THE EDITOR, Sir:

MARTIN HENRY'S account of Kwame Nkrumah's leadership of Ghana, on Ghana's 50th anniversary of independence, is severely selective. No account of Nkrumah's rule in Ghana can be fairly presented without the context in which Ghana gained its independence and the forces that were opposed to that independence. You don't bring about the demise of British rule in your country, and the rest of black Africa, without making powerful enemies.

Indeed, if an independent Ghana were to survive at all, Nkrumah had to pay attention to his domestic and international enemies who were always plotting to bring about the downfall of his government. British newspapers carried out an unrelenting campaign against this man who had just broken the undemocratic grip of Britain on Ghana.

In a mere 50 years, in all of Africa, history has proven Nkrumah to be a most moderate man and leader. Did Mr. Martin notice that the 'Preventive Detention Act' he rails about is now standard procedure for the "greatest democracy in the world", the United States?

I am etc.,

JOHN A. MOORE

dearaunt@aol.com

Brooklyn, New York

Via Go-Jamaica