Ghana turns 68 on March 6, 2023, and as Ghanaians celebrate Independence Day, it is important to understand why Ghana's first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, chose the Polo Ground for the declaration of independence.

The old Polo Ground, where the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum currently stands, was once a place reserved exclusively for the British to play, relax, and socialize with their peers.

Disclosing this on GhanaWeb's People and Places programme, hosted by Ernestina Serwaa Asante, the Director of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Edward Quao, explained that Nkrumah deliberately chose the same place for the declaration of independence.

This time, however, natives were allowed, symbolising a direct message to the British that Ghana was free from their rule forever.

You may recall this famous quote from Nkrumah's independence speech: “At long last, the battle has ended! And thus, Ghana, your beloved country, is free forever!”

This excerpt sought to emphasise that Ghana was officially free from British colonial rule.

Edward Quao, while narrating the independence story on People and Places said, “The reason we have the park built here is that during the colonial era, this was where the British used to play Polo, which was meant only for the English. Natives were not allowed to come here. So, when Ghana was about to gain independence, Dr. Nkrumah chose this place for the independence speech.”

Nkrumah, together with Kojo Botsio, Komla Agbeli Gbedemah, Archie Casely Hayford, and Krobo Edusei, were all dressed in their northern smocks and hats with "PG" inscribed on them.

These comrades stood before the crowd, which had traveled from across the country to witness the historic occasion.

It was there that Nkrumah declared, “Ghana is free forever.”

Meanwhile, watch this Ghana Month special edition of People and Places as we hear the story of how the head of Kwame Nkrumah's bronze statue was returned after 43 years, below:



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