Sir, - In her column of December 15th, Nuala O'Faolain refers to me as having been a "devoted servant" of the late Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
Nuala O'Faolain has been misinformed. I was never "a devoted servant of Kwame Nkrumah". I was a devoted servant of the University of Ghana for three years (1962-1965) while I was its vice-chancellor.
About the end of my first year Nkrumah, who was President of Ghana as well as Chancellor (titular head) of the university, deported six members of the university's academic staff. He then, in a letter headed in purple ink capitals "Presidential Command", ordered me to appoint certain named people to fill the vacancies created by the deportations. I refused to do so. I pointed out that I was governed by the statutes and regulations of the university, and these required that the vacancies be filled through prescribed academic channels.
Later, the university's academic board, with my participation and active support, appointed persons other than those named to fill the vacancies. These decisions had the warm approval of most of the university faculty and almost all of the student body, who knew of the pressure which had been applied.
Faced with the extent and degree of university opposition to this attempted directive, Nkrumah drew back. He is reported as having said: "That bastard wants me to fire him, and that's why I'm not going to do it."
Very shortly after my own retirement as vice-chancellor, on the completion of my statutory period, Nkrumah was overthrown by military coup. Alex Kwapong, who had been pro-vice-chancellor along with me, and my unflinching partner in the defence of academic freedom, became vice-chancellor and invited me back to the university for the conferring of degrees immediately following the changes.
A few years later I was again invited back, this time to receive an honorary degree from the university. And I have just been invited back again to take part next year in the celebrations of the university's 50th year. Most of those who issue this invitation were students at the university during my time as vice-chancellor.
My role in the successful defence of academic freedom at the university is appreciatively recognised in Sir Eric Ashby's authoritative work, Universities: British, Indian, African.
I recognise Nuala O'Faolain as a fair-minded writer, and I hope that on this occasion she will recognise that she made a mistake, and was unintentionally unjust to me. - Yours, etc.,
Howth Summit, Co Dublin.