NAME: REBECCABEL EVA ESSUMAN
STUDENT ID: 10896852
UGRC 223 – AFRICAN AND THE DIASPORA
ASSIGNMENT
ANSWER
The mausoleum designed by Don Arthur houses the bodies of Kwame
Nkrumah and is wife Fathia Nkrumah. It is the spot where Nkrumah made the
declaration of Ghana’s independence. The Kwame Nkrumah mausoleum is the
final resting place of Nkrumah as well as his wife; Fathia Nkrumah. The
mausoleum was built where Nkrumah chose to announce Ghana’s
independence. The reason why he chose that area was because that place was
where the British used to play polo. The memorial park covers a total of 5.3
acres and contains two main edifices; the museum which is the subterrean and
the mausoleum which provides the front to the bronze statue of Nkrumah. The
park itself is an attractive masterpiece with futuristic creation. There are two
springs of water on either side of the pavement or walkway. It has seven bare
chests, squatting statuette flute blowers, and literally blowing springs out. In
Ghanaian culture, flutes are blown to welcome very important dignitaries and
on special occasions. Therefore, by symbolism, it can be concluded that all
visitors to the park are seen as very important people and there are no secondclass citizens of Ghana and for that matter Africa.
Located in downtown Accra, Ghana is the Kwame Nkrumah memorial park and
mausoleum. The museum hosts rare artefacts relating to Ghana’s
independence and tours at the park give visitors in-depth history of the subsaharan struggle for independence. The Mausoleum is meant to represent an
upside down sword which in Akan culture is a symbol of peace. The
Mausoleum is clad from top to buttom with Italian marble, with a black star at
its apex to symbolize unity. The interior of the Mausoleum boasts marble
flooring and a mini mastaba looking marble grave maker surrounded by riverwashed rocks. Below is my experience upon my visit to the place.
Upon arrival, I was escorted by a guide around the Mausoleum. First I was
taken around the museum where there were the clothes (including the smock
Nkrumah wore to declare independence) and other items like pens,
presidential desk and telephone used by Kwame Nkrumah were kept. Also the
casket that transported his remains from guinea was also kept. It also housed
his presidential car outside. The guide later took us around where they sell
Ghana made artifacts . There were also peacocks there.