Ghanaians observed Founder’s Day on Sunday, September 21, to commemorate the birthday of the country’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah Ghana’s former Prime Minister and a leading advocate for African unity and the liberation of the black race.
In a statement signed by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, the ministry announced that President John Mahama, by Executive Instrument, had directed that the holiday be observed nationwide in accordance with the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, as amended.
The celebration of the day has often stirred debate. Under the late President John Evans Atta Mills, Parliament passed legislation to declare September 21 a holiday in memory of Dr Nkrumah. In 2009, President Mills formally declared the date which marked the centenary of Nkrumah’s birth as Founder’s Day, a statutory holiday.
The Founder’s Day versus Founders Day debate resurfaced in 2017 during President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s speech at Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary parade. While many regard Nkrumah as the sole founder of modern Ghana, others argue that independence was achieved through the collective efforts of the Big Six, leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).
Later that year, President Akufo-Addo proposed legislation designating August 4 as Founders Day, while Nkrumah’s birthday on September 21 would be observed as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.
This year, September 21 falls on a Sunday. By law, when a statutory holiday coincides with a weekend, the President may declare the following Monday as the official holiday.
Meanwhile, the Western Nzema Youth League (WNYL) has welcomed the government’s decision to restore Founder’s Day to September 21, Nkrumah’s birthday.
Dr Patrick Ekye Kwesie, leader of the group, told the Ghana News Agency that the reversal was more than a date change. it reflected national recognition of Nkrumah’s pivotal role in Ghana’s independence and his lasting legacy as a Pan-Africanist.
“In past years, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, was often relegated to the status of a ‘prophet without honour’ in his own land,” Dr Kwesie noted. “By reinstating his birthday as a national holiday, government has taken a bold step to correct historical oversight and honour a leader whose ideals continue to inspire generations.”
He added that the commemoration is not only about celebrating an individual but also about remembering the values of freedom, unity, and self determination that Nkrumah championed. “It serves as a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices made by Ghana’s early leaders in securing the nation’s sovereignty,” Dr Kwesie stressed.
