By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The quiet Nzema town of Nkroful, birthplace of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, burst into colour, music, and reflection on Sunday as thousands of Ghanaians and international visitors converged for NkrumahFest 2025. The event, themed “Celebrating Nkrumah’s Enduring Impact”, formed the centrepiece of this year’s Founders’ Day celebrations, which also marked the 116th birthday of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
A FESTIVAL OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND UNITY
The day-long festival transformed Nkroful into a cultural hub, with traditional drumming, dancing, and colourful displays from the people of Nzemaland and other Ghanaian tribes. Chiefs, opinion leaders, politicians, students, clergy, and ordinary citizens gathered at the refurbished Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, where the celebrations were staged.
At the entrance of the town, participants were greeted by a newly erected imposing statue of Nkrumah, commissioned by the Ellembelle MP, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to honour the memory of the African of the Millennium.
INAUGURATION OF RENOVATED MAUSOLEUM
This year’s NkrumahFest was especially significant, as it coincided with the inauguration of the renovated Nkrumah Mausoleum in Nkroful, after years of deterioration. The site has now been transformed into a first-class tourist destination, with improved facilities designed to attract both domestic and international visitors.
According to Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah-MP for Ellembelle who doubles as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, this effort was necessary to preserve Nkrumah’s legacy for generations. “I’m proud to have led the effort to transform the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Nkroful into a first-class tourist destination, truly befitting of the towering figure we honour,” he told the gathering.
CALLS TO PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES
Mr. Buah used the platform to link Nkrumah’s vision with today’s urgent challenges. He described illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as “environmental terrorism” and urged all Ghanaians to take up their civic duty to protect water bodies and forests.
“The journey to Nkroful is not a physical trip. It is a journey of rediscovery of values — selflessness, Pan-Africanism, innovation, and fearless dedication. Osagyefo would have wanted us to be fierce guardians of our natural environment,” he said.
A LEADER WORTHY OF CELEBRATION
While paying glowing tribute, Mr. Buah noted that Nkrumah was more than a politician: “He was a liberator and a prophet. While others negotiated for a better seat at the colonial table, Nkrumah demanded a united and economically free Africa. That was his radical, absolute vision.”
DIGNITARIES ADD THEIR VOICES
Several dignitaries graced the festival and echoed similar sentiments:
Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, announced that NkrumahFest had now been formally placed on Ghana’s tourism calendar. She pledged sustained investment in Nkroful as a heritage site. “Sites like the birthplace of Dr. Nkrumah must not fade into history. They must be preserved and celebrated as living monuments that inspire, educate and unite us,” she stated.
Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson called on citizens to live out Nkrumah’s principles daily, rather than confining them to annual celebrations.
Samia Nkrumah, daughter of the late President, expressed gratitude to government for reinstating Founder’s Day in honour of her father. She appealed for a time when Ghanaians of all persuasions would unite around Nkrumah’s significance.
Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Amoako Hene, also joined the celebration, underscoring the national, cross-regional recognition of the day.
UNITY THROUGH CULTURE
Beyond the speeches, the festival was alive with colourful cultural displays. Dancers from Nzema, Fante, Ewe, and Ashanti groups performed, symbolizing the unity and diversity of Ghana — an ideal that Nkrumah himself cherished. The air was filled with traditional rhythms, songs of liberation, and poetry performances extolling the ideals of Pan-Africanism.
A LEGACY REDEDICATED
For the people of Nkroful, NkrumahFest 2025 was more than a celebration; it was a pilgrimage of memory and rededication. Chiefs and opinion leaders reminded the youth that Nkrumah’s dreams were not relics but a blueprint for Ghana’s development and Africa’s unity.
The Ellembelle MP captured this sentiment in his message: “The journey to Nkroful is a journey to rediscover who we are and what we must become. The Osagyefo’s legacy endures not in monuments alone, but in our collective will to build a self-determined, united, and prosperous Ghana.”
As the sun set over Nkroful, the chants, drumming, and calls to action lingered, reaffirming that the memory of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah remains deeply alive — not just in history books, but in the hearts of his people
One Response
Good morning to you all, the Nzema community. The celebration of Nkrumah 116 birth day ,is not necessary because it is long overdue. Nkufro should have been a tourist place and it bring development to the place .
Huge amount spent on this celebration will bring nothing for us, no matter the promises .
The whole Nzema chiefs should wake up and speak their heart, because Nkufro needs development easily say than done.
The road from Sinpa junction to Teleku Bukazo ink to Nkufro needed urgent construction .
God bless the Nzema community .