State Monuments for Patriots Only: CPP Slams Proposed Renaming of Kotoka International Airport

Introduction

Ghana stands at a crossroads of historical memory and national identity as a proposal to rename Kotoka International Airport—one of the country’s most prominent landmarks—sparks intense political and public debate. The Convention People’s Party (CPP), a historic political force rooted in the legacy of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, has vocally opposed the renaming initiative, arguing that state monuments, streets, and public institutions must be reserved exclusively for individuals who embody true patriotism and democratic legitimacy. This stance, articulated by the CPP’s National Communication Director Osei Kofi Acquah during a recent interview on Joy News’ PM Express, transcends a simple change of name; it delves into fundamental questions about how Ghana chooses to honor its past, whose contributions are deemed worthy of national recognition, and how historical narratives shape contemporary politics. As the Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga announced the government’s intention to rename Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport, the CPP’s response crystallizes a broader ideological conflict over memory, legacy, and the very definition of patriotism in Ghanaian society. This article examines the origins of the debate, unpacks the CPP’s arguments, explores the historical context of both the airport and the figures involved, and offers a balanced analysis of the implications for Ghana’s democratic evolution and national unity.

Key Points

The CPP’s Core Argument: Monuments Must Honor Patriots

The CPP insists that state-funded monuments and public namings are not merely ceremonial but are profound statements about national values. According to Osei Kofi Acquah, such honors should be bestowed only upon individuals whose actions have demonstrably advanced Ghana’s democratic foundations and sovereignty. He criticized the existing practice where figures associated with undemocratic actions, including coups, are celebrated through national landmarks. Acquah emphasized that patriotism is intrinsically linked to a commitment to democratic principles and the people’s will, not to the seizure of power through force or subterfuge. This position frames the renaming debate as a moral test: will Ghana continue to elevate symbols of military intervention over those of constitutional governance?

Government’s Renaming Announcement and Its Significance

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga’s disclosure that the government plans to revert Kotoka International Airport to Accra International Airport signals a deliberate shift in the nation’s symbolic landscape. Kotoka International Airport, named after Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a key figure in the 1966 coup that overthrew Kwame Nkrumah, has borne its current name since 1968. Renaming it to Accra International Airport would remove the explicit reference to a military leader and instead highlight the city it serves. The government’s rationale, though not fully elaborated in the initial announcement, appears to align with a broader effort to de-emphasize symbols associated with the coup era and promote a more neutral, geographically descriptive naming convention. However, the CPP interprets this move not as neutrality but as a selective erasure that fails to address the deeper issue of who deserves national honor.

Historical Defense of Kwame Nkrumah’s Democratic Legitimacy

A crucial element of the CPP’s response is the vigorous defense of Kwame Nkrumah’s democratic credentials. Acquah rejected narratives that justify the 1966 coup by painting Nkrumah’s government as authoritarian or illegitimate. He asserted that Nkrumah came to power through legitimate elections and that his administration represented the genuine will of the Ghanaian people. Acquah highlighted the irony that the coup plotters, who later overthrew Nkrumah, had themselves participated in the democratic process by seeing him off at the airport when he departed for Hanoi—a gesture that underscored their duplicity. By restoring the airport’s original name (Accra International Airport), the CPP argues, the government would inadvertently whitewash the violent overthrow of a democratically elected leader without properly acknowledging the historical injustice.

Background

The History of Kotoka International Airport

Kotoka International Airport, located in Accra, is Ghana’s primary international gateway and a critical infrastructure asset. Originally constructed in the colonial era as Accra Airport, it was renamed in 1968 after Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, who died in a failed coup attempt in 1967. Kotoka was a central figure in the National Liberation Council (NLC), the military junta that governed Ghana after the 1966 overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah. The renaming occurred during the NLC’s tenure and was part of a broader effort to legitimize the new regime by elevating its leaders to national hero status. Over the decades, the airport’s name has become a fixture in Ghanaian and international consciousness, but it has also been a source of contention for those who view Kotoka as a symbol of military intervention in politics. The proposed reversion to Accra International Airport is therefore not just a logistical change but a symbolic reclamation of pre-coup nomenclature.

The Convention People’s Party and Ghana’s Founding Narrative

The CPP, founded by Kwame Nkrumah in 1949, played a pivotal role in Ghana’s independence movement and the establishment of the First Republic. As the ruling party from 1957 until the 1966 coup, the CPP championed Pan-Africanism, socialist-inspired development, and a strong centralized state. Its legacy is inseparable from Nkrumah’s vision of a modern, united Ghana. After the coup, the CPP