Accra, Ghana — October 3, 2025: The Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing at the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) hosted Professor Kwasi Nkrumah Boadi last Friday as its Distinguished Visiting Writer. The celebrated scholar, author of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, Sankofa Funtum-Denkyem, engaged students of Media and Governance in an enlightening session that bridged philosophy, politics, and the power of cultural reclamation.
With an academic career steeped in African philosophy and political thought, Prof. Boadi’s lecture explored the intellectual legacy of Kwame Nkrumah and the philosophical depth embedded in African symbols and traditions. His latest work offers a refreshing reinterpretation of Nkrumah’s philosophy—viewed not through Western theoretical lenses, but through African epistemology and lived experience.
“We need to draw political and philosophical substance directly from the African experience and epistemology,” Prof. Boadi emphasized. “History must serve as a living guide, urging us to reclaim the wisdom and principles that can shape a just and self-defining African future.”
The Symbolism of Funtum-Denkyem
Central to his presentation was the Adinkra symbol Funtum-Denkyem, represented by two crocodiles sharing one stomach yet fighting over food. In Sankofa Funtum-Denkyem, Prof. Boadi reinterprets the symbol as a philosophical and ideological cornerstone for Africa’s narrative—one that calls for unity, coexistence in diversity, and mutual respect.
He illustrated this with a striking anecdote:
“The two heads are always fighting,” he said. “If we are always fighting over something, then it’s selfishness. They don’t realize—because they are animals—that it’s going to the same destination. Unfortunately, when J. B. Danquah suggested it as a symbol for Ghana, Nkrumah saw it as a monstrosity—a representation of selfishness.”
A Critique of Modern Politics
When asked about the current state of Ghana’s party politics, Prof. Boadi argued that Africa’s political systems must be rooted in its cultural heritage rather than mimic Western frameworks. He called for a reawakening of pre-colonial political philosophies—systems that emphasized community, accountability, and the collective good.
A Call to Intellectual Reclamation
Beyond the academic debate, Prof. Boadi’s message was a call to action. His book urges Africans—especially the younger generation—to reclaim their intellectual heritage and craft new frameworks for governance, identity, and social cohesion.
“Kwame Nkrumah is Ghana, and Ghana is Kwame Nkrumah,” he declared, underscoring the importance of understanding Nkrumah’s ideas in the broader tapestry of African thought and self-determination.
The session concluded with an engaging Q&A segment, both in person and on Zoom, leaving students with renewed conviction that Africa’s future must be written in the ink of its own philosophy.
