Ghana's Independence Day Speech by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah | Accra | March 6th, 1957
Speech · Anti-Colonialism & National Liberation · March 6, 1957 · 06:42
Kwame Nkrumah
Summary
In this historic speech delivered on March 6, 1957, in Accra, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah celebrates Ghana's independence from colonial rule, thanking the chiefs, youth, farmers, women, and ex-servicemen for their struggle. He calls for a change in attitude now that Ghanaians are no longer a colonial people but a free and independent nation, emphasizing the need for hard work and unity to build a respected country. Nkrumah invokes a new African identity and personality, declaring that Ghana's independence is meaningless unless it contributes to the total liberation of the African continent. He concludes with a moment of silence to thank God for overcoming hardships and leads the crowd in the national anthem.
Transcript
Kwame Nkrumah: At long last the battle has ended. And thus, Ghana, your beloved country, is free forever. And here again, I want to take the opportunity to thank the chiefs and people of this country, the youth, the farmers, the women, who have so nobly fought and won this battle. Also, I want to thank the valiant ex-servicemen who have so cooperated with me in this mighty task of freeing our country from foreign rule and imperialism. And, as I pointed out at our party conference at Sorbonne, I made it quite clear that from now on today we must change our attitudes, our minds. We must realize that from now on we are no more a colonial but a free and independent people. But also, as I pointed out, That also entails hard work. I am depending upon the millions of the country, the chiefs and people to help me to reshape the destiny of this country. We are prepared to build it up and make it a nation that will be respected by every other nation in the world. We know we are going to have difficult beginnings, but again, I'm relying upon your support. I'm relying upon your hard work. Seeing you in these towers, it doesn't matter how far my eye goes, I can see that you are here in your millions. And my last warning to you is that you ought to stand firm behind us so that we can prove to the world that when the African is given a chance, he can show to the world that he's somebody. we are working we shall no more go back to sleep anymore today from now on there is a new african in the world that new african is ready to fight his own battle and show that after all the black man is capable of managing all of us we are going to demonstrate to the world to the other nations young as we are that we are prepared to lay our own foundation As I said in the assembly just minutes ago, I made a point that we are going to say that we create our own African personality and identity. It's the only way we can show the world that we are ready for our own battle. But today, may I call upon you all that on this great day, let us all remember that nothing in the world can be done unless it has the purported support of God. We have done the battle and we again rededicate ourselves not only in the struggle to emancipate other territories in Africa. Our independence is meaningless unless it links up the total liberation of the African continent. Let us now follow Ghanaians Let us now ask for God's blessing. And for only two seconds, in your thousands and millions, I want to ask you to pause only for one minute and give thanks to Almighty God for having led us through obstacles, difficulties, imprisonment, hardship and suffering to have brought us to the end of our trouble today. One minute silence. Ghana is free forever. And here I will ask the band to play the Ghana national anthem. THE END THE END Freedom Freedom