Statement by CPP on the occasion o

Statement by CPP on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

Monday, 21st September 2009, is exactly 100 years since Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, was born. For the occasion, both Ghana and Africa are celebrating the life of this great African.

In commemoration of this event, we, of the CPP wish to thank God for the life of Nkrumah and also thank all Ghanaians irrespective of their political and religious and ethnic persuasions for making this day a historic one. We thank particularly the President, His Excellency John Evans Atta Mills and the government of Ghana, for institutionalizing the day as a public holiday in honour of one who gave the only thing he had-his LIFE, to this country and the cause of a better humanity. We are also appreciative and grateful to Africa for the honour accorded Dr. Nkrumah.


	At the celebration

Kwame Nkrumah was a simple Ghanaian born to a very simple parentage of a goldsmith and an ordinary housewife in a simple village of Nkroful in the Western Region. Through perseverance and an unbending determination, he educated himself to the highest level both at home and abroad in the U.S, acquiring many academic degrees in various universities. He also, in the process, educated himself further on practical street life by working in ship yards and docks and engaging in political brinkmanship in both the U.S and Great Britain. He was not only an organizer and strategist of the great respect; he also took active part in more serious political activities such as organizing the landmark Manchester conference in 1945 with such legends as George Padmore and Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois. Thus Nkrumah remained focused all his life on his chosen career of political life.

Nkrumah did not see politics as a “dirty game” from which he should shy away into other comfortable jobs for which he was immensely qualified to do. He did not also see politics as an avenue to make money or wealth for himself and his family. He left neither mansions nor bank accounts. He saw politics as a calling to serve humanity and in his particular case, to serve his people by engaging in a risky struggle to lead the fight against colonialism and subjugation in Ghana and to aspire for a better life in a United Africa. He was perhaps, a Moses given to us by God but who was little understood by his own people.

His political struggles from the U.S to Britain and to Ghana between 1927 and 1947 were to prepare himself for this service to his God and country.

When he returned to the Gold Coast in 1947 at the invitation of the elders of the U.G.C.C., Paa Grant, J.B. Danquah and Ako Adjei, he came determined to serve the cause of mankind by devoting himself totally to the struggle for independence. He was impatient for results and suffered greatly at the hands of both the colonialists and his own people. He was imprisoned several times and suffered many bombs and verbal attacks. But he persevered and within a short space of 10 years ie in 1957, Ghana won its independence as the first Black Country to do so.

Nkrumah went further to push his pan-African agenda and by 1960 virtually all African countries had been freed from colonialism, and thus paving the way for the journey towards total Africa Unity.

We remember Nkrumah today not only for this, but indeed for the very giant strides Ghana made in economic, scientific, technological and educational development. His agricultural and cultural achievements have been unsurpassed and to think that he was in power for only 9 years – 3 years as Prime Minister and 6 years as President, Ghana must justifiably celebrate the life of such a man.

Nkrumah was also an internationalist who did so much for humanity-in the Congo, at the U.N and the Commonwealth, in the U.S by broking the peace between US and Russia in the face of the Cuban missile crises and many other fronts.

As we celebrate the day, the C.P.P would like to request that every Ghanaian, from whichever part of the country and from which ever party, should use the day to reflect on what we, as a people, can make to ensure the accelerated development of the country into the technological economy that Nkrumah stood for.

We must reflect on those noble goals of freedom from want, shelter for every Ghanaian, eradication of disease and quality education for all, the rise of a proud Ghanaian and a confident African for which Nkrumah staked his life, and resolve that these are the noblest goal for which the country must strive to achieve.

His uncompromising stand for a Ghana, one and united should be a pillar of our nation building and indeed, for this, the CPP calls on all our brethren in the conflict zones of the country and other parts of Africa to let the light set by Nkrumah be a guiding light towards peace and national unity. We call on all to lay down their arms and let the peace that Nkrumah stood for, reign in their hearts.

The CPP calls on all Ghanaians, particularly the youth to emulate the simple but determined life of Nkrumah and prepare themselves for their contributions to the national development. They should strive to read his many books and emulate his examples.

Ghana, from north to the south and west to east is blessed with many, many natural and human resource. The recent oil find also adds to our many blessings. But we need peace to enjoy these blessings. The same certainly goes for Africa. Let us therefore nurture the peace and maintain it.

We wish every Ghanaian well on this great day.

Thank you.

Ladi Nylander
(CPP Chairman and Leader)