PROTEST Against Statue of Ghandi on University of Ghana Campus

Nubuor writes....

PROTEST Against Statue of Ghandi on University of Ghana Campus

Under the cover of darkness, some persons, believed to be supporters of the GandhiMustComeDown Movement, are reported to have defaced the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the premises of the University of Ghana.
The futile campaign by the Movement for the removal of the statue was started by Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo, a half German and half Ghanaian, Dr. Obadele Kamboh, an African-American (all of the Institute of African Studies) and supported by Prof. Akosua Adoma Perbi of the History Department. A law lecturer at the Law Faculty, Dr. Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, and the organizer of the Chale Wote Festival, Mr. Mantse Aryeequaye, are the other members of the group.

Upon the Movement's campaign for online co-signatories to a Petition they were yet to submit to the Council of the University of Ghana on the emotive grounds that Gandhi was an anti-African racist in his youth and administrative lapses in the decision leading to the erection of the statue, a counter-movement, the GandhiMustStand Movement, emerged to correct the factual basis of the Petition.
The GandhiMustStand Movement came out with a Counter-Petition and also went online to campaign for co-signatories while conducting an educational exercise.

 This led to a Radio Univers debate between the two Movements.
The two Movements later submitted their respective Petition and Counter-Petition to the Registry of the University. Both were to be submitted to the Council of the University for its deliberation on the statue issue.
Thereafter, information circulated that the GandhiMustComeDown Movement had planned a demonstration on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, October 2, which the United Nations Resolution 61/271 declared as 'International Day of Non-Violence'.

To commemorate the Day, the GandhiMustStand Movement issued a Press Release, which was circulated online, among the media and the University community from September 30 to October 2.
The GandhiMustStand Movement also planned to organize a symposium on October 6 instead of October 2 to commemorate the International Day of Non-Violence since the latter date fell on a Sunday.
The demonstration did not come on as said to have been planned.
It is not known whether the Press Release and its wide circulation occasioned the change of heart to cancel it since consciousness of the weak grounds upon which the Petition was based appear exposed.
This morning, October 4, news online, as shared below, has reported that under the cover of darkness the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the University of Ghana has been defaced. See pictures of the violent act in the news item shared below.