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Madam Fathia Nkrumah |
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FATHIA’S LAST WISH FULFILLED
By Gideon Sackitey, Accra
Accra, June 7, 2007,
Ghanadot.com - In life one does not get all that you
wish for! For some, we would wish
to have a healthy life, not in want, relatively rich that we
do not have to go a begging! For others, they would wish to
be rich, have property and numerous children all over town.
But for a lot more, a decent job that brings in a good
salary, a good Godly life, some property, and a great
business to live on. Indeed for still some number, I am sure
the list will never end!
However, for Madam Fathia Nkrumah, first First Lady and wife
of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the wish is to
be buried next to her husbands! Just that! These were her
final wishes that she requested while on her death bed a
week ago and as stated by her son Gamel: “had been her wish
all throughout the years.”
This wish is to be fulfilled next Tuesday, June 12, 2007.
Madam Fathia would be buried at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum,
by her husband. The site is one of Ghana’s historic site and
with her arrival though late would rekindle the historic
relationship between Ghana and Egypt and take up the
touristic value of the place to another site.
Sekou Nkrumah, her last son confirmed this indicating that
her mother who died last week in a Cairo hospital would have
her body would arrive in Accra on Saturday aboard an Egypt
Air flight for the necessary ceremonies to commence.
Sekou his mother’s body would be accompanied by his uncle
Fekry Halim Ritsk, 80, and his other siblings, Gamel and
Sania Nkrumah
The burial date was settled on following an agreement
between the family and government, which made the request
during President John Agyekum Kufuor’s recent visit to
Egypt. Consequently, Madam Fathia would not only have her
wish granted, but also have a topping in the form of a State
Burial, a recognition that has not been fully granted over
the years.
Madam Fathia’s wish was not a personal one. She wished it to
be an opportunity to serve as a symbol of unifying the
nation, which according to her has been seriously divided
over a several years.
The Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo last Friday held a
consecration ceremony attended by a large gathering that
including Ghana Embassy officials Sedig Mahdi, former Prime
Minister of Sudan.
The decision of Madam fathis to be buried in Ghana should
not be seen as one of those things that are done to gain
political capital, even though we as Ghanaians would not let
this pass.
We must work at making it go beyond having CPP, NPP, NDC and
PNC among other representatives showing up to pay their last
homage. In fact we have had too much of this kind of
situation where we patronise ourselves.
Indeed, it was the first former lady’s wish that we would,
like her very children, work as one team moving this nation
forward. Let us love each other and treat ourselves with
utter respect noting that we are contributing to the good of
one and the same thing. Some may bring water, others cement,
wood and nails, sand and blocks. But we are all working
towards the same building.
For once, let us make her other wish not only come true but
make it work for us the living since in her case, she would
be by her long lost husband.
Gideon Sackitey, Accra, June 7, 2007 |
