Africa to Celebrate Nkrumah's Life

The Africa Union (AU) has decided that the continent will, on May 25, 2010, celebrate the life of Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to climax the commemoration of the centenary birthday of the man who is incontrovertibly acclaimed as the African of the 20th Millennium.

Before then, on September 21, 2009 many Africans and their leaders will also join Ghanaians here and in their respective countries to celebrate the centenary birthday of the man who led Ghana to independence from British colonial rule in 1957 and provided the needed inspiration for total liberation of Africa from colonialism.

The Minister for foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, made this known in Accra last Friday at the 7th conference on Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Awards 2009, which was organised by the West Africa international magazine, in collaboration with the Nkrumah vision Alive Movement, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

All the speakers at the forum were unanimous that Dr. Nkrumah is the Africa of the millennium as they extolled his leadership, vision and commitment towards the emancipation of Africa and projection of the black race in the global political order.

Alhaji Mumuni said the decision by President Mills to declare September 21 a statutory public holiday in Ghana in honour of Dr. Nkrumah, is not by accident, but in recognition of his selfless service to the country and Africa as a whole.

He said in view of the importance President Mills attach to the centenary celebration of Dr. Nkrumah's birthday he will delay his departure from Accra to the US to attend the UN General Assembly Meeting by one day to enable him to take part in the celebration.

The foreign Minister said Dr. Nkrumah lived ahead of his time and peers, pointing out that at a time when he (Nkrumah) advocated African unity, many people did not understand him, but 50 years later, African leaders are now talking continental unity.''

Today, we all recognise that continental unity is the only way Africa can compete favourably in the global setting, ''he noted.'

Alhaji Mumuni said his maiden address to the UN General Assembly, two days after Ghana had attained independence, Dr. Nkrumah emphasised the need for reforms in the world body to make it more democratic and all-inclusive, adding that more than 50 years after making that statement, everyone is now talking about the need for reforms in the UN.

In a presentation a veteran journalist, Nana Essilfie Couduah, said Ghana and Africa cannot fully repay their indebtedness to Dr. Nkrumah.

He said US President Barack Obama might be receiving applause across the world for becoming the first black US President, but Dr. Nkrumah had already sparkled Africa to the rest of the world.