Ei, Ghanaians! Here we go again, celebrating yet another Independence Day—this time the grand 68th anniversary. If Ghana were a human, by now it would have grandchildren who still take its money and don't pay back. But let's put that aside and discuss the individual who fought and won independence for us—Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah!
Oh, Nkrumah! The dreamer who envisioned Ghana before Ghana itself needed to dream for itself. Nkrumah was the homeowner who built Ghana with his own hands, if Ghana were a house, only for some inhabitants to conspire and drive him out. They tore down his statue as if concrete would destroy a man's legacy. But as we all know, the moon does not disappear just because clouds try to cover it.
His coup plotters are long forgotten today, but Nkrumah lives on as iconic as Ghana Jollof!
"Worse Than the Fall of Satan" Some even danced when Nkrumah toppled in 1966. Ei! Nii Okai Pesemaku III of the Gbese Traditional Area went so far as to announce his fall worse than the fall of Satan. Satan himself would have been taken aback at such a comparison. Just imagine Satan sitting somewhere, minding his affairs, only to be told, "Chaley, they say somebody's fall is worse than mine!"
But who's on our money nowadays? Whose public holiday is in his honor? And whose speeches still hold up to the fact that he gave them more than 60 years ago? Not coup plotters, surely!
But let’s be fair—Nkrumah was not a saint. The intoxicating spirit of power got into his head small. Sometimes, he didn’t have patience for his opponents.
He ruled with an iron fist, but at least he used the iron to build industries, schools, and hospitals. Nowadays, there are leaders who rule with an iron fist and use the same iron to open foreign bank accounts. Power in the wrong hands is like placing a machete in the hands of a child—it can only result in tragedy.
"Nkrumah Never Dies"—His Name Stands Tall Like a Baobab Tree If Ghana were a hospital, Nkrumah would be the doctor who founded it. If it were a farm, he would be the farmer who planted the very first seeds. And yet, some made him feel like a stranger in his own home.
But like a big baobab tree, his name stands regardless of the number of storms that pass. Walk anywhere in Ghana, and something is named after him—Nkrumah Circle, Nkrumah University, Nkrumah this, Nkrumah that. But some of those people who plotted against him, if you Google their names, even Google will say, "Did you mean someone else?"
Even the Akosombo Dam he constructed is still our principal source of electricity—sixty years on! But some of the roads they built last year are already existential death traps riddled with potholes that take human lives by the day. And don't even get me started on the Tema Motorway—the sole Ghanaian road that still has a faith in longevity. You see, when Nkrumah constructed something, he constructed it to last. Today, by the time they are done cutting the ribbon to open a new business, the business itself has already begun to fall apart. When you construct with poor materials, do not look elsewhere when the rains sweep it away.
And let us discuss money. Ghanaian leadership is viewed by some politicians as family business. They come into office and, behold, their uncles, cousins, in-laws, and even cats receive government contracts. But Nkrumah? He ruled Ghana with the absolute powers, and yet he did not leave behind a legacy of stolen land or secret bank accounts. His children did not inherit mansions, oil wells, or government contracts. In fact, if inheritance were an exam, Nkrumah's children would fail. Today, we have politicians who own more houses than Nkrumah had factories. Their grandchildren are given Swiss bank accounts before they even cut their first tooth. And we wonder why we are still underdeveloped. When the leaders consume all the food destined for the village, they should not be surprised when the children starve. Posterity, the Final Judge Today, history has spoken. Nkrumah's vision continues to shape the world. Africa continues to celebrate him as its greatest leader. The world continues to fête him. Even in Ghana, where we like to tear down our own more than we should, his name continues to count. Why? Because greatness does not die—its light shines brighter with time. So on this 68th Independence Day, let us raise a calabash of palm wine (or sobolo, for the health-conscious) and offer a toast to the man who envisioned a great Ghana before Ghana itself knew its own potential. A man who built, fought, and sacrificed. A man who, in death, will not be forgotten. Kwame Nkrumah never dies! His legacy, like finely seasoned kontomire stew, is wholesome and rich no matter how many years pass.
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