President John Dramani Mahama says he is prepared to face the risks associated with advocating African unity, even if it means suffering consequences similar to those experienced by Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Speaking to members of the Ghanaian community in Moscow during his recent visit to Russia, President Mahama said Nkrumah’s vision of Pan-Africanism would continue to guide his leadership.
In a video shared on Facebook on October 30, 2026, he recalled Nkrumah’s remarks after the 1966 coup that removed him from power and forced him into exile.
“I think he was referring to people like me. Because I believe in him, and I believe in his vision and his philosophy of Pan-Africanism and African unity, and as long as I remain president, that will continue to be my vision,” he said.
President Mahama acknowledged that promoting African unity could come with serious risks, including coups and assassination. He cited Nkrumah and former Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba as examples of leaders who suffered for their political beliefs.
“Patrice Lumumba is an example. I mean, several months after he had become president of Congo, they killed him, so it comes with its risks, but those are risks we are prepared to accept, I mean, if it is in the interest of our nation,” he said.
He added that he would continue to speak openly about issues affecting Africa, even when his views made some people uncomfortable, stressing the need for African countries to pursue their own development for the benefit of future generations.
