Kwame Nkrumah: (1909-1972) :
You may have never heard of Kwame Nkrumah (kwa-may N-kru-ma), but he is a famous and very important person in African history. He fought for the independence of Ghana from colonial rule and later became its first President. Although there is some debate about how good a leader he was once he took power, we are going to focus on his contributions to Africa and the idea of pan-Africanism. For no matter what he may have done or not done during his time as president of Ghana, he still left a rich legacy where Africa is concerned.
After leading his people to remove the chains of colonial rule, he became a symbol of freedom for Black peoples across the world. In a time where almost all of Africa was being ruled by countries in Europe, Nkrumah served as an example of what “could be”. He called for all Africans to break the bonds of colonial rule and take their countries back. Many in Africa saw the fact that Ghana was able to form their own free nation as a sign that they too should fight for freedom from whoever was ruling them at the time. Most Africans were eventually able to do just that. Today, there are very few parts of Africa which are still ruled by old colonial powers.
He is the also person given credit for the idea of pan-Africanism. Pan-Africanism is a term he used to mean African unity. You probably already know that Africa is made up of many different countries, 54 to be exact. Nkrumah though focused on what things all of those people had in common: cultural ideas, history and the vision of a common future and goals.
In each of these countries, many languages are spoken. There are also many different ethnic groups and societies in each country.
Mr. Nkrumah taught us the importance of working together to help all Africans live better lives. Instead of only caring about people from their own ethnic group or country, Mr. Nkrumah’s message was that African people should think of themselves as having something in common: their African heritage. In fact, the idea didn’t stop with those still living on the African continent. He also included peoples living in other parts of the world who were of African heritage. Some of these people he included in his vision were those who were taken to the Caribbean and Americas during the slave trade.
Politically, he wanted to form a large union, something like that of the 50 states which make up the United States of America. He saw this dream begin when the Organization of African Unity was formed in the capital city of Ethiopia. This association was formed in order to help leaders of newly formed African countries unite and decide on a common destiny for Africa. They discussed issues like poverty, border disputes, economics and trade in order to find solutions. Today, this organization has been dissolved for a more recent organization called the African Union. Many hope that the African Union will be able to lead African people to have the same economic and political success as the European Union and the United States of America have. They are proposing things like a common currency in order to reach these goals. Only time will tell…
" Divided we are weak; united, Africa could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world. I believe strongly and sincerely that with the deep-rooted wisdom and dignity, the innate respect for human lives, the intense humanity that is our heritage, the African race, united under one federal government, will emerge not as just another world bloc to flaunt its wealth and strength, but as a Great Power whose greatness is indestructible because it is built not on fear, envy and suspicion, nor won at the expense of others, but founded on hope, trust, friendship and directed to the good of all mankind. "
---Kwame Nkrumah, from his book: I speak of Freedom, 1961
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