Word: busia
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...successful as his methods were, Nkrumah still had one powerful voice to silence. He turned the heat on Oxford-educated Kofi Busia, 46, head of the opposition United Party. In his efforts to undermine Busia, Nkrumah managed to get Busia's brother deposed as the Paramount Chief of Wenchi, and last June had himself installed as the yeferiheni (head) of the Wenchi royal family. Finally, Nkrumah got his chance to eliminate Busia himself when the opposition leader announced that he was leaving for a lecture tour of Europe. The government broadly hinted that if Busia ever came back...
Opposition Leader K. A. Busia objected that without the two-thirds safeguard "the constitution will become a fragile document on which no one can rely, since it can be changed any day or any moment." The opposition saw Nkrumah's proposal as just one more step toward the complete abolition of the regional assemblies in favor of an all-powerful central government. Nkrumah frankly agreed; the regional assemblies, he said, were "a rape on Mother Ghana," and had produced a "leprous baby." Opposition M.P.s cried, "What's the hurry? What's the hurry?" as Nkrumah rammed through...
...somewhat vain man who suffered a $120,000 statue of himself to be erected in front of Accra's Parliament House, Nkrumah shocked his British Laborite boosters by cracking down hard on the opposition, led by scholarly Sociologist Kofi Busia of University College. He deported his critics, sent his tough-talking Minister of the Interior, Krobo Edusei, stumping about the country, threatening to "deport aliens and detain without court trial" Ghanaians who opposed the government. But of all Nkrumah's battles, none has been fought more doggedly than the one against the traditional powers of Ghana...
...Nkrumah increased his grip, four M.P.s defected from the opposition, bringing Nkrumah's majority up to 77 v. 24. At the same time, it became known that Kofi Busia, now in ill health, intends to resign as opposition leader and go back to teaching at University College. Deprived of its most respected figure, the opposition found itself near collapse. There was no longer much doubt in Ghana as to just "where the power lies...
...newly independent citizens of a former African colony, said Professor Busia, Ghanaians have a duty to other Africans seeking self-government. "Let us testify our determination to maintain civil liberty and democracy," he cried. Retorted a government spokesman: "The concern of the leader of the opposition merely betrays his guilty conscience because he was and has been the leader of those who perpetrated atrocities in Ashanti"-the wealthy (cocoa and gold) territory that is the heartland of Nkrumah's opposition. "Let me tell the House this bill is being introduced purposely because of the Ashanti," blurted another government spokesman...