Samia Yaba Nkrumah has disputed the narrative that Ghanaians were generally happy following the overthrow of Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in 1966. Speaking at the 2026 NkrumahFest at Nkroful in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, she described the claim as part of what she considers negative narratives surrounding her father's life, leadership, and legacy.
Samia recalled events following the overthrow, particularly the destruction of Nkrumah's statue, including the severing of the head of the monument that stood at the site now known as the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Museum in Accra. She said the destruction of the monument and public celebrations that followed the overthrow should not be taken as evidence that all Ghanaians supported the change of government or shared the same sentiments.
“That negative propaganda that Osagyefo when he left, Ghanaians were happy is not true,” she said. Samia expressed appreciation to individuals and organisations working to document what she described as a more accurate account of Nkrumah's life, ideas, and political legacy. She cited the unveiling of a new statue of Nkrumah at a roundabout in Sunyani as an indication, in her view, of renewed interest in the former President and his ideas.
For Samia, the new monument was particularly significant because of the contrast between its unveiling and the earlier destruction of Nkrumah's statue. “When we unveiled the statue at the roundabout, I realised that yes, we are going to rise. Nzimaland will rise, Africa will rise, Ghana will rise, and Africans everywhere are going to rise,” she said.
She stressed that the significance of such monuments goes beyond the physical statues, arguing that they are intended to preserve and communicate ideas. According to her, the symbols should remind people of values and ideas that can inspire confidence, strength, and freedom.
Samia also challenged descriptions of Nkrumah as an isolationist or a rigid leader whose ideas were disconnected from the wider international community. She argued that while Nkrumah strongly promoted Ghanaian nationalism and Pan-Africanism, he also maintained relationships with people from different countries and continents.
The 2026 NkrumahFest was held at Nkroful in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, where the Nkrumah family continues to highlight the former President's contribution to Ghanaian nationalism and the Pan-African movement. The Nkrumah family’s renewed involvement in NkrumahFest is partly intended to create opportunities for younger generations to examine Nkrumah's ideas and legacy beyond what she described as negative historical narratives.
Key points
- Samia Nkrumah disputes the claim that Ghanaians were happy after her father's overthrow in 1966.
- A new statue of Nkrumah was unveiled in Sunyani, indicating renewed interest in the former President and his ideas.
- Samia challenges descriptions of Nkrumah as an isolationist or rigid leader.
