Kwame Nkrumah’s photographer narrates 4 bomb attacks Ghana’s first President escaped

Dr. Chris Tsui Hesse, Kwame Nkrumah's personal photographer, has shared harrowing details of four bomb attacks that the late president narrowly escaped.

Speaking in an interview with Onua TV, Dr. Tsui Hesse recounted how Nkrumah's life was repeatedly saved by quick actions and sheer luck during four bomb attacks.

According to him, Nkrumah himself, in his book, "Dark Days in Ghana", stated that at least six assassination attempts were made against him.

The first and most dramatic incident, according to Dr. Tsui Hesse occurred on August 1, 1962, in Kulungugu, a small town in the Upper East Region.

He said Nkrumah was returning from Burkina Faso when he stopped to interact with schoolchildren on the road.

He added that unbeknownst to him, a bomb had been planted. Dr. Chris noted that as Nkrumah approached the children, his aide-de-camp (ADC), Captain Buckman, noticed something amiss.

He narrated, "When we got to Kulungugu, we knew that there was no stopping there, but Nkrumah saw the kids and stopped. And because of the dust, there were distances between the vehicles. So, when he stopped, he sat in the car and waited. So, when I got there, he was there.

“So, I parked behind him, and he gave me the sign that I should film this. So, I prepared my camera and went out. And then he came out and was going towards where the formation was. And then Captain Buckman was then the ADC, and he was following him (Nkrumah) with the security people.

"I was in the middle, and the action was in the background. The school kids were performing something beautiful. And on my right side, Nkrumah was moving towards the kids. On my left side, Adamafio and the ministers were moving. I was in the centre. So, it was. I had this appetite for not missing.”

He continued, “It was so beautiful. I was just standing there to capture because my lens was capturing everything in detail. Then, immediately before Nkrumah passed and the ministers passed, Captain Buckman booted him (Nkrumah) down and put his body on him as the bomb detonated."

While the explosion claimed the lives of several children, he stressed that Nkrumah survived with only minor injuries.

The photographer described how body parts were scattered all around them, but thanks to Captain Buckman’s sharp skills and intelligence, Nkrumah lived to see another day.

The second bomb attack took place at the Flagstaff House. According to him, a bomb exploded during a performance by a cultural troupe, leading to the death of many attendees.

"The third attack was at the Accra Sports Stadium, once again during a cultural performance, which also resulted in fatalities," he added.

The fourth and final attack Dr. Tsui Hesse recounted occurred at Lucas House near the UTC area, where a bomb killed a staff member of the Information Services Department (ISD).