Nkrumah and the Big Six: Why They Filled Ghana's Old Cedi Notes

Kwame Nkrumah was himself one of the Big Six. The six were Kwame Nkrumah, J.B. Danquah, Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and William Ofori Atta, all founding members of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), and they were arrested on 12 March 1948 after the Accra riots. The real difference is between Nkrumah and the other five.

The Difference

Pace

The UGCC sought self-government "in the shortest possible time." After his release, Nkrumah toured the country demanding "self-government now," while Danquah favoured independence in the foreseeable future.

Method and Base

The UGCC leaders were largely lawyers, professionals and gradualists who wanted constitutional steps. Nkrumah aligned himself with ordinary working people, using mass mobilisation and popular slogans.

The Split

The final break came on 11 June 1949, and the Convention People's Party (CPP) was announced the next day at an Accra rally of about 60,000 supporters. Five of the Big Six joined the Coussey Committee on constitutional reform, and Nkrumah was excluded.

History has judged both sides sharply. CPP supporters say Nkrumah's urgency won independence in 1957. The other tradition says Danquah and his colleagues began the struggle and that Nkrumah took credit.

Some Ghanaians regard Nkrumah as the sole founder of Ghana, while others stress the contributions of the other members of the Big Six.

Nkrumah's later record, including opposition leaders jailed under his government, such as Danquah, who died in prison, is also part of the debate. A fair account credits both streams.

The Currency Story

Nkrumah and the Big Six appeared on notes at different times:

The first cedi, introduced on 19 July 1965, carried Nkrumah's portrait. After his overthrow in 1966, the New Cedi came in February 1967 with his portrait removed. Currency followed politics.

In 2007, the Bank of Ghana released notes featuring all six. Sources differ here, since one timeline says the Big Six already appeared on the 1972-1979 series. I recommend checking the Bank of Ghana's own record before publishing.

When the 2019 notes were upgraded, the Big Six portrait stayed unchanged.

As a rule, a country puts its founders on its money to show shared origins and national identity. The Big Six, as a group, gave Ghana a collective founding story instead of a single hero, which suited a country whose parties still dispute who deserves credit.

What Changed This Week

On 12 November 2026, the Bank of Ghana launched the Ghana Cedi Heritage Series, due in circulation on 1 December. It replaces the collective Big Six portraits with individual images of eight distinguished Ghanaians.

Nkrumah is the only Big Six member left, on the GH¢200 note. Existing notes with the Big Six remain legal tender. The decision has already caused controversy: a Ghanaian film producer has publicly appealed to President Mahama to restore the five. The Minority in Parliament has also summoned the Bank of Ghana over the notes.

Author

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science Communicator
Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis

International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding (USIP)

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +233555275880

Conclusion

Nkrumah and the other five wanted the same destination but disagreed on pace and method, and that disagreement shaped Ghana's politics. Their presence on the old notes was a way to honour a shared founding. Whether one hero or six, money will keep reflecting how Ghana remembers itself.