Nkrumah's Leadership: The Key to the Gold Coast's Independence
TITLE
‘The Gold Coast achieved independence because of Nkrumah’s leadership’.
ESSAY
The independence of the Gold Coast, renamed Ghana after achieving independence, was a significant milestone in the decolonisation of Africa. While Kwame Nkrumah's leadership undoubtedly played a crucial role in the country's path to independence, it would be an oversimplification to attribute Ghana's independence solely to his efforts.
Nkrumah's leadership was marked by his charisma, determination, and strategic vision for Ghana's future. He mobilised widespread support for the independence movement through the Convention People's Party (CPP) and advocated for self-government through non-violent civil disobedience. Nkrumah's 5-year plan for industrialisation and socio-economic development also demonstrated his commitment to improving the lives of Ghanaians and laying the groundwork for a successful independent nation.
However, the achievement of Ghana's independence was also influenced by broader historical and geopolitical factors. The aftermath of World War II had seen a shift in global attitudes towards colonialism, with the formation of the United Nations promoting the principles of national sovereignty and self-determination. The experiences of African servicemen in the war, including those from the Gold Coast, had exposed the contradictions of European claims to superiority and inspired a wave of anti-colonial sentiment across the continent.
The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), established prior to Nkrumah's return to the Gold Coast, also played a significant role in laying the groundwork for independence. While initially pursuing more conservative policies, the UGCC set the stage for the emergence of more radical voices like Nkrumah's within the independence movement.
Moreover, the political landscape in post-war Ghana was characterised by the presence of multiple political parties and factions, each representing different interests and visions for the country's future. The complex negotiations surrounding the country's transition to independence, including the discussions on the new constitution and the role of traditional chiefs in governance, demonstrate that Ghana's independence was a multifaceted and collaborative effort involving various actors and stakeholders.
In conclusion, while Kwame Nkrumah's leadership was instrumental in Ghana's journey to independence, it was a combination of factors including global anti-colonial sentiment, the efforts of other political parties and movements, and the changing attitudes of imperial powers that ultimately led to the Gold Coast achieving independence. Nkrumah's legacy as Ghana's first Prime Minister and later President remains significant, but it is important to acknowledge the collective efforts of many individuals and groups in the broader context of Ghana's independence struggle.
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HISTORY
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'The Gold Coast achieved independence because of Nkrumah’s leadership'.
Discuss this view:
Nkrumah played a vital role in bringing about independence for Ghana, but other factors in the post-war world made imperial powers take decolonisation more seriously. The formation of the United Nations spread ideas of national sovereignty and self-determination. African nationalists and the global mood supporting political freedom and self-government also played their part. The experiences of African servicemen in the war emphasized to them how the Europeans had been hypocritical claiming to be a superior civilization, and this helped to arouse mass feeling against racism, oppression, and colonial rule.
About 65,000 soldiers from the Gold Coast had fought alongside the British in the Second World War and had returned home to poverty and unemployment; this spurred them on to support the independence movement. In 1947, the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was established. Nkrumah returned to the Gold Coast from London to become the secretary of the UGCC. It was a movement that mainly drew its support from the middle class and tended to pursue conservative policies. However, within two years, Nkrumah had established the more radical Convention People’s Party (CPP), which adopted the slogan ‘Self-Government Now’, and had widespread support from different sectors of society wanting to end British rule, including army veterans and small traders.
In 1950, Nkrumah called on the people of the Gold Coast to support self-determination and the party pamphlet ‘What I mean by Positive Action’. Positive action involved using non-violent civil disobedience and rolling industrial strike action to challenge the British Empire. Nkrumah was imprisoned for sedition and was given a three-year sentence. However, in 1951, the CPP continued to contest the elections and won a landslide victory. Subsequently, Nkrumah was released early from prison and became the Prime Minister of the Gold Coast in 1952.
The CPP adopted a 5-year plan of rapid industrialization in 1951, aiming to improve access to basic health, tackle illiteracy through implementing free primary education, and develop institutions of higher learning. Two-thirds of its investment were to come from the export of surplus cocoa production and tax collection, with the remaining third from international finance loans and private sector business investment.
In 1952, Nkrumah met the visiting Colonial Secretary, who indicated that Britain would favor independence if the chiefs could also express their view. A White Paper on a new constitution was accepted by the assembly and British public in 1953 and enforced in April 1954. The new constitution provided for an assembly of 104 members, all directly elected, with an all-African cabinet responsible for the internal governing of the colony.
In the election on 15th June 1954, the CPP won 71 seats. The British agreed that if the CPP gained a reasonable majority, a date would be set for independence. On 3rd August, the assembly voted for independence, and under the name Nkrumah proposed that Ghana Independence Day would be on 6th March 1957.