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Did You Know Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Wasn't Born On 21st September 1909 As Assumed By Many?

By Jeffery Nana Boahen
Opinion Did You Know Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Wasn't Born On 21st September 1909 As Assumed By Many?
SEP 23, 2020 LISTEN

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah growing up got to know his age after the mother counted the number of Kundum Festivals celebrated after his birth.

As he said in his book *The Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah*, the women of Nkroful and other Nzemaland were using the number Kundum Festivals celebrated after birth to know the age of the children.

Nkrumah's mother could recall she gave birth to Kwame Nkrumah somewhere in the middle of September 1909 but couldn't recall the exact date.

According to Osagyefo, the Catholic priest who baptized him wrote the 21st September 1909 on his baptismal certificate.

The funniest part of it is that most Ghanaians have not yet calculated to know that the aforementioned date, that is 21st September, 1909 is *Tuesday* and not Saturday.

How on Earth can a Kwame be born on a Tuesday if not *Saturday*? The Akans to which Nzema belongs may hardly give out Kwame to a Tuesday born since it's a destiny changing move.

Dr. Nkrumah stated in his Autobiography that, his date of birth accurately may fall on 18th September, 1909 which is Saturday.

Dr. Nkrumah's intelligence earned him a lot of opportunities in the academic arena.

After college if Education, Teacher Nkrumah had the opportunity to further study in London and later United States.

(From Tarkoradi to Liverpool).

Dr. Nkrumah upon reaching abroad, he stood firmly for *Racial Equality*.

In abroad, he was made the President for *African Students* being viced by Kojo Botsio who was a cabinet Minister in the first republic.

When Nkrumah was in Abroad, few elites who were in Ghana then had started movement towards liberation.

These include the well-known *Aborigines Right Protection Society* which was made up of Chiefs and Elites.

The ARPS lost its value since the Elites and Chiefs could hardly have a concensus.

Later before 1930, *The Congress of British West Africa* was formed by all colonies of the British in West Africa.

By 1930, the Congress of British West Africa also lost its value. Clear indication that, Africa uniting hasn't been possible from Adam.

UGCC became the vibrant movement formed in 1947 by some Elites after a feud between the Akyem Palace and the Gold Coast government. (Kindly read the Akyea Mensa Murder Case).

They brought Nkrumah who had in his own way began Liberation campaign in the U.S.A to be their General Secretary.

In 1949, he broke away and formed his CPP with K.A Gbedema and Botsio.

In 1951, when the big Six was in Prison under the charge of the *Preventive Detective Act*, the first elections was held between Dr. J.B Danquah's UGCC and Nkruamah's CPP.

Nkrumah won massively against the UGCC and became the First Prime Minister of Ghana.

Obviously, the Whites were so much interested in Nkrumah winning than J.B Danquah because J.B had by then stood firmly against several constitutions and proceedings of the Legislative Council.

In 1956, the first General Election was held matching the nation to independence.

In 1956, Dr. Nkrumah faced an opposition from *National Liberation Movement* (NLM) lead by Baffuor Osei Akoto who was an Asante.

The NLM was popular within the Asante and one of their message was mainly to give good life to Cocoa farmers.

Western Ashanti, currently known as Bono East and Bono regions stood firmly behind the CPP though they had a lot of Cocoa farmers. (This is why Nkrumah awarded the Bono a region after the elections in 1959).

Nkrumah after winning the Presidency in 1956, his vision finally materialized on the evening of March, 6, 1957 when he declared the country *Free Forever* at the *Old Polo Grounds* Currently known as Nkrumah Musuleom.

In 1957, Nkrumah finally convinced his followers that a new nation can't live well and survive under Capitalism so the nation adopted Socialism which isn't in existence under the 4th republic and it's one reason why the current generation doesn't know much about Nkrumah.

Had it been that Socialism continued in the 4th Republic, Nkrumah might have been more popular than he is today.

In 1957, Nkrumah passed an Act to ban all parties and movements formed on Religion, Ethnic, and Racial lines from operating in Ghana.

This brought the merging of these parties formed on Tribal, Religious and Ethnic lines under one Umbrella.

The Muslim Association Party, The Ga Shik., The Anlo Youth Association-Ghana, The Northern People's Party and the NLM came together and formed *The United Party* (UP).

The UP was lead in the first republic by Dr. K.A Busia who was the opposition leader in Nkrumah's government until Ghana was made a one party state by Dr. Nkrumah in 1964.

Dr. Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966 by the military when he was on his way to Hanoi.

*Dr. Nkrumah never dies* has been a saying and it's time it's defended.

His good works still lives and his ideas are still in operation.

He stood firmly for the Unity of Africa after Ghana joined Liberia, Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia On the independence list.

His vision for Racial Equality connected him to a lot of countries and prominent people in Africa.

Dr. Nkrumah moved with Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, Malcom X and others.

He read about Mahatma Ghandi and Adolf Hitler but chose to follow Ghandi's strategy to fight for independence.

Ghandi's strategy was devoid of Riot and use of Armunitions.

*Nana Akuffo Addo and Nkrumah*

The current President of Ghana is a nephew of Dr. JB Danquah who was Nkrumah's main oppugnant.

His uncle was arrested and detained by Nkrumah for years.

History of how his Uncle was treated under Nkrumah has made him act as An Anti-Nkrumahist in my view under the 4th Republic.

This is why the 21st September which was made a holiday in honor of observing Nkrumah's birthday was changed to Founder's day purposely honoring the formation of the UGCC which lost its popularity even before the 1951.

I'm quite sure the President brought back the Nkrumah's day in 2020 because he has seen the entire citizens gives no attention to the Founder's day...lol.

If not so, I'm sure it was brought back because he doesn't want to be questioned in his next campaign trip to Nzemaland.

Kindly note that, the President of Ghana on 21st September, 2020 didn't wish Ghanaians *A Happy Founder's Day* on his vibrant Facebook page but was busily enjoying his ECOWAS chairmanship.

I believe he could have posted a wish like he does on any other holiday.

Long live Ghana.

N.B. Jeffery

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