"to be able to appreciate the influence of the President of the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the Univ. of Ghana (Legon) and executive member of National Union of Ghanaian Students (NUGS) during the turbulent PNDC regime"     Dr. Kwasi Ofori-Yeboah

Ofori-Yeboah: I was born in Kumasi where I spent the first 6 years of my life before my parents moved to Accra. I attended primary school at Radiantway Preparatory School and went to Prempeh from there. I attended University of Ghana where I majored in political science. I proceeded to do graduate studies in political science at Queen's University, Kingston, Canada. I am currently an assistant professor of political science at Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, Missouri.

prempeh.org: What was Prempeh College like during your days?

Ofori-Yeboah: I must confess Prempeh wasn't my first choice for secondary school. In fact, it wasn't my choice at all. Growing up in Accra, I wanted to attend one of the "coastal schools" like Motown, Accra Aca and the cape schools; in fact the only "interior school" I remotely considered was St. Peters, so Prempeh wasn't on my radar, so to speak. But my mom was sold on Prempeh and insisted that I go to there. I was so upset by that decision that in my youthful logic, I contemplated failing the common entrance exams to avoid going to Prempeh. But sanity prevailed and by God's grace I passed the Common Entrance exams and gained admission to Prempeh. I remember very well how my mom tried repeatedly to convince me that Prempeh was a good school. She mentioned some renowned Amanfoo who worked with her at Ghana Commercial Bank and also family friends one of whom I'm proud to say is the current President of the Republic of Ghana, the Hon. J. A. Kuffuor. Needless to say, my mom was right. I remember the smell of fresh paint when I first entered Prempeh, this was in 1975 during the tenure of Mr. T. A Osae (headmaster). My first impression was the physical beauty of the campus, the aesthetic layout, and as we used to boast at the time (and am sure the same holds true today) "Prempeh is the only campus where you can access all major buildings without having to deal with the elements, be it the sun or rain." It wasn't long before I realized the wisdom in my mom's insistence that I go to Prempeh. Academically they were in a league of their own, and were far and above the best school in the region and one of the best in the nation. The Prempeh familial bond quickly snared me because of the deep sense of oneness you felt as a Prempconian (we didn't like calling ourselves by this term because it alliterates with pigs in the Akan language and the Opuscans were quick to point that out to us). This esprit de corps was amply demonstrated during inter-co, and that "Prempeh spirit" has been with me since. I can confidently say that the school lived up to its' motto and I am paraphrasing here: knowledge and character. I found out from talking to friends during vacations how lucky and privileged I was to be attending a school where character building and academic excellence were paramount. As one master/teacher used to say "Prempeh, a good school," I couldn't agree more.

prempeh.org: Are there any significant memories you retained from your Senior Prefectship year?

Ofori-Yeboah: The vetting process, where potential prefects appeared before the whole teaching staff and answered questions was an eye-opener to me as it impressed upon me the importance of building one's character from the very moment you entered the school. I don't know how prefects are chosen now, during our time, the out-going prefect body would submit names to the administration who would in turn vet these candidates and make the final determination. I cannot recall any particularly significant memories other than to say, I fully enjoyed my tenure as my colleagues on the prefect body, and the students and staff made it a worthwhile experience for me.

prempeh.org: What teachers, if any, inspired you?

Ofori-Yeboah: The venerable Opanin Kwadwo Kyere, Miss Victoria Derkyi, and several others whose names escape me. As one may recall from the Senior Prefects Board on campus, my name is listed as E. Ofori-Yeboah. The E in my name was for Emmanuel, and yes I dropped it. What happend was that in form one, Art master Mr. S.O. Koranteng (SOK) was checking the roll and when he got to my name he called out Ofori Yeboah F. E. He paused and asked what the F. E. stood for and when I told him Frederick Emmanuel, he said something like "here you are with a beautiful Akan name only to ruin it with two dog names." Impressionable as I was, I felt so hurt by the dog names that without my parents knowledge or permission, I dropped the Frederick Emmanuel and went to Ofori-Yeboah, Kwasi, thanks to Mr. Koranteng. The reason Emmanuel appears on my school record is because the name change was not official until I left Prempeh, so on record at Prempeh, I am legally Emmanuel even though I dropped it the very first week of my sojourn at Prempheh, I guess, it is another inspirational story.

prempeh.org: How did the S.P. position prepare you for your future duties at the University level?

