The Convention People’s Party (CPP), one of Ghana‘s opposition political groups, has declared plans to rebury the country’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Nana Yaa Jantua, the party’s general secretary, believes that the independence fighter was not given a proper burial, prompting the decision to rebury him in November of this year.
The CPP believes Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s “restless” soul needs to rest, she told local media on Wednesday during a visit to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death.
“In no time, the CPP will lay out the timetable of activities that would culminate in the real funeral,” the party continued. “In due order, the CPP will also inaugurate a funeral committee.”
The CPP reaffirmed its demand that the government return assets taken after Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was deposed in 196
Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, died on April 27, 1972. On February 24, 1966, Dr. Nkrumah was deposed by a coup led by Col. Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka. When his government was overthrown, he was out of the country.
He was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957.An influential advocate of Pan-Africanism, Nkrumah was a founding member of the Organization of African Unity and winner of the Lenin Peace Prize from the Soviet Union in 1962.
After twelve years abroad pursuing higher education, developing his political philosophy, and organising with other diasporic pan-Africanists, Nkrumah returned to the Gold Coast to begin his political career as an advocate of national independence.
He formed the Convention People’s Party, which achieved rapid success through its unprecedented appeal to the common voter. He became Prime Minister in 1952 and retained the position when Ghana declared independence from Britain in 1957. In 1960, Ghanaians approved a new constitution and elected Nkrumah President.
His administration was primarily socialist as well as nationalist. It funded national industrial and energy projects, developed a strong national education system and promoted a pan-Africanist culture. Under Nkrumah, Ghana played a leading role in African international relations during the decolonisation period.