The Distance Which Couldn’t Stop Nkrumah From Marrying Fathia

I can't stop writing about Kwame Nkrumah because reading about this past great Ghanaian leader, doesn't only fascinates me but also educates me on his ideological embodiment which became Britain and America's nightmare resulting in his overthrow.

Nkrumah was extremely intelligent and seems to have a vision and long lasting plan for Africa's emancipation which wasn't welcomed by the West and the US government.

He knew Africa will never move forward if the continent had to depend on foreign powers and the only way to achieve that was to break free from those foreign powers destabilizing Africa's economy just to have access to the continent's rich mineral resources.

Unfortunately, the leaders that came after him lacked the experience to rule Ghana, therefore, what Nkrumah was trying to avoid, (depending on foreign leaders) is exactly what every Ghanaian leader that came after him did.

And frankly speaking, Africa will be in the same condition until the leaders learn to utilize their resources and keep away from foreign powers. In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty is the actual situation which suits Africa.

There are many interesting stories about Nkrumah, which aren't common to read online. Because of Fathia, his wife. Egyptian-Ghanaian relations are deeply rooted in history and have multiple political, economic, social, cultural and religious aspects.

Nkrumah marrying Fathia is a story everyone knows to indicate the strength of the relationship between Africa and Egypt, however, not everyone knows some of the difficulties Nkrumah encountered when he wants to marry Fathia.

In 1958, Kwame Nkrumah, the then Prime Minister of Ghana, visited Egypt and saw Fathia, who was then working in a bank. He wants to marry her, but the mother refused because she did not want her daughter to live away far from her.

Faced with this difficulty Nkrumah had to mediate with his friend Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was then the president of Egypt and he told Fathia’s mother what Nkrumah has suggested:

“I will open a Ghana embassy in Egypt, and a direct flight line between us and Ghana, you will be able to visit any time you want.” Fathia's parents were pleased to hear this.

That’s how Nkrumah successfully married Ghana's first lady, who equally suffered like Nkrumah when he was toppled.