Ofori-Yeboah: I honed in a lot of my leadership style from being the Senior Prefect at Prempeh. I learned to walk the fine line between representing students' interest to the administration without being needlessly confrontational. I realized that being fair and firm as the S.P. was essential to being successful in office. The balancing act that I had to perform as the SP, would be very identical to the one I faced as the SRC president, albeit the players were different and the stakes much higher.

prempeh.org: Senior, please give posterity a brief account of Ghana political history during your 6th Form years - say, from the time you finished O-Levels to the time you entered the University, naming the key political players and Heads of State of the time.

Ofori-Yeboah: The PNDC seized power through a coup d'etat in 1981 and subjected the country to almost two decades of unparalleled and unprecedented dictatorial rule in Ghana's young political history. The Great Famine of 1983 occurred when I was the Senior Prefect and I vividly remember how disruptive the food shortage was to campus life. We were being underfed, and a general sense of unease pervaded campus. I recall going to Accra on the school bus with Mr. Osei (the driver) with the permission of the headmaster, Mr. Atiemo to go and hunt for rice. What was troubling about the famine was that its effects could have been severely mitigated if the PNDC had been prudent and pragmatic enough to ask for international aid. Instead they were too ideological and myopic and I might add doctrinaire that they were willing to sacrifice the lives of Ghanaians in the pursuit of their wrong-headed and pseudo-leftist policies. The recollection of the anguish and the sullen faces of Ghanaians at the time still upsets me today. We lived under one of the most brutal and repressive regimes that Ghana will ever experience. Suffice it to say that it was a very rough time for most Ghanaians.

prempeh.org: You became President of the Students Representative Council of the University of Ghana, and an executive member of the National Union of Ghanaain Students (NUGS). Please tell us about this position and how you got it.

Ofori-Yeboah: Unlike the selection process at Prempeh, the SRC president is elected in campus-wide elections. Some friends of mine who knew I was the S.P at Prempeh approached me and encouraged me to run for the office, and after careful and prayerful consideration, I decided to enter the race. There were 5 of us competing for the office. It might interest some of you to know that the government at the time took serious interest in SRC elections and actually sought to influence the outcome by sponsoring candidates they considered "friendly." They did this with material support such as providing posters and other logistical support. By God's grace I won the election and immediately incurred the displeasure of the PNDC government due to some of my pronouncements during the campaign. This animosity would eventually lead to my expulsion (together with 6 other student leaders) from Legon.

prempeh.org: Who were some of the key players that helped you in those days. Was there something like a Ofori-Yeboah cabinet?

Ofori-Yeboah: Yes, there was a cabinet of sorts for the SRC president. These are people hand picked from the general assembly (elected representatives from the various halls of residence), so yes, I did have a cabinet and these were mainly friends and some of those who had supported me during the campaign. But I got the most support from the Christian fellowship of which I was a member. Some of you might recall how the PNDC yanked from the air such popular programs like Osofo Dadzie. They also pulled the plug on such Christian t.v. shows like Oral Roberts and Sunday evening services. Consequently, anyone who even appeared religious was considered "anti-revolutionary." As a member of the Christian Fellowship therefore, they did not appreciate my religious views and my political stance on national issues, but thanks to the tremendous support of Ghafes (Christian fellowship on campus) and especially the leadership, I had a solid support base to push my agenda with both the university authorities and with the PNDC government.

prempeh.org: What did you think of the June 4, 1979 coup? Were you a supporter of it?

Ofori-Yeboah: I was 17 years old at the time of the coup and must admit I was a political neophyte. I didn't have a clear view about the role of government or what the best form of government should be. However, my parents were adamantly opposed to the coup and that is how I came to the conclusion that maybe it was a bad idea. I must say that I strongly disapproved of the executions and the lawlessness that ensued after the coup. In hindsight I'd say the coup is yet another dark blot on our history.

prempeh.org: Why were the people celebrating?

