Vice President of policy think-tank IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, says while General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was regarded as a hero at a specific moment in Ghana’s history, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah remains a hero whose legacy has endured over time.
According to him, heroism must be understood within historical context, arguing that Kotoka’s actions made sense at the time they occurred, even though perceptions have shifted since then.
Speaking on Joy News and monitored by NewsDesksGH on February 7, Kofi Bentil weighed in on the renewed public debate surrounding the proposed renaming of Kotoka International Airport, which has been triggered by a government-backed legislative move.
The debate has raised concerns about honouring a coup leader while failing to sufficiently honour Kwame Nkrumah.
Kofi Bentil explained that certain actions make sense within the specific period of time in which they occur.
“There’s a law passed to honour E. K. Kotoka, because at the time he was the biggest hero in Ghana,” he stated.
Reflecting on the 1966 coup that overthrew Kwame Nkrumah, he further argued that some actions are such that only a specific person could have carried them out, while others would have happened eventually even without that individual.
“Some people do things that if they didn’t do, nobody else would be able to do. But some people also do things that if they didn’t do, even time will resolve it.”
“Kotoka did what he did and at the time he was a hero, justified. But what if Kotoka didn’t overthrow Kwame Nkrumah, Nkrumah would die. He had cancer, he didn’t know,” Kofi Bentil added.
He stressed that while Kotoka was acknowledged within his historical space, time has reshaped the national understanding of heroism.
“My point is that, let’s give Kotoka his place in that space, but time has resolved the controversy of the nature of heroism that Kotoka had. Kotoka is what we call a one-shot hero, Kwame Nkrumah is a hero for all time.”
He explained, “Over time, Kotoka’s heroism has waned. Over time, Kwame Nkrumah’s heroics have ascended, the cream has come to the top.”
He acknowledged that even revered historical figures have flaws, noting that Nkrumah’s leadership was not without controversy.
“We all have come to accept that, like Ghandi, like Churchill, like all those people, great men have great flaws. After he suffering all the things that he suffered, Kwame Nkrumah with all his negatives got to a point where he was insufferable, somebody locked him off. At the time, that person was a hero.”
The renewed debate follows an announcement by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga on February 3, 2026, that the government intends to lay the Accra International Airport Bill before Parliament, a move to formally rename Kotoka International Airport.
