Free Drinks, Jubilation: How Ghanaians celebrated eve of independence in 1957

At the stroke of midnight, on March 6, 1957, Ghana gained independence from the British, making it the first country in Africa to reach that milestone.

The then-leader of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and some of his executives stood before a gathered crowd at the Polo Grounds in Accra to declare the birth of a new nation.

The declaration sparked an outpouring of joy that swept through the streets of Accra and beyond, as people of all ages joined in the nationwide celebration.

Music and dance became the languages of freedom, echoing through the towns and villages as the country embraced its newfound sovereignty.

A senior citizen, Ernest Koku Quist, who lived through that era, shared his experience with Partey Narh on GhanaWeb TV’s People & Places program.

He reminisced about the overwhelming sense of nationalism and generosity that filled the air.

According to him, bars overflowed with free drinks as patrons generously cleared their shelves, ensuring everyone could raise a toast to Ghana's independence.

“I was in Takoradi, but we organised a train to come to Accra to celebrate. It was marvellous. People were supplying free drinks because of independence. You go to a bar and there are a lot of drinks. People will just buy; they pay for everything in the store for the vendor to supply,” he stated.

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

NW/AE

Watch the full interview of People and Places on GhanaWeb TV below:





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