow, there was a significant shift. I was outside the country as a student during that period, but the four-year rule of the National Liberation Council brought many difficulties. Ghanaians felt denied certain things-commodities, personal freedoms-and there were detentions without trial. Such detentions happen when leaders feel threatened, and that is done everywhere in the world. But when we entered the Second Republic, dangerous issues began creeping into our political history.'
He emphasized that one of the critical issues was ethnocentrism. 'And I think one of them was ethnocentrism. And I'll never stop talking about it because when I was a kid or a young boy, no one knew where the other person came from, let alone identify him or her as somebody from point A or point B. We saw ourselves as Ghanaians, and that was what it was. But now, you can agree with me, that is no more,' he lamented.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe recalled that when Nkrumah took over, his principal interest was not himself, but the masses, which he continued to support in all fields including education, health, and industry until his removal. He stressed that anyone who comes into political limelight, whether as head of state, minister, or any position, must serve the people, not themselves.
When asked if this represents a failure of leadership, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe did not hesitate to state his view. 'Yes, it is a failure of leadership. Once again, I have to refer to Nkrumah. Leadership must prioritise unity and the welfare of the people above all else,' he stressed.