The daughter of Ghana's first President, Samia Yaba Nkrumah, has asked the people of Nkroful in the Ellembelle district of the Western region to forgive the Nkrumah family for staying away from their ancestral home for so long.

She said the family's long absence was out of trauma and fear from the political persecution her father endured.

Samia Nkrumah, accompanied by three of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah's grandchildren, made the appeal when she addressed the grand durbar of NkrumahFest @117 at the Nkroful Agricultural Senior High School park on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

NkrumahFest is a festival instituted by the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to celebrate the legacy of Dr Nkrumah. This year's edition was held on the theme: "Nkrumah @117: Celebrating His Enduring Legacy – Africa Must Unite or Perish."

"I want you to forgive us for staying away from our home for so long," Samiah Nkrumah told the gathering.

She said the family witnessed first-hand the price Dr Kwame Nkrumah paid for his commitment to Ghana and Africa, including surviving several assassination attempts.

She recounted seeing her father wounded and covered in blood after one of the attacks, an experience she said left the family traumatised.

"We were traumatised, we were scared, we were confused," she said.

She said the family had now returned with renewed commitment to contribute to Ghana's development and unity.

"But the good news is that we've come back. And we want to make a contribution to Ghana's progress, to Ghana's development, and to Ghana's unity," she stated.

She said the return was not merely to honour Dr Kwame Nkrumah as a historical figure but to ensure his ideas and values continue to inspire the younger generation.

Samia Nkrumah introduced her children, the grandchildren of Dr Nkrumah, to the chiefs and people of Nkroful, amid cheers from the crowd.

The durbar was attended by the Convenor of the festival, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, renowned Pan-Africanist Prof P.L.O Lumumba, National Chairman of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia, former NPP Running Mate Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Frank Amoakohene, and Deputy Transport Minister Dorcas Affo-Toffey, among others.