The Bond of 1844 centenary fund (1944)

The Bond of 1844 centenary fund (1944)

Culled from The Statesman, Tuesday, February 18, 2003

Abrefa Damoa

Dr J B Danquah was a rare type of character that people will find difficult to understand. Apart from his legal practice, which earned him his income, he was not a business man in today's sense. Like any renowned lawyer, he was not a millionaire.

Yet Dr Danquah would give generously to Ghana. His detractors may interpret his generous conduct to Ghana as a bait for political power; but this concept can be debunked on the basis of the fact that, in 1953, after he had lost an election two years earlier amid booing, hooting and jeering in his political campaign, he still expressed his love for Ghana by giving generously to a Fund that belonged to Ghana.

He did this not as a matter of any legal obligation, but as a gesture of love for his country. No one could claim to love Ghana more than Dr J.B Danquah, and the following letter tells you more.

THE BOND OF 1844

CENTENARY FUND (1944)

Ref. 301/p/53

19th June, 1953

K.B Ateko Esq.

Treasurer, The Bond of 1844 Centenary                      Fund (1944)

Accra

My Dear K.B,

The High Court of the Gold Coast has given judgement in my favour in respect of the article entitled "Danquah Taken to Task” which was published in the Daily Graphic of June 25th 1952, by Mr Price of the University College of the Gold Coast under the false name of “Scipio.”

As you will recall, the article stated that because of certain utterances imputed to me by Mr Price I was a danger to the attainment of self-government in the Gold Coast and should be made to go to Kibi lest I do what Mr Price calls “more damage.”

The High Court found that the article was libelous, that is to say, it exposed me to hatred, ridicule and contempt. I was awarded £200 damages on the ground that it was a minor libel, and I was not awarded costs.

I have therefore had to pay my own costs (£60) from the award, together with £78 expenses in securing evidence. I have given a tithe of one-tenth to the Presbyterian Church at Accra and Kibi (£20), and have reserved 5% for income tax.

There remains a net balance of £32 out of the sum of £200 paid by the Daily Graphic. My counsel and great friend, Mr E.O Obetsebi Lamptey did not of course charge me a fee and has refused to take a penny out the £200.

In my view, greater satisfaction will be given me to devote this sum £32, to a deserving charity. As this libel case arose out of my political activities, I think of no charity more deserving than the purpose which we set before ourselves when 10 years ago we established the Bond of 1844 Centenary Fund during the Centenary Celebrations.

The Fund which is held by a board of trustees with Mr A.M Akiwumi as chairman with you as Treasurer stands at the Post Office Savings Bank at £217.

In order to raise the Centenary Fund to a round sum of £250, I send herewith my cheque for £33, and I ask you to accept this sum on behalf of the Board of Trustees as my further contribution to the Centenary Fund, 1944.

I attach no condition whatsoever to the gift except to ask that, if the Board of Trustees agree, the Centenary Fund should be made the initial capital of a learned or scientific society to be called the Ghana Academy of Science to set up as early as possible, say in the year of our attaining self government, which I hope will be in March 1954, ten years after the centenary of the Bond.

It must be made a source of great delight to you, as it is to me, that we have now attained the first and second of the threefold plan we set before us in the dark and uncertain days when we dreamt of the complete liberation of our land politically, economically, and culturally.

By the radical changes in the constitution since we founded the UGCC six years ago, the political aim of self government is soon to be attained; by the establishment of a Gold Coast Bank this year the national aim of economic independence is also at our doorstep. But our politicians, most of whom condemn learning and culture, have as yet not heard the still small voice of philosophy without which men"s mighty deeds are like dross.

I am aware that your pursuit of one aspect of philosophy and culture, which you call theosophy, has so completely weaned you away from our modern form of materialist politics that our youth of today are probably unaware of you as one of the great foundation builders who made today’s superstructure possible.

Let me hope, however, that as an Academy of Science is the nearest thing to theosophy, your astral soul may permit you to touch on this earth, and that you will take early steps to get the Ghana Academy of Science established, and so put the crown over our long hours of labour and sacrifice for the land.

Believe me to be,

Yours very sincerely,

J B Danquah.

Credit: “Journey to Independence and after” (J B Danquah Letters - Vol. III. 1949 – 1951) by H.K Acheampong.

Courtesy: The Archives of V O D Twum-Barima