Colour and splendour marks Nkrumah's birthday

President J.E.A. Mills responding to cheers from a section of the celebrants

Listen to President Mills and other participants at the event© Copyright myjoyonline

It was full of glamour and style, when the beautiful colours of Ghana and its rich culture took centre stage at the 100th birthday of Ghana's first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, observed at the Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra on Monday.

Even though the main event started in the afternoon, many people from all walks of life, started trickling into the venue in their numbers early in the morning, and by the time President J.E.A. Mills and his vice, John Dramani Mahama and other dignitaries arrived for the programme to take off, the place was filled to capacity.

All the ten regions were represented by their chiefs who graced the occasion in their enviable regalia. There were also the diplomatic corps, clergy, ministers of state, parliamentarians, students, family of Dr Nkrumah, choristers, traditional drummers, diasporans, and among others, high power delegation from the major political parties in Ghana.

Elated by the success of the grand durbar dubbed, Founder's Day, President Mills praised the Centenary Planning Committee, chaired by Prof. Akilagpa Sawyer for a good job done.

In his spotless, white designer boubou over a black shoe to match, the president enumerated the various achievements of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, describing him as an “illustrious son of Ghana and Africa”.

He called on people in leadership positions to be guided by the values and the leadership style of Dr Nkrumah who stood for unity, hardwork and perseverance to build a better Ghana.

The president assured hardworking Ghanaians that the nation would not forget its heroes who made valuable contribution.

President Mills and his Vice-President were joined by some high profile dignitaries, including the Speaker of Parliament, Joyce Bamford Addo and Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, to append their signatures on the Unity Flag which had already travelled through all the regional capitals of the country.


Samia Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Jomoro and daughter of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was grateful to President Mills for making his father's birthday – 21st September – a public holiday, which she believed would go a long way to project the visions and ideals of her late father.

She however told Myjoyonline.com in an interview that celebrating his father's birthday was “just not enough”.

She explained that leaders, and for that matter Ghanaians in general, should rather practice what Dr Nkrumah preached by showing in concrete terms what he stood for by moving from acrimonious politics and unite for the development of the country.

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There were solidarity messages from women and children of Ghana, Africans in the diaspora, the All Africa Students Union and the Trades Union Congress. Traditional dances from all the ten regions were showcased to the admiration of all, while the Mass Youth Choir (The 100 Voices) sang various melodious and patriotic songs to entertain the audience.

The centenary celebrations of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah would extend over the period of September 2009 to May 2010.

Story by Isaac Essel
Myjoyonline / Ghana