Rare videos have emerged of Ghana’s Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah lying in State on Saturday, May 13, 1972, during his funeral ceremony in Conakry, Guinea.
In one of the video clips, his wife, Fathia Nkrumah, was captured attired in black and in a solemn mood. Ghana’s first president died in Bucharest, Romania on April 27, 1972, after six years of exile in Guinea after he was ousted through a military coup launched by the National Liberation Council (NLC).
Dr Nkrumah, led the country to attain independence from British colonial rule.
The great Pan-Africanist died far away from his birthplace of Nkroful at the age of 62. He played pivotal role in the formation of the African Union previously called the Organisation of African Unity and led Ghana to independence in 1957.
President Nkrumah was unconstitutionally ousted from office through a military coup with the code name ‘Operation Cold Chop’ launched by the NLC in February 24, 1966. He was in Peking, now Beijing, en route to the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, to contribute to efforts to end the American war in Vietnam.
After he was ousted, Dr Nkrumah arrived in Conakry, Guinea upon the invitation of Sekou Toure. On April 27, 1972, Dr Nkrumah died of cancer while in Bucharest, Romania. His death was announced by President Seim Toure of Guinea, one of the militant nationalists who was a close friend of Dr Nkrumah.
Several African Heads of State and the representatives of 25 other countries paid their last tributes to Ghana’s former president, Dr Nkrumah, on Saturday, May 13, 1972 after a funeral ceremony was held in Conakry, the Guinean capital. Three separate funerals were held for Osagyefo in Guinea on May 1, 1972, Accra and Nkroful in July 1972.
Watch videos below:
— nanakojokorang (@drastymulla) April 27, 2020
Footage of Kwame Nkrumah lying in State in Conakry, Guinea. His death was announced by President Toure of Guinea. Several African Heads of State including the NLC and the representatives of 25 other countries paid their last tributes to Ghana's former President, Kwame Nkrumah. pic.twitter.com/yZ1PzBVndP
— GHANA FACTS & HISTORY (@GhanaianMuseum) April 27, 2020