Dr Busia was a selfless leader — Son
Mr Kwasi Agyeman Busia, a son of the Prime Minister of the Second Republic, Dr K.A Busia, has stated that the knowledge his father acquired supported his selfless dedication to the service of the people of the country.
“With his distinct clarity about love and dignity for his fellow man, everything Dr Busia did could be interpreted through that prism. For example, it explains why he left the comfort of his academic pursuits where he was literally on top of his career and in demand all over the world to enter into politics,” he said.
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Mr Busia, who is currently the Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), was speaking at the
Rural development
Mr Busia wondered what would have happened to Ghana and Africa’s search for democracy without Dr Busia’s dedication, adding that it was that same love for humanity that manifested in his flagship rural development programme.
That programme, he explained, provided new beginnings and the benefits of modernisation for those whose hard work and toil behind the scenes built universities, secondary schools and hospitals in the big cities.
He noted that his father’s focus on rural development was not only a real promise of equity for the
Christian principles
Mr Busia added that his deep Christian principles translated into his concern for the welfare and dignity of others.
That conviction, he said, led his father to declare that “power is good or evil according to the vision it serves, and our vision is that of a democratic welfare society in which everyone is his brother’s keeper”.
He added that Dr Busia believed that power should be exercised with restraint and without arrogance, and that love for humanity was a salute to individual dignity.
Mr Busia said although the former Prime Minister had detractors, he believed that if his father was wrong, then the “Constitution of the Republic, democracy, perhaps the teachings of kindness, respect and humility in the holy book are wrong”.
Busia’s gift
The chief executive of the DVLA indicated that Dr Busia was gifted with academic brilliance, deep intellect, love for humanity, fear of God, wisdom, courage and humility in politics, sacrifice and his goodness to his country.
He emphasised that Dr Busia “knew himself” and was determined to make a contribution to his country’s betterment, so he spoke with absolute certainty and humility that "my great purpose is to study all I can and then when the time comes, to pour my life
Mr Busia made reference to two statements made by the last Governor of the Gold Coast, the Earl of Listowel, and the President of the Second Republic, Mr Justice Edward Akufo-Addo, and said they buttressed the kind of personality Dr Busia was.
He quoted the governor as saying, “I often think his smile is the key to his character, which lit his whole face and radiated the natural goodness and kindness of heart that lay behind it,” while Mr Justice Akufo-Addo said, “By world standards, Busia ranks with the most learned. The most learned people do not, as a rule, make good politicians, but Busia certainly appeared to be the exception and that was the result of the deep concern he had for his fellow citizens.”