A former UN Senior Government Advisor, Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has commended President John Dramani Mahama for delivering an address reminiscent of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s style at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
According to Prof. Agyeman-Duah, the President’s address revived the spirit of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s era of African leadership.
He noted that Mahama’s demeanour, together with the content of his address, reminded him of Ghana’s first President during the post-independence era.
“It was the first time in a very long time that I’ve heard an African leader at the UN taking on critical issues in such a bold way. It reminded me of Kwame Nkrumah days, the early post-independence era…”
In an interview on JoyNews on Monday, September 29, 2025, he stated that the African continent faces numerous challenges it cannot address due to its dependence on the West in several spheres for survival.
“When I heard the President’s speech, it reminded me… we have so many challenges that our leaders tend to kind of either be timid … or because our hands are in their mouth… and it’s gone for so long,” he said.
Prof. Agyeman-Duah expressed that he was “really impressed” with the President’s style of delivery, particularly a metaphor he used to describe how the continent should be recognised at the highest table of decision-making, given its demonstrated traits over the years.
“If that bird cracks like a duck and looks like a duck and walks like one, please, let’s say it’s a duck,” the President stated.
Mahama’s touch on the treatment of African migrants, the exploitative role of international financial agencies, and the need for fairness in global systems, Prof. Agyeman-Duah noted, were all laudable.
“When you tackle the issue of immigration, the way the western countries are treating Africans… the way the international financial agencies are simply exploiting us and many others that he raised… for me, it was the boldest speech I’ve heard from an African leader in a very, very long time, and I was very pleased with it.”
