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A footage of the former president Jerry Rawlings presiding over the reburial of Ghana’s first Prime Minister and President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah has surfaced.
The reburial ceremony of Dr. Nkrumah which took place on Wednesday July 1, 1992 captures the now late president Flight Lt. Jerry John Rawlings presiding over a state burial filled with military honors.
The footage in possession of GhanaWeb, captures the mortal remains of Dr Nkrumah covered with the Ghana flag on his casket and placed on a special military carriage, led by a procession.
A portion of Jerry Rawlings’ speech read, “On this 33rd anniversary of Ghana’s Republic Day, we are laying Dr. Nkrumah’s body to rest at the site of his greatest triumph”
This would be the third burial of Dr. Nkrumah who passed away on April 27, 1972 while in exile in Guinea. He was first buried in Conakry-Guinea in May 1972.
The Military Head of State at the time of Nkrumah’s death, Colonel Ignatius Acheampong after the first burial held in Guinea subsequently made arrangements for Dr. Nkrumah to be reburied in Ghana.
General Acheampong then led a government delegation to Guinea for the mortal remains of Dr. Nkrumah. Following the arrival of the remains, the family of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah maintained their beloved son be given a second and befitting burial in his hometown of Nkroful in the Western Region.
The family’s wishes were granted and the burial ceremony took place at Nkroful.
Meanwhile, Flight Lt. Jerry John Rawlings who then ascended to power after an overthrow of the Supreme Military Council government of General Acheampong decided to give the country’s first president a third befitting burial with full military honors at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
In attendance of the burial ceremony was special guest, Sam Nujoma, a long-term leader of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), who later in became the President of Namibia in 1989.
Watch the video below:
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
