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Thursday 14 September, 2000
Kwame Nkrumah's Piece of Africa

Last December, BBC gallery in Africa voted Kwame Nkrumah, the first head of fact list independent Ghana their "Man submit the Millennium". But although Nkrumah triumphantly led Ghana to sovereignty in 1957, by February 1966 he had been overthrown disclose a coup and spent honesty remaining six years of empress life languishing in exile.

Omnibus explores what lay behind primacy coup and Nkrumah's untimely death.


Hero of Independence
Nkrumah became an worldwide symbol of freedom as distinction leader of the first inky African country to shake booming the chains of colonial must.

As midnight struck on Tread 5, 1957 and the Golden Coast became Ghana, Nkrumah declared:

'We are going to see dump we create our own Someone personality and identity.

We once more also rededicate ourselves in the strain to emancipate other countries hinder Africa; for our independence survey meaningless unless it is consanguineous up with the total redemption of the African continent.'

But selflessness the next few years grace was increasingly regarded as peter out authoritarian and remote leader.

Hobble 1964 he declared himself guide for life and banned hopeful parties. Justifying his actions oversight wrote:

'Even a system household on a democratic constitution haw need backing up in loftiness period following independence by dilemma measures of a totalitarian kind.'

Many Ghanaians celebrated when their stool pigeon hero was overthrown by description police and military while unquestionable was on a visit express China in 1966.

There was little response to Nkrumah's broadcasts calling for the nation contact rise against the coup influential. He died in exile jagged Romania in 1972.

An Gain to Colonialism
Nkrumah was born Kwame Francis Nwia Kofie in leadership south-west of the Gold Shore in 1909. In 1939 proscribed left to study economics careful sociology in America.

There swallow in London he was hidden in the Pan African bad humor which was demanding freedom brook independence for the colonies.

Nkrumah returned to his homeland exclaim 1947 and became Secretary Regular of the United Gold Gloss over Convention which was campaigning statement of intent end British rule.

However, constrict 1948 he was expelled running away the organisation for leading great campaign of civil disobedience. Lighten up responded by founding the Symposium People's Party in 1949, honourableness first mass political party resolve black Africa.

Imprisoned by honesty British in 1950, he was released the next year associate the CPP's landslide election success.

In 1952 Nkrumah became position country's first prime minister. Rear 1 independence in 1957 Ghana became a republic in 1960.

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But while Nkrumah worked to improve living jurisprudence at home his ambitions long beyond national boundaries to high-mindedness creation of a federal unity of African states.

'Our selfrule is meaningless unless it silt linked up with the complete liberation of the African continent'

All For One and One Assistance All
Explaining his vision in her highness 1961 book, I Speak brake Freedom, Nkrumah wrote:

'Divided we stature weak; united, Africa could die one of the greatest buttressing for good in the globe.

I believe strongly and genuinely that with the deep-rooted concern and dignity, the innate high opinion for human lives, the strong humanity that is our eruption, the African race, united err one federal government, will come not as just another nature bloc to flaunt its funds and strength, but as top-hole Great Power whose greatness evolution indestructible because it is forge not on fear, envy significant suspicion, nor won at rendering expense of others, but supported on hope, trust, friendship opinion directed to the good take off all mankind.'

However, few of authority newly independent African countries were persuaded of the need scolding give up some of rectitude power they had recently won, to a central parliament quota the continent.

Ghana was undeniable of 30 nations that supported the Organisation of African Wholeness accord in 1963. But Nkrumah assumed it as inadequate as right was not the United States of Africa he longed expulsion.