Ofori-Yeboah: Ghana had been under the dictatorship of the Acheampong regime since 1972 and even though he had been deposed and the country was in the process of returning to civilian rule, most Ghanaians in my estimation felt that the Acheampong/Akuffo governments deserved to be brought to justice. But I doubt if those who jubilated initially had the faintest idea how ruthless and brutal the AFRC would be to the extent of executing current and past national leaders, not to mention the countless number of innocent victims.

prempeh.org: What about the executions of former leaders? Did they deserve to die?

Ofori-Yeboah: I am personally implacably opposed to the death penalty and have been that way since I can remember, so no, the execution of the leaders was unjust and unwarranted in light of the fact that they did not even receive a fair trial, let alone justify the death sentence they received. Their execution becomes even more egregious and galling if one considers the record of the AFRC/PNDC/NDC, who committed far worse atrocities than the leaders they executed.

prempeh.org: During the 1979 coup, when an Editor of one of our state-operated daily newspapers wrote an editorial condemning and calling for an end to executions, students from the University of Ghana attacked the Editor for calling for compassion and decorum? You may not have been at the University then, but when you entered the University, what was the story behind that? Did the students have any regrets at that time?

Ofori-Yeboah: As many of you might recall there is a history of tension and animosity between university students and governments in general, but more so with military dictatorships, so it was a case of your "enemy's enemy is my friend." Students at the time were at odds with the SMC and therefore welcomed the AFRC, but the initial rapport between the students and the AFRC (giving up school to go help evacuate cocoa from the hinterland and the spirit of volunteerism that was unleashed) quickly disappeared when the excesses of the government came to light. Yes, there were regrets when I went to campus. I recall several older folks having very little sympathy for us during our protracted struggle with the PNDC. I heard comments like, "You guys supported them and asked for blood to flow, what do you want now," or " We are fed up with you guys, you are always the first to embrace them and now that you are tasting some of the poison you helped them prepare, you are looking to us for support? Go to… (expletives that I can't repeat here)". Yes, students have had a black eye and deservedly so for backing the wrong "horse" from time to time.

prempeh.org: What about 1981 coup? Where were you when this took place?

Ofori-Yeboah: I must admit I was disappointed in the Limann administration but didn't foresee the 1981 coup, neither did I support it. I was home (Dec. 31) when the coup occurred.

prempeh.org: What do you think about the execution of the judges? Can you tell us the story behind it?

Ofori-Yeboah: I just read recently on the ghanaweb.com that someone close to the investigations into the execution of Judges in the early 1980s is coming out with a tell-all book. I hope the book lives up to its billing and shed more light on this dastard and cowardly act which has been shrouded in secrecy. I had never been to a court house before until the Spring of 1982 when while waiting to pick up some pants/trousers from a tailor, I wandered into the high court building on high street and chanced upon a case being tried by Justice Agyepong. I even remember the details of the case, but I will spare you the boredom. You can imagine my shock and grieve when I read about his disappearance and subsequent murder a few months later. I don't think the chapter on this unfathomable act is closed yet.

prempeh.org: Were there any extra-judicial killings you or your colleagues knew of?

Ofori-Yeboah: None that I can think of, with the notable exception of the execution of Kyereme-Gyan. A vocal student critic of the regime who was tried and executed for allegation of plotting to overthrow the government because he was found to be in possession of a weapon or some such ridiculous charge. His case was particularly troubling to us, because he was one of our own (student activist) and we had no doubt that his activism more than anything else contributed to his death, not to mention the fact that his senior brother who was once a close ally of Rawlings had become his nemesis.

prempeh.org: What about the government's educational policies?

Ofori-Yeboah: There were a several of areas of disagreement between NUGS and the PNDC government but by far education was the area of strongest disagreement.

prempeh.org: Which policies of the government did you and NUGS oppose?

Ofori-Yeboah: The government had learned the harsh reality that empty rhetoric would take you no where, so they made a quick U-turn in policy by jettisoning their infantile leftism and embracing the IMF's Structural Adjustment Program. The problem with the program was that among other policy prescriptions, it called for phasing out and eliminating government subsidy for secondary and tertiary education. I can't begin to explain our dismay and the uproar that the public disclosure of the government's intentions generated on campus. Simply put, the policy would have fundamentally altered and irreparably destroyed the much-needed universal access to secondary and tertiary education in Ghana. A situation we found so untenable that we resolved to oppose at all cost. Our opposition was stiffened by the fact that the government had no adequate measures in place to accommodate the majority who would have been affected by the fallout from the educational "reform" they were about to introduce.

prempeh.org: Were there any threats on your life or did you at anytime feel threatened by the authorities?

