Nkrumah was a lonely man because of Pan-African vision – PLO Lumumba

Renowned Pan-Africanist and Kenyan lawyer Prof Patrick Lumumba has described Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, as a “lonely man”, saying his commitment to African unity exposed him to opposition both within Ghana and from foreign powers. Speaking on Joy Prime on September 22, Prof Lumumba said Nkrumah’s vision extended beyond Ghana’s immediate national interests, setting him apart from others who participated in the independence struggle. He explained that while some focused primarily on Ghana, Nkrumah was concerned about the political and economic future of the entire African continent. “My own interpretation is that while others were very proficient in their thoughts, there are those within Ghana who, when they had been part of the independence movement, only thought about Ghana. But Nkrumah thought about Africa,” he said.

Prof Lumumba said this broader vision made Nkrumah vulnerable to criticism from those who questioned why Ghana’s resources were being used to support other African countries. He argued that the challenge was compounded by the gap between Nkrumah’s long-term Pan-African ambitions and the immediate economic and social needs of Ghanaians. “When you are dealing with a population that wants bread on the table now, and you are talking to them about things that will be realised in 50 years, then you can imagine how impatient they are,” he said. According to Prof Lumumba, Nkrumah’s political opponents could exploit that impatience by portraying his continental ambitions as a neglect of Ghana’s interests. “And you then become a sitting duck. And that, I think, is part of the reason why it was very easy to have 50 colonists,” he said. Nkrumah was seen as a threat by foreign powers Prof Lumumba also said Nkrumah faced opposition from outside Ghana…