GHANA: The Leopard Emerged

Ghana's Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah had had the court poet at work for days. As Nkrumah arrived with cavalry escort and walked past the lily ponds flanking his $280,000 state house, a crier raised his voice and chanted:

Sons of Ghana, we have assembled here in great joy. The path of progress is ours to blaze.

Nkrumah strode toward the grand ballroom, and the great talking drums, the atumpan, took up the poem:

Listen, Ghana, listen to the news of the day.

Nkrumah, the nation builder, The elephant that shatters the axe, The mighty one unmindful of bullets, He that...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!