Journey to Independence and After (Dr. J. B. Danquah's Letters) Vol. II 1949 -1951

Abstract

Since J. B. died in detention after a lot of suffering to which Nkrumah was insensitive; attempts have been made to show Ghanaians and the outside world what a great patriot he was. To those who followed J.B.'s career closely, all this would seem to be unnecessary. But, as the letters in this collection reveal, throughout J.B.'s active life he was regarded by the British Colonial Administration and the Convention People's Party Government as "a factious disturber of government," - a derogatory meaning for a patriot in 18th century England. A careful scrutiny of these letters, however, shows that he was a patriot of a very rare type, ~ man who did not seek any rewards for work that he did, and who spared no effort to prove that he had a high intelligence which he was not prepared for anyone, high or low, to insult. The African Latin poet, Terentius Afer, makes the claim that he is a human being, and all that touches humanity is his concern - homo sum, nil humanum a me alienum puto. Of J .B. it may be said that he was a Ghanaian, and all that touched Ghana was his concern. Therefore Ghanensis sum, nil Ghanense a me alienum puto, might well be his motto and the caption of this collection of letters.