11/07/2025
HONORING PROFESSOR KOFI ABREFA BUSIA,
by Nana Frema Busia
Professor K. A. Busia was an iconic intellectual who put Africa and his native Ghana on an accomplished international map of academia in his heyday. His leveraging knowledge into a conscientious political life often overshadows his significant, devoted and dynamic worldwide educational contribution at a time when acclaimed African scholarship with his kind of sophisticated acumen was relatively rare. He certainly earned a befitting accolade as "The Professor" and made Ghana proud with demonstrative excellence in elite European, American and South American universities which was unique.
Today 11th July 2025, in commemoration of his birthday, we acknowledge his contribution to Ghana's educational landscape as a trailblazer and inspirational role model with indelible broad spectrum footprints at Achimota and Wesley College as well as particularly at UG Legon as the Sociology Department marks its 75th anniversary with a lecture series in his honor.
It is apt to cast a definitive glance at Prof Busia as a foundational torch bearer and a pillar of support at the forefront of the University's leadership, overall academic vision & growth as well as policy & knowledge development with its global academic reputation hinged on his premium credentials beyond its bric and mortar existence. He was legendary in making learning a cause celebre, positing that knowledge was useless unless utilized in the service of humanity
Prof Busia certainly broke the embarrassing scenario of an "all white" professorship as the University of Ghana's first African professor of Research and Founding Chair of sociology. His noteworthy departmental establishment integrated African studies and Music with a consequential "discovery" and nurturing of Prof J. H. Nketia who subsequently was known as a "father" of the University. It is a firm hope that the Busia Hall on the Legon campus in his honor will be duly marked with appropriate visible signage.
The candid hope is also that educators and policy makers will learn from and apply nuggets from Prof Busia's book "Purposeful education for Africa" which remains relevant regarding qualitative instruction with determinative focus and a strategic perspective on Africa's critical technological and developmental objectives.
On this birth anniversary we give due cognisance to Prof K. A. Busia whose life's purpose was to serve God and country and made personal sacrifices with resilience towards the democratic soul of Ghana as a more suitable module of governance instead of authoritarian rule.
His legacy of advocacy and unflinching stance with remarkable books regarding Africa's search and challenges towards true democracy as culturally innate and not a foreign concept with normative socio - political and exemplary insights as a pathway to continental democratic progress should get due recognition.
The fervent hope is that the African Union will ultimately give due credit to Prof K. A. Busia who urged the youth of Africa to utilise democracy to make the world a better place than they found it.
May his humble soul peacefully rest
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