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Today the pinnacle of West African economic achievement, Ghana in 1963 was a very different beast. Beset on all sides by problems which sitting President Kwame Nkrumah struggled to keep down in the face of an en entire continent in upheaval, the once-mighty West African state seemed almost about to collapse. It may have almost destroyed itself or fallen to civil war like many other states before and after, had it not been for a very timely state visit by Nkrumah to Cairo, to visit his friend Nasser for support in forming a pan-African organization. Though eventually turned down, it was this visit that allowed the seeds for the future African Economic Community and begin stabilizing Ghana with help from Egypt and Egyptian-affiliated allies, including the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, Nkrumah did not live to see this come to fruition as he would pass away of a sudden stroke not long after his return to Accra.

With Accra in chaos due to a government formed almost entirely around Nkrumah lacking its head, Ghana's ministers in majority and opposition as well as generals convened to find a new President. Their choice, after many grueling hours of debate, was the unlikely financial minister Komla Gbedemah, recently returned from a self-imposed exile. While not the most amicable of the Nkrumah government, he was a man loyal to Ghana and, perhaps even better, one who would not choose sides as he favored a middle ground between politics. Gbedemah immediately set about restructuring some of the economic institutions that had struggled in Ghana with help from new money received in order to give Ghana a better chance at long-term fiscal growth. Perhaps the most important thing Gbedemah did, however, was refuse to step up as a military dictator in Ghana. While it was popular at the time, Gbedemah considered himself far too old for such things and sought, instead, to have a more balanced government combining the highlights of Nkrumahism and philosophies of other leading politicians in Ghana to create a long-lasting political system. This included a document that would form the framework of the new, modern West African state.

The document which was drawn up would prove just as revolutionary as the later achievements of Ghana, as it set the framework for many African states. Setting up a federal parliamentary government, the Constitution also included rights and protections, as well as recognition, for all of Ghana's tribal groups, essentially turning a country that had thus far attempted to remain a unitary state into a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural federation of peoples headed by a looser, weaker government. Though frowned upon at times by Nasserists in North Africa and the self-proclaimed "Africanists" in southern Africa (who were, in fact, governments hiding behind apartheid afraid of the spread of rights for ethnic minorities in Africa), Ghana's new Constitution quickly became a framework for surrounding nations, including Upper Volta, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Guinea, and Mali.

In addition to this contribution, Ghana also made another massive one: the official founding of the African Economic Community. While the foundations were originally laid by Nkrumah years earlier, it was not until 1972 that the plans would fully come to fruition. The organization's stated goal was is, unlike the Ethiopia-based Organization of African States, to unite Africa under a single economic bloc and community to combat foreign influence and make Africa the powerhouse of the future. Toward these ends, the West African (and so far only) members adopted the West African cedi, with the intention to adopt a newer currency once more members joined.

Unfortunately, as the Cold War drags on by the 25th year of the AEC, 1997, Africa is still best by too many rivalries to fully ally together. Besides the West Africans and their allies, there are the Nasserists in North Africa behind Nasser's successor in Cairo and the Africanists in southern and eastern Africa under various governments either dominated by whites or in transition from apartheid, such as in South Africa. These three groups vie over the future of Africa, as all three have enough power, population, and capital to one day make the continent theirs.

On the bright side, the African Economic Community has proved to be the greatest achievement in West Africa's history since colonialism finally lost its grip. Development of the nations therein, particularly industrial and manufacturing development, has rapidly increased, and the living standards are the highest on the continent outside of white African communities. Ghana and Nigeria lead the way, with living standards on par with many Europeans and economies that have become large enough to compete on the world stage without outside help from either Britain or France. It is a time period of prosperity and growth, with many West Africans looking forward to the future.

There are, of course, always struggles on the way, just as all nations have. Corruption, underdevelopment, disparity in wealth, and political instability all plague some or all of West Africa at one point or another, but the nations, particularly Ghana, are still growing. With each passing year, they grow stronger and more able to combat the problems they face and put those problems behind them in order to face the bright future all West Africans make for their future.

