GHANA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION,NOW AND THEN.

Have you wondered how Independence day is celebrated in Ghana?well sit down and relax whiles i brief you on how it is celebrated and what it entails.

Before Ghana attained Independence,it was called Gold Coast meaning the "land of gold".

on 6th march,1957,Ghana gained independence from her colonial masters which means gaining total self control in all her affairs.But before gaining total self control,there are a lot of people who tried to champion the course which led to the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention(UGCC) chaired by DR. PAA GRANT on 4th august 1947.DR. Grant later invited DR. KWAME NKRUMAH who was then in the diaspora.

DR. Nkrumah on his arrival became  the general secretary of the party.He later formed his political party with the slogan"self government now" which was the convention peoples party(cpp) which still exist and have Ivor Greenstreet as its flag bearer in the November polls.

Dr. Nkrumah in his urge for independence was arrested and imprisoned,but he won the elections whilst still in prison. On 6th march 1957 exactly about fifty nine years ago,he was released from the prison to be the first prime minister of the the then Gold Coast. there are many people who tried their best towards Ghana self gain but the renowned ones were;DR. KWAME NKRUMAH, DR.EDWARD DANKWA AKUFFO ADDO, DR. OBETSEBI LAMPTEY, WILLIAM OFFORI ATTAH ,JOSEPH BOAKYE DANKWA and EBENEZER AKO-ADJEI (THE BIG SIX).

DR.Nkrumah during his speech on the independence day made the following statements "Our Independence is meaningless unless it is linkup with the total liberation of Africa","at long last the battle has ended and Ghana your beloved country is free Forever" which spoke of a good leadership.

GHANA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 59 YEARS DOWN THE LANE.

As usual,Ghana's independence day celebration is marked by students from all walks of life,the security agency and non formal workers from all part of Ghana paraded at selected towns in districts,Municipal levels and others at the independence square at Accra to commemorate the day. The president of the land who doubles as the commander in chief of the Ghana armed forces burns the flame to indicate Ghana's activeness and also inspects the security entourage at parade and address the nation.This usually takes place at the independence square,Accra.

well i must admit that, as some one in my  early 30's,i have  witnessed celebrations of the day come with several  ups and downs. The most memorable ones are the 2007 independence day celebrations when Ghana attained 50 years(Golden jubile) as a self gained country which came with the theme " ‘Championing African excellence’," saw many activities such as distribution of souvenirs,school cups with Ghana at 50 logos,street jams within districts and municipalities of Ghana

Internationally,as  part of the Du Bois Centre's participation in Ghana@50, an  event with the theme "MLK's Witness to the Birth of the New Nation." which  on Monday, January 15, the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture, in cooperation with the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy,  celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, in observance of the birthday of the American Civil Rights activist and Nobel Peace Laureate. This joint observance was in keeping with celebrations across the US, as a pre independence day event.


There were erroneous reports of a thunderstorm coming in from Nigeria that could have potentially distruct today’s parade but the Ghana Meteorological service rubbished such reports.It was sunny throughout the day as the participants matched in commemoration of Ghana’s Independence.

ghana has thus far become the talk of the world and ridiculed because of the errorneous printing of the activities of the day when kenyan president was presumed to be the president of ghana.

In all these,I must say that the day was a success since no casualties were recorded.

President Uhuru Kenyatta in a handshake with President of Ghana.
Photo courtesy of the PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta,president of Kenya taking salute

President Uhuru Kenyatta,with the First Lady of Ghana

Presents of  the Security Forces