Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of independent Ghana escapes 5th assassination attempt

Updated: 20 Dec 2019

On 2 January 1964, Kwame Nkrumah, first Ghanaian President survived fifth assassination attempt. Shortly thereafter, he declared Ghana a one party state. During the same year Nkrumah forced a constitutional amendment allowing him to dismiss any judge. Ghanaians were not happy with the amendments and other changes that he introduced. In August 1962, Nkrumah narrowly escaped death when he was bombed in Khungulu village. Following the 1962 attempt to eliminate him, three of his close allies, Foreign Minister Ako Adjei, Information Minister Tawia Adamafio, and party boss H. H. Cofie-Crabbe were jailed. Just months after he was re-elected, on 24 February 1966, he was deposed as President.

How we know this

01Answers.com, ‘Kwame Nkrumah’, from Answers.com, [online], Available at www.answers.com [Accessed: 29 November 2011]
02Time Magazine, (1962), ‘Ghana: Who will save the redeemer?’, from Time Magazine, 07 September [online], Available at www.time.com [Accessed: 29 November 2011]
03Ghana History,‘Introducing authoritarian rule and a one-party state’, from Ghana History,[online], Available at www.ghanahistory.wordpress.com [Accessed: 29 November 2011]

Last updated · 20 Dec 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, December 20). Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of independent Ghana escapes 5th assassination attempt. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0071689

South African History Online (2011) 'Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of independent Ghana escapes 5th assassination attempt', South African History Online, 20 December. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0071689 (Accessed: 7 October 2026).

South African History Online, Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of independent Ghana escapes 5th assassination attempt [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0071689, (accessed 7 October 2026).

"Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of independent Ghana escapes 5th assassination attempt." South African History Online, 20 Dec. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0071689. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of independent Ghana escapes 5th assassination attempt." South African History Online. December 20, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0071689.