Founders' Day (Ghana)

Founders' Day
Official nameFounders' Day
Observed byGhana
SignificanceHonour founding fathers of Ghana
Date4 August
Next time4 August 2025 (2025-08-04)
FrequencyAnnual
This article is part of a series about
Kwame Nkrumah

Gold Coast

1st Prime Minister of Ghana

1st President of Ghana

Nkrumaism

Legacy

Founders' Day is a national public holiday observed to commemorate the contributions of all the people, notably the "Big Six"[1][2] who led the struggle for Ghana's independence.[3] The Founder's Day was formerly called "Founder's Day" with the letter "S" appearing after an apostrophe and it was celebrated to earmark the achievements of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.[4]

Kwame Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and a member of the "Big Six".[5] He was born on 21 September, hence, the "Founder's" Day celebration on 21 September in each year in honour of his participation in the Ghanaian movement for independence from British colonial rule.[6] Other members of the "Big Six" were Edward Akufo-Addo, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori Atta, and Ebenezer Ako-Adjei.[7] There were several thoughts and realizations of the leaders of the Present President Akufo Addo's regime that other members of the "Big Six" who were part of the struggles for Ghana's independence must be honour as part of the celebration.[8][9]

Notably includes major assertions from former member and speaker of parliament, Aaron Mike Oquaye, citing the earlier celebrated founder's day as palpably false.[10] The name was changed from "Founder's Day" to "Founders' Day". Meaning that the word is plural to include other member of the "Big Six" as part of Ghana's "Founder's Day" celebration and in honour of them.[11]

  1. ^ Thalmayer, Amber Gayle; Saucier, Gerard (23 July 2014). "The Questionnaire Big Six in 26 Nations: Developing Cross-Culturally Applicable Big Six, Big Five and Big Two Inventories" (PDF). European Journal of Personality. 28 (5): 482–496. doi:10.1002/per.1969. ISSN 0890-2070. S2CID 49366494.
  2. ^ Grady, Tim. (2005), Big six, World Cycling Productions and Ryeka Sport, OCLC 224607590
  3. ^ "Founders' Day in Ghana in 2021". Office Holidays. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Nkrumah, Dr Kwame, (21 Sept. 1909 – 27 April 1972)", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u158013
  5. ^ Rathbone, Richard (23 September 2004). "Nkrumah, Kwame (1909?–1972), president of Ghana". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31504. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. ^ Polunin, Nicholas (1995). "Biosphere Day 1995: (Celebrated each Year on September 21st)". Environmental Conservation. 22 (3): 272. Bibcode:1995EnvCo..22..272P. doi:10.1017/s0376892900010729. ISSN 0376-8929.
  7. ^ Akansina Aziabah, Maxwell (8 December 2011), "Obetsebi-Lamptey, Emmanuel Odarquaye", African American Studies Center, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.49678, ISBN 978-0-19-530173-1
  8. ^ Dilworth, Jennifer (ed.). "Akufo-Addo, Hon. Nana". International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who. doi:10.1163/1570-6664_iyb_sim_person_34801.
  9. ^ "Founders Day Celebrations in Ghana". WorldRemit. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Founder's Day Celebration Misleading". Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Tools to the Men who can use them", The Six-Hour Day & Other Industrial Questions, Routledge, pp. 36–49, 26 June 2017, doi:10.4324/9781315213668-4, ISBN 978-1-315-21366-8