In a scathing critique of Ghana’s historical hostility toward domestic capital, renowned economist and former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Prof. Stephen Adei, has asserted that Ghana needs just 50 visionary entrepreneurs built in the mold of Rev. Dr. Kwabena Darko to permanently alter the nation’s economic trajectory.
Speaking at the momentous dual celebration of Dr. Darko’s 86th birthday and the launch of his autobiography, Courage to Lead, held at the Oasis of Love Church in Kumasi, Prof. Adei lamented the state-sponsored sabotage that crippled one of Africa’s greatest agricultural empires.
Rev. Dr. Kwabena Darko, a pioneering industrialist, philanthropist, and founder of Darko Farms, was once Africa’s largest poultry producer.
However, his enterprise faced ruthless persecution during the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime led by the late Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, a period marked by political suspicion toward independent business magnates.
“It has become a systemic cancer: successive Ghanaian governments systematically harassing and dismantling independent-minded entrepreneurs simply because they do not wear the ruling party’s political colors,” Prof. Adei declared passionately.
He added that, “this toxic partisan hostility continues to strangle ground-breaking ideas, collapse formidable enterprises, and abort national development.”
Prof. Adei argued that had previous administrations nurtured rather than targeted Dr. Darko, Ghana would today stand as Africa’s undisputed epicenter for poultry production and agribusiness.
The South Korean Blueprint
Drawing a sharp contrast between Ghana’s economic stagnation and East Asia’s industrial miracles, Prof. Adei invoked the legendary transformation of South Korea under President Park Chung-hee (historically mirrored by Lee Kuan Yew’s state-capitalism model in Singapore).
He highlighted how South Korea deliberately identified, protected, and capitalized roughly 50 ambitious entrepreneurs, laying the foundation for global conglomerates (Chaebols) like Samsung, Hyundai, and LG.
State Backing:
The South Korean government actively deployed state power and financial backing to derisk major private ventures.
Job Creation:
These subsidized enterprises rapidly absorbed millions of youth and skilled workers, lifting the nation from post-war poverty to first-world prosperity within a generation.
“If Ghana is to break its humiliating cycle of poverty and underdevelopment, the government must consciously identify 50 extraordinary, patriotic business minds, resource them relentlessly, and empower them to create tens of thousands of sustainable jobs for our teeming youth,” Prof. Adei implored.
Courage to Lead:
Addressing a captivated audience of church congregants, industry captains, and civic leaders, the venerable Rev. Dr. Kwabena Darko reflected on his storied journey across agribusiness, commercial banking, academia, and Christian ministry.
His new book, Courage to Lead, chronicles the daunting personal and political hurdles he surmounted to build an empire while remaining unyielding in his faith.
“I am profoundly grateful to Almighty God for granting me the fortitude to lead across diverse sectors and the grace to thrive simultaneously in His vineyard and in the marketplace,” Dr. Darko shared.
He continued that, “my life’s mission has been driven by a conviction to live purposefully and elevate the human condition.”
Glowing Tributes:
The event served as an outpouring of reverence for the elder statesman.
Rev. Baffour Awuah , Lecturer at Christian Service University & Assemblies of God Minister, extolled Dr. Darko as the ultimate exemplar of a balanced Christian life, demonstrating that faith and market dominance are mutually reinforcing.
Rev. Dr. Douglas Okonah Frimpong, a prominent radio evangelist shared a touching personal testimony, revealing how Dr. Darko gifted him his very first automobile and quietly financed the ministries of countless young clergy.
Family Tributes:
Dr. Darko’s children offered emotional tributes, honoring their father’s steadfast integrity and praying to replicate his extraordinary legacy.
High Demand;
The literary launch witnessed an enthusiastic bidding session.
The premier copy of Courage to Lead was snapped up for GH¢ 20,000 by business mogul Dr. Kwame Kyei, CEO of Unity Group of Companies.
Moved by Dr. Darko’s immense contributions to national development and kingdom work, an eager crowd of bank executives, clergymen, and institutional leaders swept up copies, leaving the auditorium completely sold out.
Article By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,
Kumasi.
