Kwame Nkrumah

date that has special significance for us in Ghana. The date of 21 September is the one on which we mark the birth of our first President, Mr. Kwame Nkrumah. He would have been 113 years old today, and it is worth recalling on this day the driving force of his political career, which was to contribute to

of its independence, and it is auspicious that I am addressing the Assembly for the first time on the birthday of our historic first President Kwame Nkrumah — the day we have set aside to commemorate him. We believe that it is time Africa came of age and held its rightful place on the world stage.

y, I have the opportunity to address the world from the prestigious rostrum of the General Assembly. Today, 21 September, marks the birthday of Kwame Nkrumah. Many African leaders of our current generation draw inspiration from him.

vancement as nations, communities and individuals across the political, social and, most importantly, the economical spectrums. In the words of Kwame Nkrumah, we can no longer afford the luxury of delay. The time has come for us to revisit the issue of reparations for slavery and place it at the top of the

he self-determination of peoples, Ghana was the first sub-Saharan country to emerge from colonial domination. Our nation’s founding father, Mr. Kwame Nkrumah, proclaimed that the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the African continent.

ay, 21 September, Ghana celebrated the centenary of the birth of an illustrious son of Ghana and of Africa, our first President, Mr. Kwame 09-52320 4 Nkrumah, under whose leadership Ghana became a Member of the United Nations on 8 March 1957, only two days after achieving independence. We recall Mr. Nkruma

can unity and the continentís emancipation from the yoke of colonialism, foreign occupation and apartheid. Among them, I pay special tribute to Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana; Ahmed Ben Bella, the first Prime Minister of Algeria; Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt; Julius Kambarage Nyerere of Tanzani

James, Eric Williams, Sir Arthur Lewis and Walter Rodney have all worked assiduously at the side of African leaders like Nkrumah, Nyerere, Sékou Touré and Léopold Senghor in order to realize the ultimate dream of a united Africa liberated from the bondage of poverty, disease an

As I speak I feel the presence of illustrious persons who have spoken from this rostrum in the past, such as Cabral, Nkrumah and — I say this with a great deal of emotion — Lumumba, who came here to denounce what was being set in train more than 30 years ago, under United N

ils from a country that paved the road towards freedom and national independence in our part of the world. The first leader of his country, Mr. Kwame Nkrumah, was a main catalyst in Africa’s fight against colonial domination. We have no doubt that all these attributes, together with his long-standing exper

s connection, my delegation is immensely pleased to celebrate the practical actualization of the vision of three distinguished sons of Africa — Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Ahmed Sékou Touré of Guinea and William V. S. Tubman of Liberia — as we note that an independent Africa is observing and actively participa

ike Saint Lucia’s Nobel laureate, Sir Arthur Lewis, and others, such as C.L.R. James and George Padmore, were strong influences on persons like Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta and Sékou Touré. This historic link between the Caribbean and Africa must continue, especially at a time when the entire international

the United Nations was focused on preventing a third world war. In 1957 a little country in Africa twisted the tail of its colonial master, and Kwame Nkrumah emerged from jail in Ghana to lead his country and to redefine the purpose of this United Nations. When the United Nations was created in 1945, colon

the harm to the environment which technology will inflict. The underdevelopment of Africa is of special concern to my delegation. In 1957, when Kwame Nkrumah brought independence to Ghana, the people of Antigua and Barbuda were duly inspired. He regarded Africa's freedom as a necessary precursor to our own

every success in tackling the difficult problems of nation-building. 7. Ghana is a member of the non-aligned movement. Our first President, Mr. Kwame Nkrumah, was among the founding fathers of the movement. Guided by his precept and example, the People's National Party Government of the Third Republic, has

Mother Africa can no longer remain heedless to the anguished cries of her sons and daughters still in bondage and servitude. 98. It was our own Kwame Nkrumah who warned from this very rostrum some 14 years ago: "Africa wants her freedom; Africa must be free. It is a simple call, but it is also a signal, a

I should like to read into the records of this Assembly the words in which we commemorated those contributions of Gamal Abdel Nasser, of Kwame Nkrumah, of Jawaharlal Nehru, of Josip Broz Tito for all the world is heir to their achievements and the epilogue to their great works may serve also as the

91. Since I have come here as a member of the National Liberation Council which has taken over the administration of Ghana since the overthrow of the Nkrumah regime on 24 February this year, it behooves me to say a few words about the new regime. 92. Ghana, which at its independence in 1957 had raised grea

This is only a one-way street to world war. My President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has been most concerned with ensuring that the major parties to the dispute in Viet-Nam can be brought together to find a peaceful solution to this

you warm greetings and best wishes for the success of the nineteenth session of the General Assembly from the President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and the Government and people of Ghana. 141. It is my great privilege to address this Assembly under the presidency of a Ghanaian. My first task is

n of the General Assembly of the United Nations. 2. Through you, we also congratulate the fraternal people of Ghana and its valiant leader, Mr. Kwame Nkrumah. 3. The road travelled by the independent States of Africa in freeing themselves from foreign rule and restoring authentically African moral and cult

