Emmanuel Jeh Taryon African Unifier Kwame Nkrumah's Polarizing Identity It is no secret that Ghana and Liberia have long been comrades in the fight against western imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism.  Liberia's contribution toward the political independence and social economic growth of Ghana is immeasurably enormous. As the very first independent Republic in Africa, Liberia distinctively supported Ghana's independence struggle and collaborated with other relevant forces for the total liberation of the entire African continent, a struggle which was ably championed by the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Ghana and Liberia's friendly ties date far back to pre-independence years. Liberian migrant workers came to Ghana during the eighteenth century to work mainly at the harbors. Alongside their Ghanaian counterparts, Liberian laborers, otherwise popularly referred to as Krus, strenuously toiled for British colonial exploiters. They did semi-slave work for decades that rewarded them with nothing. These emaciated and impoverished workers were housed in decrepit hovels. Today's Ghana Railways, and Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) quarters in Sekondi/Takoradi, Western Ghana, were built purposely to accommodate the Kru migrant workers. These people accepted working as semi-slaves only with the much-cherished hope that one day Ghana would become free and independent, after which their sacrifices under the oppressive British colonial authorities would be rewarded. Without a doubt, this hope found its fulfillment as Ghana celebrated five decades of self-governance at the momentous time of her golden jubilee independence anniversary.  It was a profound pleasure on the part of the Liberian National Community Organization in the Western Region of Ghana to be associated with the 50th independence anniversary of Ghana. The Liberian community deemed it expedient and timely to express its gratitude to Ghanaians for their hospitable gesture extended to Liberian refugees in the past fifteen years as a result of the Liberian civil war. Ever mindful of the long-standing ties with its host nation, Ghana, the Liberian community was proud to publicly express its deepest sentiments to Ghana on her 50th independence celebrations. Indeed, the importance of the historical bilateral relationship between the two countries cannot be overemphasized. Airtime, subsequently, was arranged on a radio station called Sunshine FM by the Ghanaian Western Regional Minister. It was a forum at which we, as refugees, would acknowledge the mountain of gratitude we owe to Ghana, our host nation.  On March 6, 2007, which was the actual date for the commemorations, Mr. Sieh-Siaka Bofford and I, Chairman and General Secretary respectively, represented the Liberian National Community in the studio. There were also representatives from the Nigerian, Togolese and Ivorian National Communities. The atmosphere was such that each of the four two-member delegations wanted to drum home its ties with Ghana, and that their various nationals had been not only mere guests in Ghana, but also partners in developmental and social progress. The talk show engendered political, economic and moral issues. We talked about the African struggle against imperialism, colonialism, racism, neo-colonialism, and nationalism in Africa.  These ideals obviously could not be discussed or debated without bringing some personalities in the spotlight.  Foremost among those individuals, in an African context, was the first president of Ghana, a Pan-Africanist and a vigorous freedom fighter, the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Hence, he became the focus of our deliberations; who he was, his parental, educational and ideological background. In my turn of response to the questions asked above about the man Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and for the benefit of our listeners who wished to learn a little more than they knew about him, his thoughts and actions, and what he did for Ghana and for Africa in the hectic period of the anti-colonial struggle and in the immediate post-colonial era, I sought to do two things.  Firstly, to highlight the rationale and the wisdom underlying some of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's policies and strategies, and the force of character and personality he brought to bear on the implementation of those policies and strategies. Secondly, to attempt, as far as possible, within the ambit of my knowledge about him, to put into right perspective many inaccuracies in the views and opinions expressed by some of my fellow panelists. The late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a continental figure. His fine qualities and achievements are widely known. He believed that the borders that separate Africans from one another were artificial and imposed on Africa by western imperialists. He fought for the oneness of the continent and expressed a common vision and destiny for all Africans.  It is this mental attitude that underscored his abhorrence against xenophobia, tribalism and cynicism among Africans. Unfortunately, I might have offended some by offering my insight into his personal life when I added that, because of Nkrumah's continental commitments, he considered any African nation his, though paternally he descended from Liberia.  His father was one of the many Liberian hard laborers who worked at Axim Oil Mills in Southwestern Ghana during the British colonial era. His mother was a food vendor who frequented the Oil Mills where Nkrumah's father worked. Nkrumah revealed that his name was initially Francis Nwia Kofie. At this juncture, the moderator of the show retorted that any discussion on the paternal origin of Nkrumah was irrelevant to the occasion, adding that Nkrumah's paternal background is a controversial issue in Ghanaian politics, and that it was allegedly one of the contributing factors that led to his overthrow in 1966. Some quarters of the Ghanaian society perceived him as an alien ruling Ghana because of where his father came from –Liberia. I was therefore asked to retract my statement, but when I refused and rather continued to corroborate my claim with more evidence, all hell broke loose in the studio.  Consequently, my host ordered that I leave the studio, but when I insisted on my right to free expression about what I know about Nkrumah, security personnel were called to ensure my exit. Over the years, the proliferation of radio news on the airwaves has boasted freedom of speech in Ghana.  Journalists and civil rights advocacy groups alike have been calling for the repeal of criminal libel laws imposed during military eras in the past in Ghana.  It was therefore out of a naive and cynical disregard for freedom of expression that I was asked out of studio simply because I dared reveal a 'bitter truth' in Ghanaian politics. What is even more nauseating is the fact that a journalist instigated that act.  Did he really forget the rubric of his chosen profession?  Is he not supposed to inform people what they ought to know about their society and leaders?  The African continent has suffered the worst abuses ever perpetrated by humankind. Given the history of slavery, imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism, both slave and colonial masters alike, at the expense of Africans, have plundered Africa. My eyes literally streamed with tears when I visited the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles in Ghana. The horrible conditions under which our ancestors were clamped and kept in dungeons before being shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas as slaves stretch the limits of human imagination. The abolition of slavery was followed by colonialism, both of which were twin monsters of exploitation of the human and material resources of Africa.  However, Africa is now a continent of freed nations; a continent of multi-cultural and multi-racial nations at various stages of development. Well, I accepted my fate that day in the studio, but it set a bad precedent which does not speak well of Ghana's cherished democracy and culture of tolerance. Copyright © Emmanuel Jeh Taryon