Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, has announced the region’s readiness to host a future edition of NkrumahFest as he called for a deliberate effort to preserve and transmit the ideals of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, to the younger generation.

Speaking at the 2026 NkrumahFest at Nkroful in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, Dr Amoakohene said Nkrumah’s legacy must not be confined to history books but should remain a living conversation among Ghanaians and Africans.

The event was held under the theme, “Nkrumah @ 117: Celebrating His Enduring Legacy-Africa Must Unite or Perish.”

Dr Amoakohene said Nkrumah represented more than Ghana’s independence struggle, describing him as an enduring idea associated with freedom, dignity, self-determination, development, education, industrialisation and African unity.

He said NkrumahFest provides an important avenue to reconnect the younger generation with the vision and principles of the late Ghanaian leader.

The Minister recounted an interaction he had with some young people on his way to Nkroful, where he asked them what they knew about Dr Nkrumah.

According to him, some of the young people described Nkrumah as a visionary and selfless leader who fought for Ghana’s independence, while others mentioned his commitment to African unity and his belief in Africa’s ability to determine its own destiny.

One response, however, particularly caught his attention when a young person told him that he knew about Nkrumah mainly through books.

Dr Amoakohene said the response demonstrated the need for the current generation to find innovative ways of keeping Nkrumah’s ideals alive and relevant to young people.

“Nkrumah did not merely become a leader who remained in our history books. Nkrumah remains as an idea- an idea about freedom, an idea about dignity, an idea about self-determination, an idea about development, an idea about education and industrialisation, and an idea about African unity,” he said.

He noted that Nkrumah understood that political independence was only the beginning of Africa’s broader struggle, with his vision extending to the continent’s economic and social transformation.

Dr Amoakohene said Africa’s national borders should not prevent countries from pursuing common interests and working towards shared aspirations.

He therefore challenged the current generation to complement the political independence achieved by Nkrumah’s generation with a determined pursuit of development, opportunity, justice and prosperity.

“Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s generation gave us the courage to imagine freedom. It’s our responsibility as a new generation to make sure that we have the courage to imagine prosperity,” he said.

The Ashanti Regional Minister subsequently declared that the region was prepared to host a future edition of NkrumahFest.

He said moving the festival beyond Nkroful would help broaden its reach and reinforce its relevance as a national and continental platform for reflecting on Nkrumah’s ideals.

Although Nkrumah was born at Nkroful, Dr Amoakohene noted that his influence eventually transcended Ghana’s borders and positioned him as one of Africa’s most prominent advocates of continental unity.

He consequently argued that a festival celebrating his legacy should also have the opportunity to travel across Ghana and, eventually, other parts of Africa.

“The Ashanti Region is ready to welcome NkrumahFest. The Ashanti Region stands ready to host any future edition of NkrumahFest,” he declared.

He extended the invitation to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and Convener of NkrumahFest, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, as well as the organisers of the festival.

Dr Amoakohene expressed the hope that NkrumahFest would eventually be nationalised and expanded into a continental event dedicated to preserving the ideals of Ghana’s first President and promoting discussion on Africa’s future.

He further drew a distinction between the responsibilities of Nkrumah’s generation and those of the present generation.

“The generation of Nkrumah fought for independence, and our generation must fight for development. We must fight for opportunity, we must fight for justice, dignity and prosperity.”

He urged Ghanaians and Africans to continue preserving Nkrumah’s history while working towards the realisation of a peaceful, united and prosperous continent.

“Indeed, Nkrumah never dies,” Dr Amoakohene said.