PRESIDENT NKRUMAH ESCAPES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT POST


PRESIDENT NKRUMAH ESCAPES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
An unsuccessful attempt was made on the life of President Kwame Nkrumah on January 2 , as he was walking from his office in Flag Staff House to his car.
The President escaped unhurt but one of his security officers was fatally shot by the assassin , who was knocked down and over – powered by the President himself .
The whole nation reacted with horror and indignation at the dastardly attempt
on Dr. Nkrumah’s life and demonstrations were staged throughout Ghana to declare support for the leader .
Reaction In Africa
Perhaps the general reaction of African States to the assassination attempt was summed up in a Nigerian radio commentary on January 4 , the text of which is quoted below :
“All African states must condemn outright the latest attempt on President Nkrumah’s life . As Nigeria has always believed , the surest way of achieving peace and stability on this continent is through a constitutional approach to public affairs . The Republic of Ghana has already suffered enough from acts of political violence . From 1957 to 1962 hardly did any three months pass by with-out there being bomb explosions , either in a political party meeting or along the route President Nkrumah had just passed .”
“As events now prove , the re-sults of this reign of terror have done no good for anyone . Internally , President Nkrumah was being compelled to tighten security measures . The opposition parties were held responsible for all acts and were called terroristic gangs . In such an atmosphere , no responsible government worth the namewould be less arbitrary in its attitude toward opposition elements and other potential saboteurs . Externally , Ghana also suffered . The world press described Ghana as a failure . As usual , they jumped to the conclusion that the ex-periment of Ghana had shown that black men were not capable of ruling themselves . In a word , frequent outbursts of violence in politics is not the best atmosphere in which young Ghana can develop . ”
“About a year ago it seemed evident that the people of Ghana , especially the opposition elements , had realized this fact . For 12 months after the assassination” attempt of 1962 there was complete calm in Ghana . Suddenly , the politics of Ghana has swung back to violence .
” There is so far no evidence that President Nkrumah is not a majority ruler in Ghana . In fact ,
few African leaders command the level of spontaneous response and sincere support President Nkrumah gets from the masses of Ghana . The surest way of encouraging such a popular President to misuse his already great powers is through assassination plots.This is a lesson which the opposition elements in Ghana still have to learn.
“The most important point , how- ever , is that , whatever one thinks of President Nkrumah’s policy , few will dispute the fact that it will take Ghana a long time to get another Nkrumah .
resident Nkrumah fills a vacuum in Ghana today which ,as many observers have admitted , no other Ghanaian at the present time can ably fill . In pan-
African Affairs , even bitter critics of the Ghanaian President admits that Nkrumah’s views on African unity have won many adherents all over Africa .
“Both the people of Ghana and Africa in general will certainly need Nkrumah for many more years .
“World Leaders Congratulate President Nkrumah
Among world leaders who sent messages of congratulations to President Nkrumah on his escape from the assassination attempt were President Lyndon Johnson , Queen Elizabeth II , Premier Kruschev , President Azikiwe of Nigeria , President Nasser of the U. A. R. , President Tito of Yugoslavia , President Nyerere of Tanganyika , King Hassan II of Morrocco , President Ben Bella of Algeria .
President Johnson
In a telegram to Dr. Nkrumah President Johnson of the U. S. said: ” I am deeply shocked at the reported attempt on your life , but relieved to know that you are unhurt .
Please convey my condolences to the family of the guard who fell in your be-half .
President Azikiwe
In a cablegram to President Nkrumah , President Azikiwe of Nigeria offered his congratulations on what he described as ” the miscarriage of this unfortunate and regrettable attack . ” He prayed for God’s continued blessings and long life so that the Ghana President might be spared to continue to guide the destiny of his own people .
President Tito
In a telegram ,President Tito of Yugoslavia , condemned the sinister methods of the reactionary forces which do not scrupple in their methods in attempting to check the emancipation of Africa and the African peoples , and said: ” I am sincerely glad you escaped the consequences of the criminal act staged by the enemies of the Ghanaian people’s progress . ”
President Ben Bella
President Ben Bella of Algeria sent a special envoy , Minister of State Amar Ouzengane , to present a message of congratulations to President Nkrumah . The message said : ” the high consideration and deep affection President Ben Bella feels for Osagyefo makes it a duty for him to castigate this infamous crime , which was aimed through Osagyefo’s per- son at the emancipation and progressive policy for Africa , of which Osagyefo is one of the most dedicated and faithful artisans . ”
There is no doubt that those who instigated this attempt are the foes of African unity and grandeur .
” Uganda Prime Minister Obote
In a cablegram sent to Dr. Nkrumah , 5 -: :NEWS Prime Minister Obote said : ” Accept my personal congratulations and those of my government and the people of Uganda on your escape from the plot on your life by cowardly reactionaries and their imperialistic masters , who have lost all favor with the people of Ghana . “
Featured Picture Credit: Adeyinka Makinde | WriterSources: Google Books-Ghana News