“Kwame Nkrumah himself said the independence struggle started before him,” his daughter Samia has said, but adds that her father’s role was most “significant”.
Speaking on the recent debate about Ghana’s founding, which was sparked after critics accused President Nana Akufo-Addo of seeking to use his speech at Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary to warp Ghana’s history by skewing the roles of his father Edward Akufo-Addo, and uncle, J. B Danquah in that venture, Ms Nkrumah said: “We agree that there were so many other people [in the independence struggle] but his role was significant. Nobody can take that away from him.”
The CPP and some critics have accused Nana Akufo-Addo of subduing Nkrumah’s role while highlighting the roles of his ancestry.
Ms Nkrumah said on Accra-based Citi FM on Wednesday that: “If I were giving that speech, I would have given Kwame Nkrumah more prominence. All the records show who the main catalyst was. Kwame Nkrumah had a vision… even though he came to collaborate with UGCC [United Gold Coast Convention], but we know from history he was going to come down anyway.”
“Kwame Nkrumah had a particular pan-African vision for our independence, so, he was bound to be the catalyst. So yes, thousands were instrumental, but he was the catalyst and let’s give him is due,” the former CPP Chairperson said.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
