An eminent Professor of Public Law from Kenya, Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, says until the day Africa achieves political reawakening, the continent cannot not occupy its rightful place in the world.

“Africa will rise in her splendor: it will only do so if we can identify the right things and do them right, we can rise”.

The illustrious African Legal personality who is also the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya School of Law made these remarks when he delivered the first leg of the 11th Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Lectures at the University. The theme for the three-day lectures is “Africa Must Rise” and the first lecture was on the topic “Political Re- Awakening”.

Tracing the trajectory of Africa’s quest for political freedom from the neo- colonialists and how Africa has failed to recover, Prof. Lumumba called on Africans to embrace the ideals of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and liberate themselves from the kind of politics that has let them down. He reiterated the call made by Dr. Nkrumah that “Seek ye first the political kingdom and all others will be added” when he said “Africa must conduct the affairs of politics well, if we do not get it right in politics; we cannot get it right economically”,

Prof. Lumumba said a major African problem was that, Africans behave as if they were inferior to the whiteman. “We are quick to seek help elsewhere instead of finding our own solutions. Those of us who have gone to school are the problem”, he added. He noted that amidst the problems affecting Africa, two schools of thought have emerged, the Afro-pessimists who believe Africa is incapable of solving her problems and will continue to occupy the lower rungs of human development and the Afro-optimists who argue that while Africa has not realised her potential, she was capable of rising from her present situation to occupy her rightful position in the world.

Citing Botswana as an example, he said with the right leadership, that country was among the few countries on the continent to record budget surplus saying “this demonstrates that with the right leadership and the right mix, we can get it right”.  Touching on the canker of corruption in the African society, he noted that until the ghost of corruption and ethnicity were exorcised, Africa could not develop.

He declared that, the African has to be well educated, and recommended the kind of education that Kwame Nkrumah described as “reawakening and rethinking of minds”. He pointed out that Kwame Nkrumah was ahead of his time and peers by 50 years.

Turning to the craze of democracy in Africa, Prof. Lumumba said, “Election is the new thing in town, our leaders remind us of the things they have done, and meanwhile nothing changes”.  He however, asserted that leadership was about servant leadership. Prof. Lumumba wondered why African politics has always been controlled by the outside world. He said for example that after elections, African leaders wait for calls from European and United States leaders before feeling and accepting that they have really won the elections.

The Vice-Chancellor has underscored the crucial role the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has played in transforming his life.

He noted that the University has contributed to his success story in life adding that "It is this University that has made me what I am and who I am today".

Prof. Kuupole said this at the Choralfest organised by the Voices of Accountability in his honour and the 2016 retirees of the University.

Recounting his youthful days, Prof. Kuupole narrated that when he gained admission into UCC, a friend told him to opt for Customs Service rather than teaching but decided to pursue his passion. "Now I am here as a teacher of high calibre; I am here as an administrator; I am here as a social worker and I dont regret", Prof Kuupole indicated.

He seized the chance to advise future Vice-Chancellors not to underestimate the contributions of the senior and junior staff in the discharge of his or her duties noting that "Those (FUSSAG and TEWU) are the people who will make you succeed. "

For his part, former provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Stephen Kendie, commended Prof. Kuupole for his meritorious service. He extolled the remarkable achievement and exhibiting qualities as a team builder, results oriented and visionary leader.

Prof Kendie,who was the guest of honour said the University would continue to tap the rich experience of Prof. Kuupole whose term of office ends on 30th September, 2016 to the hilt.

The Choralfest event which was organised under the auspices of Directorate of Finance, was well attended by the Chairman of UCC Council, Nana Sam Brew Butler, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. K. T. Oduro; Registrar, Mr.John Kofi Nyan; Director of Finance, Mrs Elizabeth Obese and a section of the University Community.

