Ghanaians commemorate Founder’s Day in Honour of Kwame Nkrumah

Ghanaians on Sunday, September 21, marked this year’s Founder’s Day to commemorate the birthday of the country’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, widely celebrated as a champion of continental unity and the liberation of the black race.

In a statement signed by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, the ministry announced that President John Mahama had, by Executive Instrument, directed that the holiday be observed nationwide in line with the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, as amended.

Founder’s Day has often been marked with debate and controversy. The holiday was first declared in 2009 by the late President John Evans Atta Mills, when Ghana celebrated the centenary of Dr Nkrumah’s birth. While many view him as the sole founder of modern Ghana, others believe the contributions of the “Big Six” of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) must also be recognised.

In 2017, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo proposed legislation to designate August 4 as Founders Day, while shifting September 21 to Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day. This sparked renewed debate on whether Ghana should celebrate one founder or many.

This year’s Founder’s Day fell on a Sunday, raising the possibility that the following Monday could be declared an observed holiday under Ghanaian law.

Meanwhile, the Western Nzema Youth League (WNYL) welcomed the government’s decision to restore the observance of September 21 as Founder’s Day, honouring Dr Nkrumah directly.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Dr Patrick Ekye Kwesie, leader of the group, said the move went beyond shifting a date, describing it as a profound recognition of Dr Nkrumah’s pivotal role in Ghana’s independence and his enduring legacy as a Pan-Africanist.

“In the past, Kwame Nkrumah had often been relegated to the status of a ‘prophet without honour’ in his own land,” Dr Kwesie said. “By reinstating his birthday as a national holiday, the government has taken a bold step towards correcting historical oversight.”

He added that Nkrumah’s birthday is not just about celebrating an individual but about remembering the values of freedom, unity, and self-determination that he stood for.

“It serves as a reminder of the struggles faced by Ghana’s early leaders and the sacrifices made for national sovereignty,” Dr Kwesie noted.