The refurbished Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum made the headlines last week on all media channels- print, online, radio, TV and social. For good reason, because even an anti-President Akufo-Addo editor would acknowledge the beauty and significance of the new edifice.
For those who are yet to be briefed, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (KNMP), located at a place known as the Old Polo Grounds in Accra central, is the resting place of the mortal remains of Ghana’s foremost President and his spouse, Fathia Nkrumah.
Commonly called the ‘Nkrumah Mausoleum’, the cost of the refurbished park, $3.5million, was paid for by the World Bank. From what I have read so far, inside the new look Nkrumah Mausoleum are many offices, a modern library, an eatery, a gift shop, a clinic, and a digitally controlled conference facility.
The fountain there is also said to have been audio-visually synchronised, whatever that means. Suffice it to say that water flowing from the fountain comes with some amount of lighting that make the view wonderful in the evening, I guess that is to boost night tourism at the park. There are also a mini-amphitheatre for lectures and performances for mini groups, as well as an area for picnics. I also read that the museum component has been expanded and fitted with digital audio-visuals which tell the life story of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Wonderful!
At the commissioning ceremony on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (NADAA) is reported to have said that the redevelopment of the KNMP gives vent to his government’s strategy to make the park “one of the best tourism and heritage attractions in West Africa.”
He explained that the redevelopment of the facility was to help increase its annual inflow of visitors from the current 90,000 tourist to about 1,000,000 visitors annually. He said there was the need for the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture (MoTAC) and its agencies to devise all the necessary marketing strategies to attain the 1,000,000 foreign and domestic tourist visitations to the park. Easy! I thought.
My memories of the Nkrumah Mausoleum
The KNMP was built in 1991 by the late President Jerry John Rawlings’s administration and commissioned for public patronage in 1992. In that same year, I secured a teaching job at the Junior High School wing of the DATUS Complex Schools, Bubuashie branch.
As someone who had a fun-filled teenage years- participated in dancing competitions and attended all the spinning sessions by Tuneo, Third World, Sky Hawks and Willie Chii sounds etc, I felt that the excessive focus on academics was unbecoming of a school made up of teenagers. I therefore proposed, and it was accepted by the headmaster at the time, Mr. B. A. Mensah, that we occasionally organized excursions for the children. The caveat though was to ensure the safety of the students.
As a result, I devised a strategy- take them to only Accra-based tourist attractions, if you have to go outside Accra, use drivers who ply that route. It worked perfectly as no accident occurred during any of our excursions in the three years that I worked at DATUS. Together with a team of teachers, we toured the notable tourist sites at the time- Accra Zoo, Aburi Gardens, Akosombo Dam, Cape Coast Castle, Kakum National Park and of course, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum. We had a jolly good time at the place and left only when it was dusk. That’s because the students did not want to leave. Their clarion call was, “more of those!!!” And we delivered.
In 1996, I had the opportunity to intern at Radio Gold 90.5. That year happened to be the 1st anniversary of the station. As part of activities marking the event, it was decided that the declaration of Ghana’s independence from British colonial rule will be re-enacted. The venue was obvious, the Old Polo Grounds turned Nkrumah Mausoleum, where the declaration took place. Roles were assigned and I was in the thick of affairs. From recce to the grounds through coordinating affairs behind the scenes as the re-enactment by a team of actors led by the venerable David Dontoh who played Kwame Nkrumah, went on. It was such a successful event that the decision was taken to repeat it the next year. It continued a few years subsequently until ‘lackfundaisis’ (Lack of funds) infected and killed it.
Then somewhere in 2014, while working with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana, a delegation from the Malawi Nursing and Midwifery Council visited to learn from our operations. A visit to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum was part of the itinerary and as the Public Relations Officer, the onus fell on me to coordinate their visit to the Park. I did and they enjoyed themselves, so much.
Having experienced the Nkrumah Park in the manner recounted above, I was disappointed when a few years later, I saw a news report that indicated that the place had been allowed to deteriorate-dried grass, no water flowing from the fountain and peeled wall paints. Per the report, the reason was not far-fetched – ‘Lackfundaisis.’
NADAA’s face-saving mausoleum
The expression, face-saving means the preserving of one’s reputation, credibility, or dignity. And I am unable to hide my conviction that President Akufo-Addo made it a point to commission the refurbished edifice personally, because it gave him some personal gratification. Especially so, when everything now points to a no show as regards the National Cathedral.
Otherwise, why would a dire in the wool Dankwa-Busiast do anything that would enhance the reputation of the originator of Nkrumaism? More so, when since assuming the presidency, NADAA has done everything possible to obliterate the relevance of Osagyefo Dr, Kwame Nkrumah in our history?
