Genoveva Esther Marais: The South African woman who rejected Kwame Nkrumah's marriage proposal

Some few weeks before Ghana gained independence from British colonial rule, a young South African woman by the name Genoveva Esther Marais is said to have been instrumental in the life of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah thereafter.

While Nkrumah is known to have married Fathia Nkrumah and had children with him years on, his relationship with Ms. Marias was in the spotlight.

Genoveva Esther Marais is said to have moved to Ghana on February 22, 1957, to serve as Inspector of Schools after she received an expatriate appointment from Michael Dei-Anang who was the recruitment officer at the Colonial Civil Service at the time.

Nkrumah, who was serving as the Prime Minister of Ghana met Genoveva Esther Marais at the Independence State ball where it is rumored that she caught the attention of Nkrumah while she was dancing.

He was said to have mustered courage and asked the beautiful damsel to dance with him and soon after, their relationship began.

Genoveva was said to have instantly fell for Nkrumah's infectious laugh while he also found comfort in her presence.

She quickly became his companion and confidante as the months passed by. Genoveva also became Nkrumah’s personal stylist who hired a tailor for the Prime Minister. She has been credited for giving Nkrumah his subversive iconic dandy looks which many grew to love.

They frequently played tennis at dawn and as time went on, Nkrumah found an honest and trustworthy partner in Genoveva.

Nkrumah’s regime was however plagued with various assassination attempts and many around him recounted that he grew paranoid and constantly in fear for his life. During this time, Genoveva offered Nkrumah unconditional loyalty and friendship.

He became convinced that this special relationship with Genoveva Esther Marais would blossom into bigger things and as he grew fond of her, he proposed marriage to her.

Unfortunately, Genoveva instantly rejected Nkrumah’s proposal as she worried that this would compromise on her professional career.

She refused the proposal on the basis that she was not ready to step in the role of becoming a traditional African wife who at the time was expected to stay at home and manage affairs.

Genoveva Esther Marais who had stayed in the United States of America for about three years was an independent woman driven by her personal goals and ambitions. She felt that marriage would, however, hamper these goals.

She also believed that Nkrumah was so preoccupied with his ideal of a united African society that “a wife was a hindrance rather than an asset”.

Kwame Nkrumah is said to have once told Genoveva that “African unity must always come first, If I have to sacrifice my own mother for that, I would, however much I love her”.

Genoveva later gained employment at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation as Head of Television Programmes. She acted and produced theatre for radio and television.

Years on, Kwame Nkrumah found a Coptic Christian Egyptian lady, Fathia Nkrumah whom he married after close friends orchestrated the union. They had three children together.



Finally, Kwame Nkrumah seemed to have found what he had been longing for all these years in Fathia – a partner and a stable home.

MA/KPE

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