“At long last, the battle has ended! And thus, Ghana, your beloved country is free forever!” – Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah.
It’s that time of year again where Ghana celebrates its Independence! This year we are celebrating 62 years since our nation gained its independence from British Colonial rule. Thanks to our forefathers, Kwame Nkrumah and the Big Six, we became the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain its independence. In doing so, this inspired other African nations to seek independence in the subsequent years.
Ghanaian Independence is a wonderful time of year that allows us to reflect on how far Ghana has come as a nation throughout the years. As Ghana celebrates its 62nd independence, it is lovely to see the attempts that have taken place and continue to take place to improve various aspects of the lives of Ghanaians. Certainly, Ghana has come rather far since the early days of gaining independence, but there is definitely more work that can and should be done to ensure that Ghana reaches its full potential. In addressing various institutional reforms that will hopefully take place this year, the recent State of Nation address reinforces the hope for a better Ghana, and indeed a stronger Ghana.
In his infamous independence speech, Kwame Nkrumah stated that he was “depending upon the millions of the country, and the chiefs and people, to help me to reshape the destiny of this country”. Such a statement deserves to still hold weight in today’s climate. Ghana may have a long way to go in terms of improvements, but this cannot be done by one person alone. In order to improve Ghana as a nation, it is important that we all work together! Whether we live in Ghana or in the diaspora, it is evident that we all desire for Ghana to do well as a nation. So as Ghana celebrates its 62nd Independence let us continue to strive for the betterment of our nation, regardless of where we are.
At times, being a Ghanaian in the diaspora often feels like we are faced with a dilemma about our identity. Especially as British Ghanaians, sometimes it feels like we’re too Ghanaian to be British and too British to be Ghanaian. Despite this, isn’t it great how we’ve managed to create our own Ghanaian-British culture? We may not speak the best Twi, but our brofulised version will do. We still manage to enjoy Ghanaian culture despite living abroad. We have been graced with the opportunity to enjoy Ghanaian dishes such as Waakye, Fufu, Omotuo etc. Our love for Ghanaian music continues to prevail too, especially when we’re enjoying Hiplife at hall parties! The beauty of it all is that we continue to embrace our Ghanaian culture and roots regardless of where we are.
As we celebrate Ghana’s independence, may we continue to boldly profess our love for Ghana and do our very best to stay in touch with our Ghanaian roots and what better way to celebrate the joyous occasion of Ghana’s independence than with another Hip-life Karaoke night? Last time, we managed to raise £1,025 for The Demonstration School for the Deaf in Mampong, Akuapem. This time we hope to do things bigger and better as we raise money to build a bore hole for communities in need of clean water. If you haven’t bought your ticket for our Hip-life Karaoke Ghana @ 62 edition, what are you waiting for?