Prof. Domwini Dabire Kuupole, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast has advised Alumni of the University to work hard to build the image of the University wherever they find themselves because they are worthy ambassadors of the University. Prof. Kuupole said this when he was delivering an address on the theme “Bridging the gap between Alumni and their Alma Mater” at the inauguration of the United Kingdom Chapter of the University of Cape Coast Alumni Association in London on Saturday, 27th August, 2016. The Vice-Chancellor entreated Alumni to form a special stakeholder group for their alma mater, thus, the more their alma mater grows and flourishes the better it is for the alumni. The Alumni becomes a unique stakeholder whose main interest is to make sure the alma mater grows in stature and is counted among the best. He indicated that the various Halls of Residence, the unique academic tradition, institutional spirit, and treasured friendships, had all contributed in carving the true identity of UCC Alumni. He therefore entreated Alumni to first and foremost understand that the strength of their degree qualification is enriched in value by the current stature of the alma mater, thus giving back to help to make the institution bigger, stronger and better will turn to value their stature as well. The Vice-Chancellor lauded the initial idea of the UK Chapter coming together to form a Network Support Group to support each other and their alma mater and admonished them to maintain the spirit of oneness. Prof. Kuupole used the opportunity to brief members on some major developments in the University notably the Collegiate System, the UCC Enterprises Limited, improvement in internet connectivity, infrastructural developments, among others. The Chairman for the occasion, Mr. Andrew Lumor of the Universities of Ghana Overseas Office in London, was full of praise for the leadership of the UK Chapter and the Institutional Advancement Office of University of Cape Coast for the effective collaboration and advised them to ensure the chapter lives long to work and achieve its goals. In a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Public Affairs at the High Commission, Mr. Victor Smith, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, pledged his unflinching support to the group. In her acceptance speech, the President of the chapter, Herty Adu-Twumwaa on behalf of the group, gave assurance that the group would work hard to continue to uplift the good name of the University of Competitive Choice. As part of the inauguration, the UK Chapter launched a campaign dubbed “Hope 4 the Disabled at UCC”, a five year campaign plan to raise funds to assist the Resource Centre for Alternative Media and Assistive Technology at the University of Cape Coast. There were solidarity messages from the University of Ghana Alumni Association, UK Chapter and the Canada and USA Chapters of the UCC Alumni Association. Present at the ceremony were Mr. Alex Johnson of Eagle Scientific Ltd, Prof. Felix Konotey-Ahulu, an Alumnus of UCC, Mr. Barnett Quaicoo – in-coming Manager of Cocoa Marketing UK Ltd, and an Alumnus of UCC, Mrs. Elizabeth Obese, Director of Finance, UCC, Mrs. Priscilla Baaba Bansah, Assistant Coordinator, Institutional Advancement Office, Mr. Robert Asare-Amissah, Acting National Secretary, UCC Alumni Association.  

A three-day workshop was held in Takoradi at Ray Bow Hotel from 8th September to 10th September, 2016 to discuss and finalize the third year work plan and also review the second year annual report of the USAID/UCC Fisheries and Coastal Management Capacity Building Support Project. Major highlights of the workshop was to account and report on progress of the Project at the end of Year 2 and also discuss and plan several activities for Year 3. The Project Manager, Dr. Denis Aheto, therefore highlighted some of the achievements including the improvement of students’ performance, renovation of the laboratory at DFAS (now Fisheries and Coastal Research Laboratory) and lectures’ offices, purchase of four vehicles, a research vessel, and short-term technical supports for development of various training manuals. He also announced that a website has been developed for Center for Coastal Management (CCM) which would be launched soon, and that a journal and a knowledge management system called ‘FishCoM GHANA’ are ready to be launched in year three. Dr Noble Asare, Head of Department briefed the participants on some of the challenges they have encountered in year two. Notable amongst them were the delay in the release of funds, some procurement challenges and delay in the renovation of the lecturers’ offices due to ill health and passing of the consultant. Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boapong the Dean of School of Biological Science represented the Vice Chancellor praised the project team for good work done and assured them for his unflinching support. The participants commended the project team and its board for the massive achievements chalked at the end of second year of the project life cycle. They also expressed their satisfaction to the well thought-out work plan that has been formulated by the project team for year three. The participants made significant suggestions to the year three work plan which were accepted by the project team. It was agreed that the project team will have regular meetings with the administration team comprising finance, audit, stores and procurement departments to thrash out any outstanding issues and also bring to their notice any new developments concerning the project. It was recommended that the project team should put in place a communication system to enable them continuously publicize the numerous success stories of the project. Participants at the workshop were impressed with the organization.