In a rare historical recording retrieved by GhanaWeb, Ghana’s first president, President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, delivered a humbling Christmas message to Ghanaians while in exile in Guinea Conakry, after his overthrow by the security forces in 1966.
The recording, made over Radio Guinea's Voice of the Revolution, captures Nkrumah's heartfelt sentiments during the festive season particularly after what he describes as the reversal of Ghana’s development and progress.
In the video recording made available by a YouTube page Talking Africa, and titled Kwame Nkrumah Christmas Day Speech From Exile, Kwame Nkrumah extends warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, despite the challenging circumstances faced by Ghanaians.
He acknowledges the reflective mood among Ghanaians during the festive occasion, considering the tumultuous events that transpired in the country that year.
“Fellow country men, chiefs and people, comrades and friends. Christmas is here with us again. I am speaking to you in the spirit of the season from Conakry over a radio Guinea’s Voice of the Revolution. In spite of your suffering and humiliation, I wish that you could have a merry christmas and a happy new year.
“This is normally a festive occasion but on this year’s christmas day, Ghaians cannot help reflecting what a fateful year this has been for them. You have seen an unfortunate and sordid chapter in your history. It is a chapter of treachery and betrayal; of greed and hypocrisy; of tint and blunder. It is dark days for Ghana, it is exactly 10 months today, when certain officers in the Ghana Army and Police turned their guns at the very constitution and legal government which they solemnly swore on their honour to protect and defend,” he said.
The ousted leader expressed profound disappointment at the betrayal, emphasising that those who orchestrated the coup could never have acted in the true interest of the people.
“You know anyone who is capable of such outrageous betrayal of trust, for no reason at all, could never have been motivated by the true interest of the people. Events in Ghana since then have confirmed this beyond any doubt.
“Within 10 short months, the traitors who make up the so-called National Liberation Council, have shown that, it was their morbid lust for money and power and their desire to escape from the just consequences of their corruption and crime which made them commit such despicable act of treason against the State and the people of Ghana. When you look around yourself, their only achievement has been the sordid reversal of Ghana’s development and progress,” he added.
Watch the full speech by Kwame Nkrumah below:
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See the details captured in the newspaper clippings below:
NW/NOQ
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