Historian Kwaku Darko Ankrah has publicly supported the movement to remove Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka’s name from Ghana’s international airport.
This follows a legal challenge brought by Democracy Hub and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to the Supreme Court.
The lawsuit argues that retaining Kotoka’s name, a key figure in the 1966 coup that ousted Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, undermines the country’s democratic principles.
They believe that a national monument should reflect democratic values and not honor an individual involved in an unconstitutional overthrow of a democratically elected government.
Mr. Ankrah emphasized the importance of honoring figures who have made positive contributions to the nation. He stated, “Naming of monuments is about things people have done. We give honour, and respect, we show that the nation is grateful.”
He also addressed the controversy surrounding Kotoka’s death near the airport, stating, “The people who advocate for the naming of Kotoka International Airport, they are looking at the manner of death that Kotoka suffered around that vicinity.”
Ankrah criticized past governments for not addressing the issue, suggesting that they have neglected the historical implications of associating Kotoka’s name with Ghana’s primary international gateway.
