This week in 1962: Dr Kwame Nkrumah survives assassination attack

- Dr Kwame Nkrumah was nearly killed in a bomb attack that happened on August 1, 1962, at Kulungugu in the Upper East Region

- Nkrumah was convinced by local party officials to step out into a crowd of people that turned out to be the danger zone

- A hand-grenade was thrown a few yards away from the president that blew several assembled school children into smithereens but left Nkrumah unharmed

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On August 1, 1962, Ghana's first president, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, escaped a bomb assassination attempt on his life at Kulungugu in the Upper East Region.

In a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Ghanaianmuseum.com, it is indicated that the incident occurred during an inspection of a parade of school children by Kwame Nkrumah.

Nkrumah was not scheduled to stop at Kulungugu, but at the insistence of local party officials he decided to step out and meet the teaming crowds and inspect the hurriedly put-together parade of school children.

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As he walked towards the school kids a loud explosion went off from a hand-grenade that was thrown a few yards away from the president, blowing several of the assembled school children into smithereens without harming the president.

Kwame Nkrumah left Accra on July 27 for Kumasi to attend a Convention People's Party congress, after which he proceeded to Tenkudugu on July 31. He headed towards Kulungugu the next day.

In 1964, two years after the incident, a statue was built at the spot in the Bawku West Municipality where Dr Kwame Nkrumah was nearly bombed.

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Meanwhile, in the same year, a historic event that would remain iconic throughout the history of sports in Ghana was made when the Black Stars played against Real Madrid.

The match took place at the Accra Sports Stadium, which was formerly named the Ohene Gyan Sports Stadium, and ended with a scoreline of 3:3.

A report by Ghanaianmuseum.com sighted by YEN.com.gh indicates that after the sterling performance of the Ghanaian national team against the Spanish giants, Santiago Bernabéu honoured Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's president at the time.

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Source: YEN.com.gh