Today Ghana celebrates it’s 53rd year of Independence from British colonial rule (March 6, 1957). I had a couple of conversations about Ghana with two of my fellow Ghanaians, one saying that Ghana should have kept the colonial name of Gold Coast because it represents a lot in terms of the country’s marketability, its resources & its people, who are worth their weight in gold. From a marketing point of view I can understand the catchiness of the name Gold Coast along with its temptation & lure that brought the name in the first place; however from an independence, sovereign & historical point of view, going back to our rightful historical name of “Ghana” meaning “warrior king” was the rightful choice as Ghanaians will always be warriors even when the gold is finished literally & metaphorically.
The other conversation was about the fact that most people even Ghanaians don’t know that Ghana’s history of a strong self-sufficient independent empire nation goes way back before Europeans stepped foot on our soil for mineral trading, colonization & the beginning of the slave trade, whereby they renamed our nation the Gold Coast to represent their main drive & exploits. Before Colonization, slave trade & renewed independence, there were great leaders & warriors like Yaa Asantewaa, Asantehene Agyeman Prempeh I, Osei Tutu, & Okomfo Anokye. Dr. Nkrumah is often given credit for Independence, but he was part of a movement called Ghana’s big six and beyond that many others in the movement women & men alike who led the way to independence in unity & determination for freedom. We must continue our oral tradition of passing down our history in order to never forget. If we no not where we came from, we will not know where we are going as we continue to Move Forward Ever, Backward Never!
53 years since renewed independence, in a new decade that must be Africa’s decade of a realized dream that was once deferred in bringing about 53 strong, independent black stars representing the unity of economics, trade , brotherhood, sisterhood, self governance & self sufficiency of a United States of Africa. This was the goal of Dr. Nkrumah & many of his counterpart African leaders as they pushed the Pan-Africanism ideology of bringing all of mama Africa’s children together in unity to raise her continent! Today we must stand up as loyal servants of a great nation that has given us so much in the richness of a globally well respected culture & experience, as we show our appreciation in patronizing our own, building on the foundation that was set and fulfilling the excellency that is our destiny as the black star nation.
From fashion to sports, music to film,architecture to being the first to represent Ghana in the winter Olympics rightfully honoring the namesake of Ghana’s 1st president & all points in between, Ghanaians locally & globally are making their mark on the world & representing Ghana to the fullest. Here are just a few you may know & should know:
Ghana’s Future Black Star Leadership -Forward Ever!
Kwame Nkrumah Acheampong- 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS SKIER- Ghana’s First
Charles Nimmo Ntiamoah-Mensah AKA Mr. CNN – Ghana’s go to photographer & 3G Magazine Publisher
John Sarpong- Taking Ghana to a New Dawn & New Heights in Hospitality, Infrastructure & Tourism
Nana Akuffo-Lartey – Sini Africa Founder Keeper of the dream
Blitz the Ambassador- The Future of Ghanaian Global Music
Larry Ossei Mensah- Ghana’s Young Global
Eric Kwabena “Coptic” Matlock- Super Black Star Power Producer –
Oko Nyaku- Ghana’s OG Photo Journalist
Derrick Ashong- Future of Ghana’s Think Tanks
Aisha Obuobi - The face behind the label Christie Brown taking Ghanaian fashion to the true level!
Panji Anoff- Producer & national mover & Shaker -
Boudoir D’huitres- The Global Ghanaian Designer without the Ghanaian label
Nana Eyeson- Humanitarian
Kwaku Akyeampong -known as the ‘Barack Obama of Project and Earned Value Management
Reverend Cookie Boakye- UNITED BETHEL PENTECOSTAL-New Era of Spirituality bringing young people to Christ
Stanley Lumax- The Stoneface Lensman
Jackie Appiah- African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) Best Supporting Actress & 1 of Ghana’s best known actresses
Stephen Appiah- Black Star Team Captain, Humaitarian & world class footballer
Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah -the future of Pan Africanism
DAVID ADJAYE -Ghanaian architect designing globally & attaining global recognition
Plus so many more Black Stars Rising:
Osageyfo Kwame Nkrumah -Independence Day Speech
“At long last, the battle has ended!
And thus Ghana, your beloved country is free forever.
And yet again I want to take the opportunity to thank the chiefs and people of this country, the youth, the farmers, the women who have so nobly fought and won this battle.
Also I want to thank the valiant ex-service men who have so co-operated with me in this mighty task of freeing our country from foreign rule and imperialism.
And as I pointed out… I made it quite clear that from now on – today – we must change our attitudes, our minds, we must realise that from now on, we are no more a colonial but a free and independent people.
But also, as I pointed out, that also entails hard work.
That new African is ready to fight his own battles and show that after all, the black man is capable of managing his own affairs. We are going to demonstrate to the world, to the other nations, that we are prepared to lay our own foundation.
Our own African identity
As I said in the assembly just minutes ago, I made a point that we are going to create our own African personality and identity. It’s the only way that we can show the world that we are ready for own own battles.
But today, may I call upon you all – that on this great day, let us all remember that nothing in the world can be done unless it’s had the purport and support of God.
We have won the battle and we again re-dedicate ourselves … Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa.
Let us now fellow Ghanaians, let us now ask for God’s blessing and for only two seconds in your thousands and millions, I want to ask you to pause only for one minute and give thanks to almighty God for having led us through our difficulties, imprisonments, hardships and suffering to have brought us to the end of our trouble today.
One minute silence.
Ghana is free forever and here I will ask the band to play the Ghana national anthem.” Reshaping Ghana’s destiny.
I am depending upon the millions of the country, and the chiefs and people, to help me to reshape the destiny of this country.
We are prepared to pick it up and make it a nation that will be respected by every nation in the world.
We know we are going to have difficult beginnings, but again, I’m relying upon your support, I’m relying upon your hard work.
Seeing you in this… it doesn’t matter how far my eye goes, I can see that you are here in your millions and my last warning to you is that you are to stand firm behind us so that we can prove to the world that when the African is given a chance he can show the world that he is somebody!
We have awakened. We will not sleep anymore. Today, from now on, there is a new African in the world!