Seasoned Journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr. has reacted to a video circulating on social media showing how his biological father’s properties were auctioned.
He took a melancholic trip down the memory lane over how his father was treated after the overthrow of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Kofi Baako, the father of Kweku Baako Jnr., served as Minister for Defence in the Nkrumah government during the First Republic of Ghana until it was overthrown in 1966 and also held various other ministries throughout the reign of the Convention People’s Party.
After the overthrow of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the National Liberation Council arrested some Ministers who were in the country at the time and the arrested persons included Kofi Baako.
A video has been sighted by Peacefmonline showing what looked like an auction of properties belonging to Kweku Baako’s father.
On September 25, 1967, Mr Baako’s movable properties which included clothing, mattresses, wardrobes, cabinets, books, among others were auctioned off.
Joining a panel discussion on Wednesday edition of Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show, Kweku Baako was asked if he had seen such a video and to tell whether or not it is true.
In response, the astute Journalist confirmed the veracity of the incident, disclosing that his father’s properties were indeed auctioned to the public.
“Many people sending with different versions, one point, it’s authentic but it is truncated. It is authentic because it happened. They auctioned. Eight cabinet Ministers were found liable…and it was to do with A.G. Leventis. They handed over their corporate entity to Ghana government. A.G. Leventis became GNTC. The sale to Ghana government, what the Commission found, the effect was that there was an extra 1 million pounds or dollars…was paid and it went to NADECO. NADECO was National Development Company or Corporation…That NADECO was virtually a wing of the CPP and indeed money…so sometimes when commissions of contracts come, they use to finance the party and many other things.
“So, the Cabinet Ministers who were at that meeting presided over by the great Osagyefo, himself, and don’t forget Nkrumah was not in the jurisdiction. So, what they did was they listed the Cabinet Ministers who were present and surcharged them based on the commission of enquiries in it. Indeed, they were even sent to the High Court and prosecuted except that they were convicted. They said they should sell off their properties. I was 13 years old; I was an eye-witness to that auction,” he narrated.
He added; “…on the day of coup, soldiers raided our house and took a lot of things away; cows, goats, dogs, [you know] many things. When you come to our house right now, you will see bullet holes still there. Almost a quarter of my father’s properties, assets and things were stolen by marauding soldiers who invaded the house.”
He also reminisced about how a Lebanese man present during the auction inquired from the auctioneer to buy one of Kofi Baako’s children and make him or her his house help; something that made a young Kweku Baako go mad as he was standing next to this Lebanese man when the latter was shouting to the auctioneer.
“Before the guy realized, I jumped and held his neck. The whole place became chaotic. The Police had to intervene. The cameramen were taken shots of what was happening. Look, they thought there was a lion. The man, if the Police officers hadn’t intervened, I would have devoured him. Look, I was mad,” he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.
He also revealed how his dad rejected financial inducements to keep his integrity.
“I thought the old man was such a [quote unquote] bad person because we were suffering. A Minister of 18 years standing, arguably the closest Lieutenant…from the early 60s, the closest, the most powerful of all of them; you know the family pressure…When my old man walks across the street to go and buy Ga kenkey and fish, you will see people laughing and things and it was embarrassing”
“But as a I grew up, I understood that, okay, he could have picked the money but he didn’t. That should be my source of strength. I’m telling you honestly; that’s where my dedication, my loyalty and everything to him grew because I could now understand it better…He had the chance, he didn’t take advantage. So, we suffered but it gave me some source of inspiration and integrity.”
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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