Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Paul Afoko, has urged Ghanaian youth to be courageous in speaking out against wrongdoing, stressing that defending integrity is a responsibility, not arrogance.
Sharing his own experience of nearly 20 years in exile after challenging the 1981 coup, Mr Afoko told students of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra on Friday that silence in the face of injustice "slowly robs a nation of its soul."
He warned that when citizens fail to confront danger or wrongdoing, society ultimately pays a heavier price.
The Former Chairman emphasised that national progress depends on young people willing to question, rather than simply conform.
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"Conformity kills innovation, weakens national courage and allows mediocrity to take root," he mentioned.
He noted that impact was not determined by titles or political appointments, but by ordinary citizens acting with integrity.
Teachers, writers, journalists, and students, he emphasised, have historically shaped nations through consistent commitment to principle.
Delivering the keynote address at a Student Leadership Dialogue on "Civic Courage: Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Making a National Impact," organised by the Ama Ata Aidoo Centre for Creative Writing at AUCB, Mr Afoko encouraged students to hold leaders accountable respectfully, practice "small courage" daily, and guard against tribalism and divisive politics.
He stressed that patriotism should take precedence over partisanship.
The Vice Chancellor of AUCB, Professor Paul Blankson, expressed concern over a decline in independent thinking among Ghanaian youth.
He noted increasing partisanship and susceptibility to manipulation, warning that such trends threaten national unity and students' future.
He urged students to rediscover their responsibility to the nation, resist political manipulation, and prioritise constructive engagement across ideological divides, reminding them that the future of Ghana rests on their courage, integrity, and commitment to shaping history.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
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