Ghana's New Holiday--"Founder's Day" (21st September). Dr.Nkrumah's day!

Given that pictures paint the proverbial thousand words, I am going to leave a sampling of some of the headlines from Ghanaian dailies--(from top to bottom): Ghanaian Times; Daily Graphic; Ghana Palaver. I have begun creating a specific album for photo captures of Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, the Founder of Ghana. Monday began the 9-month celebration of the centenary of his life. He must have been something special to have a whole 9 months dedicated to his celebration. The truth?

He was!

He built our Tema motorway in the late 1940s. It still stands strong todqay. He built our Akosombo dam, which still gives us electricity--despite the fact that we are 22.5 million now as compared to 6 million in 1957!

Words are insufficient to explain the man, but the headlines--including the fact that he should inspire the youth--already attest to the greatness of the man. For non-Ghanaians, a quick google search will give you a good insight, but let me leave you with the fact that in 2000, listeners to no less than than British Broadcasting Corporation voted him the Man of the Millenium. Here is the quote back then:

Last December, BBC listeners in Africa voted Kwame Nkrumah, the first head of an independent Ghana their "Man of the Millennium". But although Nkrumah triumphantly led Ghana to independence in 1957, by February 1966 he had been overthrown in a coup and spent the remaining six years of his life languishing in exile.

If You Ever Doubted You were Watching Accra...

...well, I guess, now you don't!;) I have to confess that I have been excessively attached to taking pictures of the Accra Mall, which has become a de rigeur kind of place to take and visit.

Let's just say I ain't refraining any time soon!

Seriously, it's a place, where changes are most visible quickly, and the psychedelic nature of it all makes for a great place to snap pics of.

I like this picture for the way in which it captures the signboard indicating Accra, Tema, and Legon and juxtaposes it against the front of the Accra Mall.

It was not deliberate to omit mentioning Achimota. It is important to add that both Legon and Achimota are lexicons of academic excellence, with the former being the site where the University of Ghana is located, and the latter a seriously awe-inspiring name that is also a by-word for excellence as far as schooling is concerned. Ghana's first (and late) president Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah and former President (1992-1996) Jerry John Rawlings are alumnae.

More on Achimota on another date, but suffice-to-say that it is a place where the so-called crème de la crème mix and mingle with a view to becoming the "best" in society. It is, ofcourse, only one of many schools in Accra and the country, but is certainly the most well-known.

Happy Birthday, Mother Ghana!! You are 50 (Fifty)!

As I won't be in tomorrow, given it being a statutory holiday, as well as the subsequent day, I am posting this for 6 March.

Happy Jubilee!!! This is a cover of the latest edition of New African. The cover is, well, not surprising. It dedicates a good 45 pages, including the odd advert, but almost fifty anyway(!!) to Ghana!

Enjoy!!

PS Just one thing: Nkrumah, in fact, said "Ghana, our beloved country is free forever" Now, unless, New African did not have that in quotes, it could be accepted; otherwise it appears the "Greatest African" who ever lived might have said that...

JB Danquah Circle in Accra (Ghana is 50!)

By way of celebrating Ghana's Jubilee year, here's a picture of the Danquah circle, located some metres away from Osu, Oxford Street--a very popular part of the capital for both Westerners and Ghanaians alike.

J.B.Danquah was a member of the so-called "Big Six", who spearheaded the country's independence. He is also considered by some Ghanaians as the "doyen" of Ghana politics. He is, regrettably, also implicated by some to have been involved in what some consider apocryphal--or questionable--accounts of the overthrow (collusion with CIA) of the first president of Ghana, Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, in 1966.



Here's a picture of the website, where you can find more info on the "Big Six"...


whose pictures grace our 10,000 cedi bill, which by July 2007, would be equivalent to almost $US1.00.