Mahama Breaks Silence On Lincoln University Honorary Degree Snub Over Anti-LGBTQ Bill
- President John Mahama has reacted to Lincoln University's U-turn on giving him an honorary doctorate
- Mahama highlighted the university's historic ties to Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, as significant
- The president assured that Ghana's relationship with the university will thrive despite the controversy
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President John Mahama has spoken warmly of Lincoln University despite its cancellation of plans to give him an honorary doctorate because of concerns over the anti-LGBTQ Bill.
Mahama said he still deeply respected the school because of its ties to Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah.
Source: Facebook
Speaking to the Ghanaian community in Philadelphia on March 26, 2026, Citi News reported that he also said the school held a special place in his heart.
He affirmed that the relationship between Ghana and the university would endure despite the controversy.
“It is where our first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was nurtured intellectually and shaped in his Pan-Africanist struggle. It remains hallowed ground for Ghanaians and an integral part of our history."
“We cannot separate Lincoln University from the story of Ghana, and we will continue to hold the institution in the highest esteem."
Lincoln University has not issued a further public statement explaining the decision beyond the brief cancellation notice on its website.
The bill, known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, has been reintroduced in Parliament after it was not signed into law by the Akufo-Addo administration because of some legal challenges to it.
According to the bill, among other things, persons who identify as LGBTQ or engage in same-sexual acts could be jailed between three months and three years.
Open allies of the LGBTQ community, such as donors, activists, or promoters, could be jailed for a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months.
Kwame Nkrumah's time at Lincoln
When Nkrumah decided to pursue further studies in the US, he entered Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1935.
After graduating in 1939, he obtained a master’s degree from Lincoln and from the University of Pennsylvania.
Nkrumah studied the literature of socialism, notably Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, and of nationalism, especially Marcus Garvey.
What has Mahama said about the anti-LGBTQ bill?
In November 2025, Mahama gave his backing to possible anti-LGBTQ legislation in Ghana.
Mahama also said the perceived family values could be better instilled in children when they are young.
The president had proposed more inclusive ways to uphold traditional values rather than legislation.
Source: Facebook
A lawyer, Richard Dela Sky, and Dr Amanda Odoi had unsuccessfully sued to kill the previous LGBTQ bill at the Supreme Court.
They challenged the divisive bill on grounds ranging from Parliamentary procedure to fundamental human rights.
US man applauds Mahama for reparations call
YEN.com.gh reported that an African-American man in the US praised Mahama for demanding reparations tied to the transatlantic slave trade for African countries.
In a video circulating on social media, the man said Mahama's efforts to have the Transatlantic Slave Trade recognised as the gravest crime against humanity must be appreciated.
Source: YEN.com.gh
