Mills’ Dawn Broadcast On Nkrumah’s Centenary Birthday

Good morning fellow Ghanaians, a hundred years ago, a great son was born to our soil, and today, together with the rest of the African continent, we are celebrating Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, the founder and the first president of our dear nation. This event is in fulfillment of a commitment I made that under my presidency the birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, will be recognized on our national calendar as “Founders Day”. Further to this; the African Union has adopted the centenary birthday celebration of our first President as a continental event to be included on the African Union's calendar of special events. These two events are unprecedented and speak to the uniqueness and global stature of our own Kwame Nkrumah. As a people, we must take collective pride in celebrating today, the 100th birthday of the man who led our independence struggle, and lit the flame that blaze a liberation struggle of the African Continent. Fellow Ghanaians, Brothers and Sisters, Sons and Daughters of mother Ghana, we are not celebrating our founder for the sake of doing so, we are celebrating him because of what he stood for and what he gave our dear nation. Dr.Kwame Nkrumah’s contribution to the development of Ghana and Africa to creating a vision for Ghana and nurturing and forming the life and spirit of our nation are unsurpassed. Kwame Nkrumah opened the doors of Ghanaian politics, previously the exclusive domain of the educated elite in the wealth nurturing class to the ordinary class to the ordinary Ghanaian market women, fishermen, fisher folk, teachers, civil servants and the youth, he risibly called by some as the underdogs. Beyond this inclusiveness in our politics, Kwame Nkrumah broke down ethnic barriers in Ghanaian politics and everyday life, inducing in us a strong sense of oneness, national identity and pride. In Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, there was no North, South, East or West, there was only one Ghana. Above all, Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah respired into Ghanaians a sense of self wealth, national pride and dignity. He embodied and promoted the Ghanaian identity far beyond the shores of the African Continent. Attempts have been made and will continue to be made by some to question the value of his role in Ghana’s history, but my brothers and sisters, the history of our independence struggle and the pivotal role Kwame Nkrumah played in giving us an independent Ghana can not be wished away. Kwame Nkrumah, a “Star Ghana”, projected Ghana as the true black star of Africa and emphasized our independence, our ownership of our resources and our capacity to manage our resources and take charge of our future and destiny. Dr.Kwame Nkrumah created the Ghanaian and African personality which resonated and continue to resonate globally. Let this day, my brothers and sisters, be the day we begin to breathe new life into Dr.Kwame Nkrumah’s vision of a strong united Ghana. Let us grab this opportunity and rekindle our sense of national pride and self. We need to measure the greatness of this nation by the extend to which we care for each other. Let us care for each other and by so doing we will care for mother Ghana. To the youth, they say, the future belongs to you, take control of your destiny and anchor yourselves to the virtues of life knowing that, thou shall profit nothing, if you gain the whole world and lose your soul. There are no short cuts to success, only hard work will guarantee your success. Fellow Ghanaians, Brothers and Sisters, Sons and Daughters of the land, this day hence, the 21st of September each year, shall be known and called Founders Day. It is our time to build on the legacy of our founder and first President, so that individually and collectively, prosperity will also position us properly in the history of our dear nation. Fellow Ghanaians, my Brothers and Sisters, Sons and Daughters, there are rays of hope tinkering through the skies’, know and believe that together and with the right attitude that makes us unite behind the things that unite rather than divide us, we will build a better Ghana. My clarion call to you my brothers and sisters this morning as we celebrate the hundredth birthday of our great founder, is to please join me in building the Ghana that we all have in our dreams. The beginning may be tough and hard but I know that just as the great Osagyefo gave life to his dreams we shall also give life to our better Ghana dream. Fellow Ghanaians, Brothers and Sisters, Daughters and Sons of Ghana, arise and shine. Dr.Kwame Nkrumah built Ghana and it is our turn to build a better Ghana. Thank you for allowing me to share some time with you this morning and may God continue to bless our homeland Ghana and make us greater and stronger. Thank you, enjoy the day.