DECLARING INDEPENDENCE AT THE OLD POLO GROUNDS: A SPITE ON THE FACE OF THE COLONIAL MASTERS

Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and his comrades stood at the Old Polo Grounds in Accra on the eve of Ghana’s independence to declare the country’s freedom from British rule. Clad in their traditional northern smocks and hats, they faced a massive crowd that had traveled from across the country to witness this historic moment. Among the attendees was the American civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who had come to celebrate this milestone in Africa’s liberation movement. As the clock struck midnight, Nkrumah’s powerful words echoed through the night: “Ghana is free forever.”

A SYMBOLIC VENUE FOR A MOMENTOUS OCCASION

On the night of March 5, 1957, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the visionary architect of Ghana’s independence, took center stage at the Old Polo Grounds. This location was not chosen by chance; it was a deliberate act of defiance and a strong message to the British colonial rulers. The Old Polo Grounds had been an exclusive domain reserved strictly for the British elite, where no African was allowed. It was a microcosm of colonial superiority, a space where natives were deemed unworthy to enter.

By declaring independence at this very site, Nkrumah and his compatriots reclaimed a space that symbolized British dominance and turned it into a beacon of African liberation. This act was more than a declaration; it was a bold statement that every inch of Ghana’s land belonged to its people. The Polo Grounds, once an emblem of colonial oppression, became the birthplace of freedom.

A NEW ERA BEGINS

Nkrumah’s declaration was more than just words; it was the dawn of a new African consciousness. “We have awakened. We shall no longer go back to sleep anymore. Today, from now on, there is a new African in the world!” he proclaimed. As these words rang through the jubilant crowd, the Union Jack—the flag of the United Kingdom—was lowered, making way for a new symbol of Ghanaian sovereignty.

The new national flag, designed with three bold horizontal stripes, carried profound significance:

• Red represented the blood shed in the struggle for independence.
• Yellow symbolized the country’s rich natural resources, particularly its gold wealth.
• Green signified Ghana’s lush vegetation and agricultural abundance.
• At its center, a black star stood tall, a tribute to Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line and a beacon of hope for pan-African unity.

This moment marked Ghana’s transformation from a British colony into the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence, inspiring liberation movements across the continent.

A LASTING MESSAGE TO THE COLONIAL MASTERS

The Old Polo Grounds continued to be a significant location even after independence. When Queen Elizabeth II and Lord Listowel, the last colonial governor of the Gold Coast, visited Ghana on November 10, 1961, it was at the Old Parliament House that the country’s independence was formally marked. However, the Old Polo Grounds remained the true symbolic location of Ghana’s liberation, as it had hosted thousands of citizens who witnessed firsthand the nation’s break from colonial rule.

Today, this historic site is known as the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, serving as a national monument and a popular tourist destination. It stands as a lasting tribute to Ghana’s struggle for independence and Nkrumah’s visionary leadership. Visitors from Ghana and across the diaspora visit to honor the moment when the country took control of its destiny, turning a former symbol of colonial privilege into a proud emblem of self-rule.

Declaring independence at the Old Polo Grounds was an audacious and deliberate move by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, a masterstroke in reclaiming Ghana’s sovereignty. It was not just a political victory but a psychological triumph over colonial subjugation. By transforming a forbidden colonial space into the birthplace of a free nation, Nkrumah sent a clear message: Ghana belonged to its people, and its independence was absolute.

The echoes of “Ghana is free forever” still resonate, reminding Ghanaians and Africans worldwide of the power of resilience, unity, and the relentless pursuit of freedom.

By Alidu Isaiah/Zaaghana.com