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Julius Debrah: Pan-Africanism Must Become a Practical Instrument for Africa’s Future
Speech Delivered by Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim on Behalf of Chief of Staff Hon. Dr. Julius Debrah at the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture, Accra, 27 August 2026
Chief of Staff Hon. Dr. Julius Debrah has declared that Pan-Africanism cannot remain a proud memory of the past but must become a practical instrument for building Africa’s future. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim delivered his remarks at the 63rd Anniversary of the Passing of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois on Wednesday, August 27, 2026, at the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture in Accra.
The theme was “Countdown to the Rededication of the Du Bois Bungalow.” Dr. Debrah conveyed the warm greetings of the Chief of Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff, and the goodwill of the Office of the President.
A Life That Connected Knowledge With Action
Dr. Debrah reflected on the life and legacy of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois at the 63rd anniversary commemoration. He noted that the true significance of Du Bois’s legacy lies in his conviction that knowledge carries a responsibility to society.
Furthermore, he said Du Bois understood that knowledge alone was not enough and that injustice had to be understood, challenged, and transformed. Therefore, he described Du Bois’s journey from scholar to activist as one of the most enduring lessons of his life.
He stressed that education reaches its highest purpose when knowledge is translated into action that improves the human condition.
Countdown to the Rededication of the Du Bois Bungalow
Dr. Debrah said the rededication of the Du Bois Bungalow carries profound historical meaning for Ghana and for the Pan-African world. He noted that in 1961, at the age of 93, Du Bois accepted the invitation of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and moved to Accra to work on the Encyclopedia Africana. Moreover, Du Bois died in Ghana on August 27, 1963, making this country the final home of a man whose scholarship helped shape Pan-African thought.
He said the restoration of the bungalow is not simply about preserving a building but about protecting a place where future generations can encounter the history, ideas, and values that connected Africa with its global diaspora. The true rededication, he stressed, must be not only of the bungalow but of ourselves to the ideals of knowledge, dignity, justice, and African unity.
Ghana’s Pan-African Responsibility Under President Mahama
Shamima Muslim delivered Dr. Debrah’s call for Ghana to translate its Pan-African heritage into practical action at the Du Bois anniversary. On his behalf, she highlighted President John Dramani Mahama’s continental leadership through the Accra Reset and Ghana’s championing of the African Continental Free Trade Area. She also noted President Mahama’s leadership on reparatory justice and his preparation to chair the African Union in 2027.
In addition, she outlined priority pillars for the chairmanship including reparatory justice for slavery and colonialism, African economic integration, stronger Africa-Caribbean cooperation, and deeper diaspora engagement. She concluded by urging all present to honour Du Bois not only by remembering his history but by building the future his ideals dared Africa to imagine.