The Convention People’s Party (CPP) is preparing to hold a National Delegates Congress to elect new leaders to steer the affairs of the party and few Comrades have already popped up to contest when nominations are opened. They include Explo Nani-Kofi. But who is Explo Nani-Kofi and what has been his background prior to declaring his intention to contest for the National Chairmanship?
Explo Nani-Kofi began his politics in Mawuli Secondary School where he had his secondary education from 1975 to 1977 in which he was the President of Students Movement for African Unity (SMAU). He mobilized and educated students about Kwame Nkrumah and African Unity.
In 1977, he joined the Pan African Youth Movement in the University of Science and Technology (Kumasi) and later campaigned for the People’s National Party (PNP) after the People’s Revolutionary Party merged with it in 1979. Subsequently, he joined the Kwame Nkrumah Revolutionary Guards to mobilize people around Kwame Nkrumah’s vision in 1981.
As a passionate lover and follower of Nkrumah, Explo organized events to mark Kwame Nkrumah’s birthday as well as his death in 1982 in Ho. He vehemently opposed the IMF and World Bank programme instituted by the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) and was therefore detained in military guardroom until he was released through the 19th June 1983 jail break and uprising against the PNDC. He had to flee into exile to avoid execution.
In 1988, Explo organized the first ever Czechoslovakia-based exhibition of Kwame Nkrumah’s books and translated copies into other languages. This was during his exile days in Bratislava, Slovakia. He joined Pan Africanists in marking Nkrumah’s birthday in London in 1989 and devoted time and energy with other founding members to form Kwame Nkrumah Convention People’s Party in London.
As a lover of writing and sharing knowledge, Explo was involved in editing the Kilombo Pan African Community Journal from 1991 to 2008. Whiles in London, he relaunched the international campaign to unban the CPP; an event which was held at the Trafalgar Square. Then in 1997, he joined Parliamentary Campaign meetings hosted by Jeremy Corbyn, Tony Benn, Alan Simpson and George Galloway. These meetings were supported by the then London Mayor, Ken Livingston. There were other pickets coordinated by Explo outside the Ghana High Commission in London in 1999.
The Annual Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Lectures began in London in 1998 with his able leadership and in 1999 he held a Community Outreach as an officer for PANAF Books Publishers. In 2000, Explo coordinated the campaign in support of Mumia Abu Jamal and joined the Anti-Capitalist movement in Europe.
In 2004, he formed Friends of Africa which was guided by Nkrumahism and hosted the Van Milne Memorial Lectures in SOAS.
In Peki, Explo initiated the Grassroots Nkrumahist Memorial Lecture and extended to other areas in the country. He has also organised Nkrumahist International Conferences in Ho in 2012, then in Peki in 2013, 2015 and 2016. As part of the Nkrumahist unity project, Explo launched a campaign for Nkrumahist Unity in South Dayi in 2015. He also initiated Volta Rebuild CPP which paid last respects to the late Ho West Chairman and worked with the Pro-Nkrumah Unity Movement to honour Osagyefo’s last surviving Cabinet Minister, Hans Kofi Boni.
Explo Nani-Kofi is affectionaly loved by his community due to his sincerity, resourcefulness and humility. He has stark to the principals of Nkrumahism to the extent that some people fear his conviction and truthfulness. When nominations are opened by the Interim Management Committee of the CPP, hopefully, Explo will be seen and heard by Comrade delegates.