Accra: The Second edition of Nkrumah Festival (NkrumahFest), was launched over the weekend at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra to commemorate Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah's 116th birthday, under the theme: 'Celebrating Nkrumah's Enduring Impact.'
According to Ghana News Agency, the week-long celebration, starting from September 15th to 21st, 2025, will include a pilgrimage from Accra to Nkroful, Nkrumah's birthplace, where participants will learn about the vision and values of Ghana's first President. The event will feature various activities such as clean-up exercises in Nkroful from September 15th to 16th, the Osagyefo Soccer Cup on September 18th, a public symposium, a candle night carnival, and a durbar of chiefs.
Visitors will also tour historic sites in Nkroful and surrounding communities. The festivities will culminate in the cutting of a cake on September 21st to mark Nkrumah's 116th birthday. Nana Kobina Nketsia V, the Paramount Chief of Essikadu Traditional Area, who chaired the function, remarked that the more Nkrumah is celebrated, the more it becomes evident that Africa will rise again. He noted that Nkrumah used the term 'comrade' to address people, which did not discriminate among individuals.
He called for Africans, both at home and abroad, to consciously work towards building an 'African Personality' that is economically and politically independent. He referenced Dr Nkrumah's quote, 'I'm not African because I was born in Africa, but Africa is born in me,' to emphasize Nkrumah's commitment to the African identity.
Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Convenor of Nkrumah Festival and Member of Parliament for Ellembele, highlighted how Nkrumah's principles continue to inspire hope and shape African aspirations. He stressed the importance of working with purpose to improve the fortunes of the people. Mr Buah noted that celebrating Ghana's founder is a key priority for him as a politician and expressed joy in collectively appreciating Nkrumah's legacy.
He further remarked that Nkrumah redefined independence, viewing it not just as a political struggle but as a revolution of the mind, famously stating: 'We face neither East nor West; we face forward.' Mr Buah acknowledged the challenges Nkrumah faced, such as imprisonment and opposition, emphasizing that freedom is taken by the bold.
He lamented that Nkrumah's legacy was overshadowed by betrayal but urged Africans to unite for meaningful community impact. He encouraged the current generation to draw inspiration from Nkrumah's values of selflessness, hard work, and self-determination to effect change across economic sectors.
Emphasizing unity for economic and mindset emancipation, Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, also the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, pointed to the need for collective effort to improve socio-economic conditions. Madam Dzifa Abla Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, identified poverty and disunity as Africa's greatest challenges, urging efforts to fight poverty and mental slavery.
She described NkrumahFest as a means to rekindle the dream that once ignited Africa. The launch was attended by numerous Members of Parliament and government appointees, including Madam Dorcas Affo-Toffey, Deputy for Transport Minister, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister for Health, Mr Akwasi Opong-Fosu, Board Chairman of GIPC, and Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, Deputy CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority.
