Koku Anyidoho’s name on Atta Mills bust must be dropped – Prof Gyampo

A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof Ransford Gyampo has called for the removal of Koku Anyidoho’s name on the recently-outdoored bust of the late Prof John Evans Atta Mills.

According to him, Koku’s name on the said artwork makes it look ‘wordy’ and ‘clumsy’.

In a Facebook post on Monday, he further indicated that the role of Mr Anyidoho in the commemoration of Atta Mills is known, and therefore there is no need adding his name to the monument.

He wrote: “A simple correction: This statue of Prof J.E.A Mills, 3rd President of the 4th Republic (Jan 2009-July 2012), was unveiled by H.E. Nana Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, Sunday, July 24 2022.

“Koku’s role is known and can never be discounted. But in humility, it must be dropped in order not to make the writings on the statue too clumsy and wordy”.

The comments by the political scientist add to the scores of public sentiments about the bust of the late head of state.

Following the outdooring of the bust by President Akufo-Addo on Sunday, July 24, many citizens took to social media to lament the inscriptions on it.

The monument, which was unveiled at the Asomdwe Park, did not have the name of Prof John Evans Atta Mills on it.

This according to some critics, undermines the value of the bust erected in honour of the late professor.

In this regard, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu said it is offensive that a bust unveiled to honour the memory of the late John Atta Mills’ does not bear his own name.

Addressing the press at Parliament on Monday, he said it was disappointing to see the new bust bear the names of President Akufo-Addo and Koku Anyidoho and not that of the late President.

He said it is unacceptable for a sculpture honoring a particular person not to have his name but that of the person who unveiled it and other supporting parties.

“The bust of him, John Evans Atta Mills, our respected President, beneath the bust is not his name. It is that of President Akufo-Addo and that is not his [Atta Mills’] name and we find that incredibly unacceptable and offensive”, he fumed on Monday.

Mr Iddrisu therefore tasked government to immediately correct the inscription on the bust by removing the names of President Akufo-Addo and Koku Anyidoho.

The Tamale South legislator also warned that had it not been for the peaceful nature of the former President, he would have gone there and removed the inscription himself.

The commemoration of Atta Mills’ 10th anniversary was marked by pockets of controversy after two separate events were held at the Asomdwe Park.

The first commemorative event at the Asomdwe Park had President Akufo-Addo in attendance, together with the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho.

This was followed by another gathering involving the opposition National Democratic Congress and its 2020 flagbearer John Dramani Mahama.

The two distinct events raised concerns from a section of the general public, some of who stated that the parallel ceremonies attended by Mahama and Akufo-Addo do not reflect the peaceful nature of the late Atta Mills.

Meanwhile, an old friend of the late Professor Mills, Professor Kofi Asomaning has revealed that Akufo-Addo and Mills once jelled as teammates in the Legon Hall football team at the University of Ghana.

Speaking in a JoyNewsdocumentary on Professor Mills, he said “In sporting activities, he [Atta Mills] was very much involved.

In fact, the current President, His Excellency Akufo-Addo joined us in our second year and both of them were playing for Legon Hall.

But Professor Mills was playing for the University. He was in the university eleven”.

Here is the documentary which profiles the late head of state from his days at the University of Ghana, all the way to his rise to the Presidency up to his last breath on mother earth.

Source: Paa Kwesi Schandorf