Founders’ Day celebrations in Ghana
Achieving independence is an important milestone in any country’s history. With it comes a sense of freedom and the right to self-govern. It’s a moment in time when the people responsible for it - the founders - should be remembered and celebrated by those that come after them..
Founders’ Day in Ghana is one such day: a celebration of the brave people who enabled Ghana to break free from British rule in 1957, and so determine their own future. As we have such a strong bond with Ghana and its people - that we are delighted to share this article with you about its Founders’ Day - we hope you find it of interest.
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WorldRemit Content Team
• 3 mins read • Updated
What is Founders’ Day in Ghana?
Founders’ Day is a public holiday in Ghana, held to honour those who led the struggle for independence in 1957. It was originally called Founder’s Day to celebrate the achievements of Osagyego Dr. Kwame Nkruma, the first President of Ghana. It was celebrated on 21st September, Kwame’s birthday.
However, no independence movement is ever just about one man. It’s widely recognised that others were also instrumental in the fight for independence. These individuals are known as the ‘Big Six’ - along with Kwame Nkrumah all members of the United Gold Coast Convention (U.G.C.C.). They were Joseph Boakye Danquah( J.B. Danquah) described as the ‘Doyen of Ghana’s politics:, Edward Akufo-Addo, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori Atta and Ebenezer Ako-Adjei.
To recognise this combined effort, the all important apostrophe was moved from Founder’s to Founders’ to include every member of the ‘Big Six’ - more on them a little later. Since 2018, Founders’ Day has been celebrated on 4 August each year, as the United Gold Coast Convention (U.G.C.C.) was formed on this date in 1947.
So, make sure you get your Founders’ Day apostrophe in the right place.
Why is Founders’ Day in Ghana celebrated?
When a country achieves independence, it’s a hugely significant event in its history. An event to be celebrated - especially to acknowledge the contributions of the national leaders who worked so hard to achieve it.
But what were the events that led to independence and what role did the founders play? It starts, of course, with the fact that Ghana was colonised by the British in the 19th Century. Then, during the two World Wars, Gold Coast people were conscripted to fight for their colonisers. This opened up many people to a broader worldview, and gave them a better range of skills - skills they were unable to use in a tightly controlled Ghana.
Dissatisfaction mounted, and the Gold Coast nationalists intensified their fight for autonomy. And so, the United Gold Coast Convention (U.G.C.C.) was founded.. It was one of the most influential political parties on the Gold Coast and the revolutionary Kwame Nkrumah was invited to be general secretary.
The watershed moment took place in 1948. During a World War II veterans’ protest against non-payment of benefits, three veterans were killed by the British. The U.G.C.C. got involved to protest and its six major leaders were arrested. This earned them much fame and support - it also earned them the nickname the ‘Big Six’.
Kwame Nkrumah eventually broke away from the UGCC and formed his own political party, which helped him become Ghana’s first prime minister, and later the nation’s first president. In March 1957 Ghana became independent and a republic three years later. Ghana was the first African country south of the Sahara to gain its independence.
How is Founders’ Day celebrated in Ghana?
Since 2019, Founders’ Day has been celebrated in Ghana on 4th August, and previously on 21 September. It’s a statutory national public holiday when school and many businesses are closed. There are many small celebrations throughout Ghana, including parades, public lectures and wreaths laid to recognise the most influential leaders responsible for the country’s independence.
Founder’s Day embraces the country’s rich culture and history to bring Ghanaians together. Additional celebrations are held throughout Ghana, where people enjoy traditional Ghana recipes to celebrate the history of the country, such as Waakya, Chichinga and Yam Fufu.
The significance of Founders’ Day in Ghana
Many countries owe a debt of gratitude to their brave and forward-thinking predecessors. And Ghana is no different. Founders’ Day is hugely important as it allows every proud Ghanaian the opportunity to reflect on the struggle and sacrifices of their forebears who fought for Ghana’s independence. Ghana would not be the country it is today had others not sacrificed their lives and fought for the establishment of this country. It’s also observed to encourage the present generation of Ghanaians within and outside the country to accept Ghana as their homeland.
Send money to Ghana with WorldRemit
If you can’t be home for Founders’ Day holiday in Ghana - perhaps you’d like to be part of the celebrations by sending money back to family and friends. If so, we’re here to help with an excellent, low-cost, online money transfer service; one that allows you to send fast and secure transfers in a variety of ways - cash pickup, bank transfer, mobile money and airtime top up.
Sign up to WorldRemit, and make a money transfer today. And, If you want to know even more about the Ghana, don’t miss these articles:
The contents of this blog post do not constitute legal or financial advice and are provided for general information purposes only. If you require specific legal and / or financial advice you should contact a specialist lawyer or financial advisor. Information true at time of publishing.
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