The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has reiterated the need for the works and legacy of W.E.B Du Bois to be preserved.
According to him, the role of Mr Du Bois in fostering Pan Africanism and the black personality cannot be underplayed, and restoring this legacy must be of concern to all.
“As a former University of Ghana student, I visited here to study some of the literature, and there is a sense of nostalgia. The work being done here deserves full support,” he said.
Mr Bagbin made the call when he visited the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre yesterday to better understand the legacy of the late Pan-African advocate, W.E.B. Du Bois.
During the visit, he toured the tomb of Du Bois, the exhibition centre, the bungalow where he lived, and the book preservation laboratory, guided by Mr Japhet Aryiku, Executive Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation, Ghana.
The centre is set to undergo renovation led by the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation, a New York-based non-profit, in partnership with the Ghanaian government.
The modernisation project is scheduled to begin in April this year and is expected to be completed by February 2027.
Mr Bagbin said investing in the centre would contribute to the true liberation of Africa, as envisioned by Du Bois, Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and George Padmore.
He also pledged personal investment in the project and confirmed his involvement in discussions with Mr Aryiku regarding its progress.
He added that investing in the centre would contribute to the true liberation of Africa, as envisioned by Du Bois, Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and George Padmore.
Mr Aryiku, on his part, noted that the construction cost is estimated at $60 million, while the total endowment and related expenses could reach $200 million.
Touching on the broader vision, Mr Aryiku noted that the restoration aims to transform the centre into a modern museum complex while fundraising efforts continue to cover the high costs.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ms Able Dzifa Gomashie, expressed gratitude to the government for supporting the project and called for similar recognition for George Padmore.
“Between Du Bois, Nkrumah, and Padmore, Ghana has become a hub of Pan-Africanism,” she said.
The W.E.B. Du Bois Centre remains a vital repository of Pan-African history and thought.
Its modernisation is expected to preserve the literature, promote education, and strengthen Ghana’s role in the Pan-African movement for generations to come.
BY BENJAMINARCTON-TETTEY
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