Ofori-Yeboah: I felt insecured for a few days after we were dismissed from the university and were asked to report to the nearest police station. Prudence dictated that I go into hiding and that is what I did until the situation "normalized."

prempeh.org: What about your family? Was there any fear on their part because of the day-to-day risks involved in your work. Were they worried about your safety?

Ofori-Yeboah: Up until my dismissal my parents had no worries about my safety, but that quickly changed when my name among others made the headlines as a security risk, etc., etc. Then they became fearful for my safety and helped me to stay safe.

prempeh.org: How did your colleagues from school perceive the job you were doing at that time?

Ofori-Yeboah: They were very appreciative and supportive all the way. Had it not been for their unflinching support there is no way the government would have allowed me to go and complete the few months I had for my degree. Their refusal to resume classes (and this happened on 3 different occasions leading to the shutting down of the university on all 3 occasions) convinced the government of the student's resolve that "there will be no university education in Ghana until the leaders were allowed to come and complete the semester," and thankfully, that is exactly what happened. In short, I can't thank the students enough for the brave and fruitful fight they put up on our behalf. Without that valiant effort, my 3 years on campus would have amounted to nothing as I wouldn't have been able to complete my program.

prempeh.org: Did you ever come into contact with any of the government leaders or former coup makers, e.g., did you ever speak in the presence of any of them at a social function?

Ofori-Yeboah: Yes, I did meet several of them and on several occasions. We were engaged in deliberations with them regarding a range of issues pertaining to students' welfare. With the exception of Rawlings who I saw a few times at the Castle, I'd say, I met and interacted with the majority, if not all the cabinet members.

prempeh.org: What did they feel towards you - Kwasi Ofori-Yeboah - personally?

Ofori-Yeboah: As far as I can tell I had a cordial and professional relationship with the ministers I dealt with on a regular basis, and those were the ministers for Education and Interior and the Secretary to the PNDC.

prempeh.org: What were your demands during your term of office?

Ofori-Yeboah: As aforementioned we were determined to safeguard universal access to secondary and tertiary education in Ghana.

prempeh.org: What were your achievements in your crusade for freedom and liberty?

Ofori-Yeboah: I wouldn't say I did anything out of the ordinary to merit recognition for contribution to the "crusade for freedom and liberty." I followed the foot steps of the leaders before me to promote and protect students' interest and welfare. In so doing if I helped preserve a tradition of the student body serving as a bastion of opposition to arbitrariness and disregard for the rule of law, then I would humbly submit that when I was given the opportunity to serve, I did not disappoint, but I will leave it to my colleagues to make that judgement.

prempeh.org: Are there any stories you would like to share with us?

Ofori-Yeboah: Time and space would not allow me to share some of the anecdotal stories of interest, but I will say this, both in my capacity as the Senior Prefect and SRC President, I found it rewarding to trust and commit my life to God, yes, prayer works and without God's guidance and provision, I doubt if I would have held those offices in the first place. To Him be all the glory.

prempeh.org: What lessons should the children of Ghana learn from this history?

Ofori-Yeboah: We all have a role to play in making our country a better place to live. While some roles may be more prominent and therefore get all the spot light, we can all in our own small way contribute by doing what we do best, be it as a teacher, farmer, business leader or what have you. The greatest tragedy is the apathy and alienation which leads some to literally give up on Ghana. I believe that we were not made Ghanaians by accident, and while our storied history is replete with some unpleasant memories, then again the question is which country doesn't have its fair share of pluses and minuses. Yes, am confident about Ghana's future and encourage one and all to give the country a chance to succeed by giving it their best in time, resources, intellectual and material capital and any other positive investment they can think of.

prempeh.org: Do you approve of this current National Reconciliation Program or do you see a better option, such as an opportunity to try all offenders?

Ofori-Yeboah: While a part of me would wish for a prosecution of all people suspected of abusing political power, I also see the danger and the potential futility of that exercise, so in consonance with my better judgement, I will opt for the National Reconciliation Program. Thank you and God bless.

prempeh.org: Thank you.