We welcome, in your person, the representatives of a friendly country, Ghana, which, under the leadership of its President and our friend, Mr. Kwame Nkrumah, is playing a distinguished progressive role in the historic struggle of the African peoples for the liberation of Africa and for its political, econ

n the world, which we all desire. 8. Speaking before this Assembly on the question of disarmament in September 1960, my President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah said: "Fundamentally, the argument in favour of disarmament must be looked at in two ways. First, it is ridiculous to pile up arms which must destroy

at we were grateful to the Deputy Foreign Minister of Ghana [1143rd meeting] when he drew our attention again to the important statement of President Nkrumah during the fifteenth session [869th meeting] of the General Assembly in which he called for recognition of the political realities in the Middle East

documents, which are unpalatable to them, as 'objectionable literature'.'1 [1015th meeting, para. 72.] He then referred to a speech made by President Nkrumah on 23 September 1960, and he went on to say: "This speech of President Nkrumah appears in document A/PV.869, in the Official Records of the United Na

sorts of threats were unleashed. At a time when the Head of the Soviet Government stated in his letter to Prime Minister Nehru of India and President Nkrumah of Ghana that he was ready for negotiations "at any time, any place and at any level" the most different official sources of the Western Powers went

mber that several Heads of State and Heads of Government attended that r, session. Taking advantage of their presence in New J! York, President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, President Gamal Abdel Nasser of the United Arab Republic, President Tito of Yugoslavia, President Sukarno of Indonesia and Prime Minister N

e Congo (Leopoldville), led by Mr. Patrice Lumumba, should be immediately authorized to take a seat in the General Assembly. (4) We support President Nkrumah’s proposal regarding an increase in the responsibilities of the African-Asian group in connexion with the United Nations military and civilian action

established. To mention but six examples out of many, there is a Norodom Sihanouk, a Nasser, a Nehru, a Sekou Touré, a Mao Tse-Tung in Peiping, and a Nkrumah. Is not the world a better place that they should sit here Instead of devoting all their lives and all their strength to the overthrow of the imperia

ns concerned not to change existing boundaries, or settle disputes, by force. Such an agreement might also, we would hope, provide that, as President Nkrumah in his speech before the Assembly [869th meeting] so wisely suggested, nuclear weapons — and for myself I would add other means of mass destruction —

estic progress and international recognition — will undoubtedly give new impetus to our family of nations. I say family, because even though — as Mr. Nkrumah, the President of Ghana, stated [869th meeting] so brilliantly — the African continent is a well-defined entity, it is none the less true that modern

They are speaking about education. All of us listened here, in turn, to speeches by Mr. Nkrumah, President of the Republic of Ghana, by Mr. Fidel Castro, Prime Minister of Cuba, by Mr. Sukarno, President of the Republic of Indonesia, and other p

y of the world, is one of the most significant hallmarks of this century. 23. There is deep meaning in the words of the President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who stated from this rostrum [869th meeting] that as long as a single foot of African soil remained under foreign domination the world would know no

h has prevented and prevents economic, political and cultural progress in Africa? 48. Voicing the thunderous demands of Africa from this rostrum, Mr. Nkrumah, the President of the Republic of Ghana, said: "As long as a single foot of African soil remains under foreign domination, the world shall know no pe

have said, Ghana is a fellow member of the Commonwealth, and, personally, I should have preferred not to mention these facts had it not been that Mr. Nkrumah made so virulent an attack on South Africa when he participated in this debate. 82. I could continue to show how many others of the forty-one sponsor

e white hero, that white hero who became more heroic the more African natives he killed, but the Africa we see represented here by leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and Sékou Touré, the Africa of Nasser’s Arab world, the true Africa, the oppressed continent, the exploited continent, the continent which was the bi

ed Nations cannot rise fully to its responsibilities without meeting Mr. Khrushchev half way on the road to peace and international security. 84. Mr. Nkrumah, the President of Ghana, also made his contribution to the work of the General Assembly [869th meeting]. His vigorous stand for the Congo, for Algeri

dent States to align themselves with any Power bloc. There is much that is hopeful in the concept of neutralism expressed by African leaders like Dr. Nkrumah, and Asian leaders like that amazing statesman, Mr. Nehru. The world community should assist new States materially and should see that they are allow

and that the majority of Africans today are still labouring under foreign rule against their will. 18. In the words of our Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, we regard the independence of Ghana as meaningless unless we are able to use our freedom to help other African people to be free and independent, to

or the promotion of such friendly relations and neighbourly feeling between all nations and all peoples. 4. As the Prime Minister of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, recently stated in Parliament, "the basis of our foreign policy must be seen against the background of the following considerations, namely: Ghana i

r has seen a specific demonstration of the "young and newly-awakened African conscience". On the initiative of President Bourguiba and Prime Minister Nkrumah, representatives of eight independent African States met in conference at Accra in April 1958 and decided to unite their efforts to strengthen peace,

e colonial system of administration during this long period are a matter of recorded history. However, under the guidance and leadership of Mr. Kwame Nkrumah, the Prime Minister of Ghana, independence was achieved without bloodshed, but rather through the processes of peaceful negotiation and in a spirit o