Chris Hess, the personal cameraman of Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, has questioned why some Ghanaians struggled to accept a Black man as their leader despite the development he pursued after the country gained independence from British colonial rule.

According to Hess, Nkrumah’s position as the first Black leader of an independent Ghana came with challenges, as some people found it difficult to accept a Black man exercising authority after years of colonial rule by white people.

He shared these views in 'The Eyes of Ghana', a documentary about Nkrumah’s leadership and legacy, executive-produced by former United States President Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle Obama, and streamer IShowSpeed.

Hess suggested that the racial dynamics of the period contributed to the negative perceptions some people had of Nkrumah, even as his government pursued development projects across the country.

“Despite all the development he did, people saw him as a bad man,” Hess said.

He argued that Nkrumah’s position as a pioneering Black leader meant there were few comparable examples against which people could assess his leadership.

“Being the first Black man was disadvantageous. First Black man, nobody compared,” he said.

Hess also expressed concern that some Ghanaians continue to express nostalgia for British colonial rule, questioning why they would prefer foreign rule to leadership by a Black Ghanaian.

“I've heard some Ghanaians say that even today. And I'm always shocked, and it's sad. How can people say, ‘How can a Black man rule?’” he asked.

About the documentary:

The documentary follows Chris Hesse, Kwame Nkrumah's personal cameraman, as he attempts to recover and return an archive of more than 1,300 film reels documenting Ghana's independence journey and the wider Pan-African movement.

A key figure in the film is Ghanaian filmmaker and producer Anita Afonu, who works with Hesse to preserve the archive and make the historical material accessible to a younger generation.

The documentary highlights the importance of preserving historical archives and ensuring that future generations can access first-hand visual accounts of Ghana's political development.

It captures some of the iconic speeches of Ghana’s president, as well as scenes from his leadership and Ghana's independence era. It also showcases footage of the wider African liberation movement captured by Hesse.

Watch trailer for Ghana documentary produced by the Obamas, IShowSpeed

Watch a video of his remarks below:



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