Veteran Ghanaian cinematographer and filmmaker, Rev Dr Chris Tsui Hesse, has explained why some Ghanaians in the colonial era struggled to accept Dr Kwame Nkrumah as their leader following independence.

According to him, years of colonial rule had conditioned some people to associate leadership and authority with white people, making Nkrumah’s emergence as Ghana’s first president difficult for them to accept.

Speaking in a recent interview with African Cultural Strategist, Ivy Prosper, the veteran filmmaker, who served as Nkrumah’s personal cameraman, said the former president was judged harshly despite the developments he pursued during his tenure.

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"People will say, how can a Black man come to rule us. Kwame Nkrumah was the first President and the people who ruled over us were Whites. .... When you look at your brother, a Black man, your cousin is a Black man, and your president is a Black man, the president should be a White man, this was a mental problem", he recounted.

Hesse said perceptions of Nkrumah had changed over time, with more people appreciating his leadership and achievements.

"Despite all the developments he did, people saw him as a bad man, but now people are appreciating him because now there are more black men on top.

"So, being the first Black man was advantageous. Nobody could compare to", he stated.

He suggested that the emergence of other Black leaders had helped some people reassess Nkrumah’s place in Ghana’s history.

See the video below:



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