Why do I say so? Founder’s Day was changed to Founders’ Day, the date was changed from Nkrumah’s birthday to 4th August, the date when the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was founded in 1947. Currently, Nkrumah’s birthday (21st September) is merely referred to as a Memorial Day. Our favourite Republic Day holiday, popularly known for ‘meet me there’ at beaches, which was instituted under the auspices of the late Osagyefo, has been scrapped, by NADAA.
I have not seen a verified true copy of NADAA’s speech, but if this statement as reported by various media outlets is truly attributable to him- “with the stature of Kwame Nkrumah as the foremost Pan Africanist and the first President of Ghana, it was only appropriate that his burial site was given the status of his exceptional contribution to the liberation of Africa from colonialism and imperialism,” then it gives credence to my belief that he used this opportunity to right the wrong his conscience tells him, he has done to Nkrumah’s legacy.
Also, when I read that President Akufo-Addo had said that the redevelopment of the KNMP gives vent to his government’s strategy to make the Park “one of the best tourism and heritage attractions in West Africa,” my mind drifted to the stalled National Cathedral project. So, I googled their website and found this- “… is an iconic infrastructure that provides a sacred space for the nation, attracts pilgrims and tourists, and includes a built-in economic engine for financial sustainability.”
Then my level of curiosity peaked. If the KNMP is a government tourist-attraction strategy and was able to attract World Bank funding, how come the National Cathedral, which would attract “pilgrims and tourists, and includes a built-in economic engine for financial sustainability,” did not attract similar support from the bank of the world? The answer is obvious- frivolous.
It’s time to go
Well, at the commissioning ceremony, NADAA is said to have declared that his government will, “leverage on the development and promotion of Ghana’s rich cultural heritage to showcase the best of Africa to the world. Ghana is on course to achieving the target of two million international arrivals by 2024, and generate some $4 billion to the national economy.”
He also expressed commitment to “increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP from 5 percent to 10 percent, as well as, attract five million tourists’ arrivals in the next five years.” To achieve this target, NADAA charged the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Ghana Tourism Authority to intensify their promotion efforts. He is also reported to have said that increasing the number of visitors to the park after its refurbishment, “requires that we put in place a strategic plan to promote the Park locally and internationally.”
My suggestion in this regard, is a low hanging fruit as far as increasing patronage of the Park is concerned- target the many private Junior and Senior High Schools across the country. Develop a plan that would ensure that from Axim to Zuarungu, you reach out to the authorities of all private schools and present an excursion package. I dare say that many of them have fantasized about such trips, but have not acted because the quest seems too audacious.
For the schools that are very far from Accra, this package should include accommodation. This can be arranged with the numerous private hostel facilities in and around Accra to beat the cost down significantly.
After the schools, the next target audience should be the churches. Many of our churches are engaged in all prayers and no play. The few who mind, spare no effort at enjoying the picnics that come with easter celebrations. They wine, dine and dance to worldly music. Again, from Akwatia to Zabzugu the plan should be to ensure that as many congregants of churches as possible, are brought to the Nkrumah Mausoleum.
Subsequently, corporate Ghana should be targeted. It is said that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Many corporate organizations do not prioritise recreation. It is work, work, work!!! A compelling proposal from the managers of the mausoleum will surely make a case for a day out with staff for a walk in the park- Banks, insurance companies, manufacturing companies, breweries, and civil servants. The digitally controlled conference facility at the Park could also be offered to these organisations for use at a competitive rate to attract more patronage.
I have argued here before that per my observation, entertainment is something that Ghanaians are willing to spend their last pesewa on. A weekly or monthly scheduling of all Ghanaian musicians from the old to the new school for concerts at the Park will no doubt increase patronage.
Lastly, partner travel and tour companies to include a visit to the Park as part of the itinerary of their clients. That is my little contribution to achieving the, “1,000,000 foreign and domestic tourist visitations.”
I intend to visit the refurbished Park with the family soon. I pray that the “target of two million international arrivals by 2024, and generate some $4billion to the national economy” will also be attained. If that happens, we will not have to return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to beg for $3billion with all the harsh conditionalities that it comes with. Plus, NADAA’s face would really be saved.
Kwaheri – that’s goodbye in Swahili.
Let God Lead! Follow Him directly, not through any human.
The writer is the author of two books whose contents share knowledge on how anyone desirous of writing like him can do so. Eric can be reached via email ericayettey@yahoo.co.uk.
