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WHAT HAPPENED IN GHANA?        DU BOIS

menacing. They had granted independence gracefully and with a flourish. They might have wished there had been some other choice, but everything would now settle down in good order. Kwame Nkrumah carried himself well. He had manners and a pleasing personality. He would listen to reason. After all, the title “Prime Minister” gave him prestige, not power. That still rested with the Governor, who remained in the State House. And British officers were in command of the small, well-disciplined army. The interests of Great Britain were safeguarded. It was well known at No. 10 Downing Street that the terms of the independence as granted conveyed responsibilities but little freedom of action.

It was, however, disconcerting to learn that the new Prime Minister was emphasizing this very point in the Ghana National Assembly. Hardly were the celebrations over and the members in their seats than they were being told that Ghana must be brought together to form a Republic, that only a strongly constituted nation, with an elected representative body and an elected President could grasp political independence.

Further anxiety was felt in Europe when it became evident that American capitalists were wooing the new Ghana. The Prime Minister was invited to the United States where he was treated like royalty. Cars and planes were put at his disposal. “Big Business” spread its wares before him; powerful industrialists hinted how easy it would be to develop his country - with their help. It was said that Prime Minister Nkrumah looked and listened, smiled, and said little.

Then, in December, 1958, representatives of the world press were rushed to Accra to cover what had been announced as “The First All-African Peoples Conference.” Some copies of “The Call”, which it was understood had been distributed all over the continent of Africa, had appeared on editorial desks in western Europe. There, in bold, black type for all to see, were the words:

Africa unite!
You have only your chains to lose;
You have a continent to reclaim,
You have freedom and dignity to attain.
Africa unite!

Some recalled that in the spring of that year Nkrumah had invited the heads of independent African states to Accra for discussions of

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-09 09:31:53