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Description
Today the pinnacle of West African economic achievement, Ghana in 1963 was a very different beast. Beset on all sides by problems which sitting President Kwame Nkrumah struggled to keep down in the face of an en entire continent in upheaval, the once-mighty West African state seemed almost about to collapse. It may have almost destroyed itself or fallen to civil war like many other states before and after, had it not been for a very timely state visit by Nkrumah to Cairo, to visit his friend Nasser for support in forming a pan-African organization. Though eventually turned down, it was this visit that allowed the seeds for the future African Economic Community and begin stabilizing Ghana with help from Egypt and Egyptian-affiliated allies, including the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, Nkrumah did not live to see this come to fruition as he would pass away of a sudden stroke not long after his return to Accra.

With Accra in chaos due to a government formed almost entirely around Nkrumah lacking its head, Ghana's ministers in majority and opposition as well as generals convened to find a new President. Their choice, after many grueling hours of debate, was the unlikely financial minister Komla Gbedemah, recently returned from a self-imposed exile. While not the most amicable of the Nkrumah government, he was a man loyal to Ghana and, perhaps even better, one who would not choose sides as he favored a middle ground between politics. Gbedemah immediately set about restructuring some of the economic institutions that had struggled in Ghana with help from new money received in order to give Ghana a better chance at long-term fiscal growth. Perhaps the most important thing Gbedemah did, however, was refuse to step up as a military dictator in Ghana. While it was popular at the time, Gbedemah considered himself far too old for such things and sought, instead, to have a more balanced government combining the highlights of Nkrumahism and philosophies of other leading politicians in Ghana to create a long-lasting political system. This included a document that would form the framework of the new, modern West African state.

The document which was drawn up would prove just as revolutionary as the later achievements of Ghana, as it set the framework for many African states. Setting up a federal parliamentary government, the Constitution also included rights and protections, as well as recognition, for all of Ghana's tribal groups, essentially turning a country that had thus far attempted to remain a unitary state into a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural federation of peoples headed by a looser, weaker government. Though frowned upon at times by Nasserists in North Africa and the self-proclaimed "Africanists" in southern Africa (who were, in fact, governments hiding behind apartheid afraid of the spread of rights for ethnic minorities in Africa), Ghana's new Constitution quickly became a framework for surrounding nations, including Upper Volta, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Guinea, and Mali.

In addition to this contribution, Ghana also made another massive one: the official founding of the African Economic Community. While the foundations were originally laid by Nkrumah years earlier, it was not until 1972 that the plans would fully come to fruition. The organization's stated goal was is, unlike the Ethiopia-based Organization of African States, to unite Africa under a single economic bloc and community to combat foreign influence and make Africa the powerhouse of the future. Toward these ends, the West African (and so far only) members adopted the West African cedi, with the intention to adopt a newer currency once more members joined.

Unfortunately, as the Cold War drags on by the 25th year of the AEC, 1997, Africa is still best by too many rivalries to fully ally together. Besides the West Africans and their allies, there are the Nasserists in North Africa behind Nasser's successor in Cairo and the Africanists in southern and eastern Africa under various governments either dominated by whites or in transition from apartheid, such as in South Africa. These three groups vie over the future of Africa, as all three have enough power, population, and capital to one day make the continent theirs.

On the bright side, the African Economic Community has proved to be the greatest achievement in West Africa's history since colonialism finally lost its grip. Development of the nations therein, particularly industrial and manufacturing development, has rapidly increased, and the living standards are the highest on the continent outside of white African communities. Ghana and Nigeria lead the way, with living standards on par with many Europeans and economies that have become large enough to compete on the world stage without outside help from either Britain or France. It is a time period of prosperity and growth, with many West Africans looking forward to the future.

There are, of course, always struggles on the way, just as all nations have. Corruption, underdevelopment, disparity in wealth, and political instability all plague some or all of West Africa at one point or another, but the nations, particularly Ghana, are still growing. With each passing year, they grow stronger and more able to combat the problems they face and put those problems behind them in order to face the bright future all West Africans make for their future.

Supported by Patreon!