Thousands of Ghanaians gathered at the country’s black stars square in the capital Accra on Monday for a national event to mark 60 years of gaining independence from Britain.
School children and members of the security service marched colorfully and were acknowledged by the president of the country, Akufo Addo. The new president was 12 years old when Ghana gained independence led by the country’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
In a well read out speech to those gathered at the event, President Akufo Addo called for unity.
“We must take pride in our diversity by all means, but the Ghanaian must always rise above the ethnic or sectional interest. We have a bright future and we must mobilize all our resources and all our strengths, here and in the Ghanaian Diaspora, to get to that Promised Land of prosperity faster”
Historically, many of the meetings held by leading politicians in the then Gold Coast took place in the home of Ghana’s second president Edward Akufo Addo, the father of current president Akufo Addo.
The president paid homage to all those who helped in the struggle for independence which sparked the struggle in other African countries.
He said “Fifty-three years later, in 1897, a hundred and twenty years ago, a group of our forebears was moved to start a campaign against the terms of the colonial relationship between what was then the Gold Coast and the United Kingdom. If the signing of the Bond of 1844 marks the formal start of the Gold Coast colony, then the formation of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society on 4th August, 1897, in Cape Coast, marks the start of the struggle for political independence”
President Akufo Addo is hoping the next leg of Ghana’s development will eventually make its independence meaningful.
“I am confident that we can and will achieve the dreams of our forebears. I am hopeful that we will be worthy inheritors of this land. And I urge that we wear the accolade of being a Ghanaian with pride. Let us mobilize for the happy and prosperous Ghana of tomorrow”
The 60th independence anniversary is expected to be yearlong with series of activities aimed at mobilizing for the future of the country, 60 years from now.
Emmanuel Donkor who works in the private sector in Accra said “We have come a long way, since colonial time so we need to celebrate. Ghana is 60 years old it’s not easy to be 60. Other African countries are not above 60. Its good we have to celebrate 60 years old”.
Another Ghanaian in Accra Mattias Osah told Africa Feeds that “It’s like your birthday, you are coming from 1 year to about 10 years, I mean you have to be grateful that you have come all that long way. Celebrating it is good”.
There are Ghanaians who were hoping that Ghana would have developed better than currently 60 years on but many are expectant that the country’s fortunes will change positively in the next 60 years.
Source: Africafeeds.com/ Isaac Kaledzi
