Ghana (1957 - 1966): Reflections and Lessons from a 20th Century Pan-African Liberated Nation-State

Abstract

This article examines Ghana’s role as a Pan-African Liberated Nation-State, between 1957 and 1966, under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah and the Convention People’s Party as an example for contemporary institutions of higher education in Africa. The paper contends that these institutions could be leading the Pan-African movement if they were indeed liberated spaces promoting African agency, in conversation with Pan-Africanists, and concerned with Africa’s liberation and unification. It introduces novel terminology needed to examine the liberatory nature of African institutions from a position of African agency. Finally, the article argues that three zones should be added to Kwame Nkrumah’s zonal analysis namely (1) optimal zone, (2) forwarding zone, and (3) retarding zone (Poe, 2016).