Why Governor Arden-Clarke nicknamed Kwame Nkrumah 'local Hitler'

The events of Ghana’s political history between 1947 and 1957 may have been scattered in a lot of literature, but in his book, titled ‘1947-1957 The Story of Ghana’s Independence,” Kabral Blay-Amihere, shares ‘an untold and fresh dimension to the independence story,’ as a friend, Ken Thompson, described it.

In his own words, the former ambassador and former President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), explained the “complicated, frustrating and tortuous trajectory of the last decade in Ghana’s independence,” while examining the “roots of the national movement and the role played by several individuals, including Arden-Clarke himself and the various political organisations that led to the independence of the Gold Coast from British rule on March 6, 1957.”

One of the many stories he shared in the book is the circumstances surrounding how Governor Arden-Clarke described Kwame Nkrumah as a ‘local Hitler’ as well as why he feared the man.

On page 75, Chapter 5 (1950 – Gbedemah Takes Over), Kabral Blay-Amihere wrote on how Arden-Clarke, being aware of the torment that Nkrumah took his predecessor, Governor Geral Creasy through, was also determined not to fall into the same difficulties.

As GhanaWeb reports, he wrote; “The year began with all eyes focused on Nkrumah and his threat to embark on yet another cycle of strikes, demonstrations, noncooperation with the colonial authorities, what he called Positive Action. At the labour front, the TUC had also threatened a nationwide strike in solidarity with some workers of the Meteorological Workers Association of the Gold Coast who had been sacked after a strike action.

“Aware that similar actions under the watch of his predecessor, Sir Gerald Creasy had plunged the Gold Coast into crisis, Arden-Clarke decided to take a tougher line to ensure that his governorship did not suffer a similar fate at the start. Although Arden-Clarke was later to enjoy a cordial working relationship with Nkrumah, he like many British officials in the Gold Coast, harboured fears about Nkrumah whom he described as ‘our local Hitler’ in a letter to his family. He perceived the Positive Action of Nkrumah as an example of the 'tactics of the communists who tried to create chaos in order to seize power'.

“Nkrumah, on the other hand, was determined to implement his threat, fully aware that his political destiny was tied to this radical posture and its success.”

Kabral Blay-Amihere also wrote about the moves that Arden-Clarke made in attempts to get Kwame Nkrumah to back down on his mobilisation of the people of the Gold Coast for his Positive Action.

The planned action, however, failed in its first attempt as, “… the revolution that Nkrumah promised was facing imminent collapse, Nkrumah was to discover when he returned to Accra a few days later.

“There had been a lukewarm reaction to Positive Action and every sign that Positive Action was grinding to a halt.”

But Nkrumah did not give up and days later, on January 11, 1950, he relaunched the campaign at the Arena in Accra, which led to a more successful Positive Action afterwards.

AE