Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana and a key Pan-Africanist, played a central role in Ghana’s independence in 1957, making it the first sub-Saharan African country to break free from colonial rule.

Beyond Ghana, he championed African unity and anti-colonial liberation across the continent.

His contributions to African liberation and unity are commemorated through monuments, statues, roads, universities, and public buildings across various countries.

These iconic landmarks remind future generations of the Pan-African dream he tirelessly championed.

This GhanaWeb article takes a look at three iconic monuments dedicated to Dr Nkrumah.


Ethiopia – African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa

A major statue of Kwame Nkrumah, stands at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Unveiled in 2012, this monument honours his crucial role in founding the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which later evolved to be the African Union (AU).

It was unveiled during the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU by former President John Evans Atta Mills in 2012.

The untold story of Dr Kwame Nkrumah as an MP

The statue, which showcases an appreciative, celebratory image of the leader, was a gift from the Chinese government.

It stands as part of a broader acknowledgement of Pan-African heroes at the AU headquarters.


Mali – Kwame Nkrumah Roundabout, Bamako

The Kwame Nkrumah Roundabout is a major landmark and traffic hub located in Bamako, Mali. It reflects the strong historical ties between Ghana and Mali and celebrates his legacy of African unity, freedom, and liberation.

It is situated at the beginning of Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in a vibrant part of the city.

The monument highlights the "Ghana-Guinea-Mali Union" formed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, an early effort toward African integration led by Nkrumah, Ahmed Sékou Touré of Guinea, and Modibo Keïta of Mali.


Guyana, Company Path Garden, Georgetown

The bust of Nkrumah is part of a Non-Aligned Movement monument in Guyana’s Company Path Garden. Guyana honoured him because of his global leadership in anti-colonialism and his efforts to promote solidarity among newly independent nations worldwide.

The monument was unveiled to commemorate the 1972 Conference of Foreign Ministers of Non-Aligned Countries held in Guyana and to honour the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

It includes busts of three other founding leaders, Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), Jawaharlal Nehru (India), and Josip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia).

The busts were sculpted in their respective countries and mounted on a concrete plinth, which is adorned with materials from Guyana, including quartz from the Mazaruni District and jasper rocks from Orinduik Falls.

In 2008, the bust of Dr Nkrumah was reported missing, but it was subsequently restored as part of the monument's ongoing protection as a national monument, which was gazetted in April 2001.

See the photos below:







JKB/VPO


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