“Be merciful by being stern! If I lived under your regime I’d ask for this hardness…”
Richard Wright: Letter to Kwame Nkrumah (1954)
INDUBITABLY, 24th February is a day that evokes mixed sentiments among the Ghanaian folks. Good – bad; positive – negative; progressive – retrogressive; democratic – communistic.
Thus, it is not for anyone to lecture us that 24th February, 1966 was a day of “Shame” as Johnnie Hughas did on the fifty seventh year (24/02/23). It was a climactic day anti – thesis of a rising star: the cause- and –effect of a hero – dictator;-affable- tyrant; popular – notorious leader.
Say “Nkrumah never dies, Nkrumah is our messiah” as the Young Pioneers were taught to parrot Ghana (then Gold Coast) had been touted by Britain as a “model” colony with docile citizens. Then the agitation for independence dawned, led by the United Gold Coast Convention, formed in 1947.
An assemblage of businessmen, lawyers, academicians: George (Pa) Grant, R.S. Blay, R.A Awoonor Williams, Emmanuel Obetsebi Lamptey, Edward Akuffo–Addo who needed a “practical” man to take up the challenge of visiting the populace and soliciting their support for the agitation for independence.
The lot fell on Kwame Nkrumah, Dr (honoris causa) a la Ako–Adjei. When Nkrumah came, his ideological inclination (socialist – communism) and his Marxist – Leninst leanings made him uncomfortable in the ranks of liberal – democrats– and he broke away to form the Convention People’s Party in 1949 at Saltpond. This was after Nkrumah had enjoyed free housing, free meals and the services of an “ancient” car as Yuri Smertin puts it.
The 28th February Osu – Christainsborg Cross – Roads shooting of Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey under orders of boycott Superintendent Imray with fingers pointing at Kwame Nkrumah who had criticized the Burns constitution. The boycott of goods from the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM) for dubious deals was led by a Ga Chief Nii Kwabena Bonne III and the “Big Six” were incarcerated.
Sporadic fighting, bombs, between supporters of more radical revolutionary Convection People’s Party (self – government now) and the National Liberation Movement (self – government within the shortest possible time) respectively. Positive Action was spearheaded by radical Kwame Nkrumah.
Then, independence came, and Nkrumah pronounced: “At long last the battle had ended, and Ghana your beloved country is free forever”. The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the African continent”.
In 1960, J. B. Danquah stood on the ticket of the United Party (to vie with Nkrumah on the CPP ticket United Party (UP) was formed in 1957 with amalgam of all opposition parties: National Liberation Movement, Northern People’s Party, Anlo Youth Organisation, Muslim Association Party, Togoland Congress, and a Ga Shifimokpee. But the Parliament of Ghana had passed the Avoidance of Discrimination Act,1957 (C.A.38) which banned all parties and organisations that were confined to identifiable to any racial, ethnic or religious groups J.B. Danquah lost the presidential election, receiving only 10% of the vote.
In 1961, J. B. Danquah was detained under the Preventive Detention Act but was released in 1962. He became President of the Ghana Bar Association, and continued his opposition to Nkrumah’s policies, and imprisoned again in 1964 and died in February 1964, aged 69 at Nsawam Prison.
A one–party state. Some of us saw the referendum held in January, 1964 in which Nkrumah’s CPP won 99.91% with a voter turn – out of 96.5% the intimidation and brutalities of the Workers’ Brigade (previously Builders’ Brigode) 2,733,920 people voted “yes” and a paltry 2,452 voted “no” for a one – party state. Nkrumah became President for life.
The one – party state gave Nkrumah immense powers: he could appoint and dismiss judges. And, indeed, Nkrumah dismissed the Chief Justice, Sir Arku Korsah after the announcement of a verdict of ‘Not guilty’ by him over the Kulungugu bomb incident. Also dismissed in 1964 were Edward Akuffo-Addo, R.S. Blay and Kofi Adumoa Bossman, giving it was a signal of Nkrumah’s dictatorial tendencies, Ako Adjei, Tawiah Adamafoi, Coffie Crabbe were re – tried and jailed.
It was an all – CPP – affair. At CPP rallies, you would hear “Twooboi” Response; “Nsawam” With the Preventive Detention Act, anyone who spoke against Nkrumah’s policies and actions could be sent to jail for 5 years minimum without trial. Those were the days of the Cold War (between the West with liberal democracy and the East with communism) Yes, our parents were forced to obtain CPP cards!
Patrick Kwame Kusi (PKK) Quaidoo, the MP for Amenfi Aowin of CPP appointed as Minister of Trade and Labour, later Commerce, Communications and Social Welfare was imprisoned in May, 1961 for having the effrontery to question the Press for “immortalizing” Nkrumah.
Living conditions were not easy either, except for the “Verandah Boys” who had amassed great wealth through fair and foul means and some could own as many as 30 houses! Even though, like Kwaku Boateng they would say, under Nkrumah, they were “gaping sycophants” “Essential commodities “(soup, bread, rice, milk, sugar) were hard to come by. The state had its hand on almost all the sectors of the economy: State Transport, State Construction, State Hotels, State Farms, State Laundry Services.
It was not all gloom, anyway. There was expansion of existing schools and teachers and nurses – in – training were paid allowances; hospitals and clinics sprang up; students who hailed from the north were given free educations… but no one dared to question the £200m or so legacy inherited form the colonial government. There were Tema Harbour, Tema Motorway, Akosombo Dam…
One could not criticise Nkrumah and go scot – free. There were various attempts on Nkrumah’s life. A policeman on duty at the castle, Amatewee, tried to assassinate Nkrumah; the bullets hit Nkrumah’s bodyguard, Salifu Dagarti. At Kulungugu, a bomb was planted in the bouquet of flowers which was borne by a young – school girl to welcome him back from Upper Volta (Burkina Faso). Ako Adjei, Tawaih Adamfio and Coltic Crabbe were fingered.
The statement by colonel Kotoka on the dawn 24/02/66 was that. “… The myth surrounding Nkrumah has been broken, Parliament is dissolved and Kwame Nkrumah is dismissed form office…”
As many as 800 political prisoners were released form Nsawam Prison, some with emaciated bodies, some blind…”
For three months, after 24th February 1966, there were sporadic demonstrations and celebrations all over the country, especially when a political detainee returned home freed from the shackles of a dictator: and you would have jubilated if you were a relative of AkoAdjei, R.R Amponsah, Yaw Manu…
In “As you like it”, Jaques soliloquises.”All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his tine plays many parts…”
Recall what Kenyan Professor Ali Mazrui said in a lecture in Ghana a decade ago: “It was an irony for Nkrumah to have reduced the sovereignty of individual African states, and yet maintained that in his country, Ghana, multi –partyism was foul and out of place…
“Nkrumah was a great son of Africa but not a very good servant… Nkrumah started as a democrat and ended as a dictator… Rawlings started as a dictator and ended as a democrat…”
Call Professor Ali Mazrui “a pimp of imperialism” and gloat over 20,000 or so subscribers from Africa who voted Nkrumah the “Man of the Millennium” in 2000, by the BBC Dogmatic theists and atheist.
AfricanusOwusu-Ansah
africanusowusu1234@gmail.com