Retired Captain Joel Sowu has recounted a significant moment in Ghanaian history when its first President, Kwame Nkrumah, was moved to tears upon learning of the country’s financial insolvency.
In an interview with host Kafui Dey, Capt. Sowu shared insights into the challenges faced by heads of state, highlighting how powerful and self-serving groups can influence and isolate them from the true state of affairs.
Capt. Sowu explained the phenomenon where these influential groups form a protective barrier around presidents, shielding them from harsh realities upon assuming office.
“Immediately upon becoming heads of state, there are certain people who constitute a mafia, and they cocoon you. It happened to Kwame Nkrumah. They make sure you don’t see the reality on the ground; you don’t know what is happening. So what they tell you, to you, that is the thing,” he elaborated.
Reflecting on a specific incident involving Nkrumah, Capt. Sowu described the emotional impact when the president was informed of the dire financial situation.
“The day they told Kwame Nkrumah we were broke, he wept,” he said, stressing the profound impact of such revelations on national leaders who are often shielded from harsh realities by those around them.