What Led to The Arrest of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

What Led to The Arrest of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

Kwame Nkrumah PC (21 September 1909 – 27 April 1972) was a Ghanaian politician and revolutionary. He was the first prime minister and president of Ghana, having led it to independence from Britain in 1957. An influential advocate of Pan-Africanism, Nkrumah was a founding member of the Organization of African Unity and winner of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962.

After twelve years abroad pursuing higher education, developing his political philosophy, and organizing with other diasporic pan-Africanists, Nkrumah returned to Gold Coast to begin his political career as an advocate of national independence. He formed the Convention People’s Party, which achieved rapid success through its unprecedented appeal to the common voter. He became prime minister in 1952 and retained this position when Ghana declared independence from Britain in 1957. In 1960, Ghanaians approved a new constitution and elected Nkrumah president.

His administration was both socialist and nationalist. Thus it funded national industrial and energy projects, developed a strong national education system, and promoted a national (and pan-African) culture. Under Nkrumah, Ghana played a leading role in African international relations during the decolonization period.

He was deposed in 1966 by the National Liberation Council which, under the supervision of international financial institutions, privatised many of the country’s state corporations. Nkrumah lived the rest of his life in Guinea, of which he was named honorary co-president.

THE ARREST OF DR. KWAME NKRUMAN

In February 1948, police fired on African ex-servicemen protesting the rising cost of living. The shooting spurred riots in Accra, Kumasi, and elsewhere. The government suspected the UGCC was behind the protests and arrested Nkrumah and other party leaders. Realizing their error, the British soon released the convention leaders. After his imprisonment by the colonial government, Nkrumah emerged as the leader of the youth movement in 1948. After his release, Nkrumah hitchhiked around the country. He proclaimed that the Gold Coast needed “self-government now”, and built a large power base. Cocoa farmers rallied to his cause because they disagreed with British policy to contain swollen shoot disease. He invited women to participate in the political process at a time when women’s suffrage was new to Africa. The trade unions also allied with his movement. By 1949, he organized these groups into a new political party: The Convention People’s Party.

The British convened a selected commission of middle class Africans to draft of a new constitution that would give Ghana more self-government. Under the new constitution, only those with sufficient wage and property would be allowed to vote. Nkrumah organized a “People’s Assembly” with CPP party members, youth, trade unionists, farmers, and veterans. They proposed called universal franchise without property qualifications, a separate house of chiefs, and self-governing status under the Statute of Westminster. These amendments, known as the Constitutional Proposals of October 1949, were rejected by the colonial administration.

When the colonial administrator’s rejected the People’s Assembly’s recommendations, Nkrumah organized a “Positive Action” campaign in January 1950, including civil disobedience, non-cooperation, boycotts, and strikes. The colonial administration arrested Nkrumah and many CPP supporters, and he was sentenced to three years in prison.

CONCLUSION

Kwame Nkrumah was arrested for leading a disturbing ‘positive action’ campaign in Ghana against British rule in 1950. His zeal for the freedom of his country not just His country but for the whole African continent.

He was arrested twice at first, for what he did not do, and secondly he was arrested for organizing a campaign in January 1950, which includes non-cooperation, boycotts, civil disobedience and strikes. He was arrested along many other of supporters and he was sentenced to three years in prison.

REFERENCE

Biography of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah”. Graphic online. 8 March 2016.

Rooney (1988), Kwame Nkrumah, pp. 4–5.

Hersh, Seymour (09-05-1978), “CIA Said to Have Aided Plotters Who Overthrew Nkrumah in Ghana”, The New York Times. Reprinted in: Ray, Ellen; Schaap, William; Van Meter, Karl; Wolf, Louis (1979). Dirty Work 2: The CIA in Africa. Secaucus, N.J.: Lyle Stuart Inc. pp. 159–162.

Baynham (1988), Military and Politics in Nkrumah’s Ghana, p. 93