Prof Lumumba Weighs In on Kotoka International Airport Renaming Saga: "Name It After Nkrumah"
- Kenyan lawyer and Pan-Africanist, Prof PLO Lumumba, has weighed in on Ghana’s plans to rename Kotoka International Airport (KIA)
- Prof Lumumba suggested the airport be named after Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, instead of reverting to Accra International Airport
- His remarks come amid growing public debate and legal actions challenging the legacy of Lt Gen Kotoka, who played a role in overthrowing Nkrumah
Renowned Kenyan lawyer and Pan-Africanist, Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, has weighed in on the debates that have characterised the proposed renaming of Ghana's Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The Government of Ghana has announced plans to rename KIA as Accra International Airport.
Source: UGC
This announcement has sparked reactions from Ghanaians, with many debating the merit of the proposed renaming.
The airport was originally opened in 1958 as Accra International Airport and was later renamed in 1969 in honour of Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, a senior military officer involved in the 1966 coup that overthrew Ghana's first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Prof Lumumba’s take on the KIA renaming debates
Contributing to the raging debate after arriving in the country for an event, Prof Lumumba, renowned for his rich knowledge of African history, said the airport should instead be named after Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Speaking to Ralf St. Willliams, a controversial social activist, Prof Lumumba suggested that renaming KIA after Ghana's first president would be more befitting and put things in the right historical context.
"You know, history is history, and I know that the choice has been made to name the Accra International Airport. There are some of us who think it should bear another name, and that name is Kwame Nkrumah," he said.
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Why is there a need to rename KIA?
Speaking at a parliamentary leadership press briefing on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, indicated that the proposed renaming of KIA was part of the outlined bills and regulations expected to come before the House during the current meeting.
The proposed renaming follows years of advocacy by sections of the public and civil society groups who argue that the current name does not reflect Ghana’s democratic values, as it honours Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka.
Democracy Hub and the Convention People’s Party had sued at the Supreme Court to remove 'Kotoka' from the name of the airport, arguing that honouring the military officer contradicted the country's democratic values.
Source: Facebook
A Plus urges posthumous prosecution of Kotoka
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh previously reported that the Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, had expressed his delight over the government's decision to rename Kotoka International Airport.
The former entertainer-turned-politician said the airport’s current name represented a painful chapter in Ghana’s history.
A Plus called for the posthumous prosecution of General Kotoka, labelling him an enemy of the state.
According to him, Kotoka's actions disrupted the transformative path that Ghana was on under Dr Nkrumah.
Source: YEN.com.gh
