The family of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, has returned to Nkroful with what his daughter, Samia Yaba Nkrumah, describes as a renewed commitment to contributing to Ghana’s development and keeping his ideas relevant to future generations.
Speaking at the 2026 NkrumahFest in Nkroful in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, Ms Nkrumah said the family’s return marked a new chapter in its relationship with the community and the legacy of Ghana’s independence leader.
The event, held to commemorate Dr Nkrumah’s 117th birthday, brought renewed attention to his contribution to Ghana’s independence and his vision for national development and African unity.
Ms Nkrumah acknowledged that the family had stayed away from Nkroful for an extended period and apologised to the people for the absence.
She explained that the family’s withdrawal was influenced by painful experiences associated with her father’s political life, including an assassination attempt that left a lasting emotional impact on them.
She recalled seeing her father return home covered in blood after one such attempt on his life.
“We saw our father covered in blood, walking into the house after one assassination attempt on his life. Forgive us if we stayed away. We were traumatised, we were scared, we were confused,” she said.
According to Ms Nkrumah, however, the family is now ready to reconnect with Nkroful and play a more active role in promoting the ideals associated with Dr Nkrumah.
“The good news is that we’ve come back. And we want to make a contribution to Ghana’s progress, to Ghana’s development, and to Ghana’s unity,” she said.
Keeping Nkrumah’s ideas alive
Ms Nkrumah said the family’s renewed presence in Nkroful was not simply about reconnecting with their ancestral home but also about ensuring that Dr Nkrumah’s ideas continue to receive attention, particularly among young Ghanaians.
She said the family wanted to help preserve his intellectual and political legacy while encouraging younger generations to draw lessons from his vision for Ghana.
“We are coming back to recognise our father’s work. We are coming back to appreciate his ideas, and we are coming back to make sure that those ideas never die, but rather, they nourish us and give us the courage to make Ghana better,” she said.
Her comments place the family’s return within a broader effort to keep discussions about Dr Nkrumah’s legacy alive, decades after his death.
Nkroful, the birthplace and ancestral home of Dr Nkrumah, remains closely associated with his personal history and Ghana’s independence struggle.
The 2026 NkrumahFest therefore served not only as a commemoration of his 117th birthday but also as an occasion for the family to renew its connection with the community and reaffirm its stated commitment to Ghana’s development and national unity.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
