British Propaganda Toppled Ghana President Kwame Nkrumah

Recently, a secret file was uncovered that showed how the British Foreign Office worked to overthrow Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah. The goal was to replace his government with one that was more aligned with the West. In 1966, while Nkrumah was out of the country, the army took control and he remained in exile until 1972.

British Propaganda

After World War II, Britain saw the United States becoming a major global power. This led to the idea of rebranding the British Empire as a "third power" between the US and the Soviet Union. The British Intelligence Unit created the Information Research Department (IRD) to spread political propaganda around the world.

Nkrumah's Political Thought

Kwame Nkrumah, known as the "Father of Independence" in Ghana, studied in the US and UK before returning to lead Ghana to independence. He believed in African unity and non-alignment with the superpowers of the Cold War.

From Deception to Coup

Nkrumah's policies of African unity and support for liberation movements threatened British interests. The British launched propaganda campaigns to undermine his image and support a coup against him. After the successful coup, efforts were made to prevent other African leaders from following Nkrumah's path.

Source: Agencies