i THE RHETORIC OF KWAME NKRUMAH: AN ANALYSIS OF HIS POLITICAL SPEECHES. By Town Eric Opoku Mensah MPhil (English Language), UCC B.A. Hons (EnglishCape Language), UCC of Thesis Presented for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the Centre for Rhetoric Studies, UniversityFaculty of Humanities UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN February 2014 The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to use this opportunity to express my utmost gratitude to the many special individuals whose advice, support and love helped me to complete this thesis. My warmest appreciation goes to Distinguished Professor Philippe-Joseph Salazar, my doctoral supervisor. My encounter with Professor Salazar opened a new page in my research life. Whilst I initially anticipated a close-knit supervision relation, I came to experience a rather physically distant but close relationship. Professor Salazar strategically allowed me to ‘wonder in the woods’ for months. I was later to acknowledge that that difficult and lonely period was to allow me to form clearly and gain a deeper understanding of my research problem. Prof’s style has ultimately helped in shaping my own independent thinking and has helped me to find my academic voice, a voice which is a quintessential too in this whole academic journey. It has become an invaluable asset in my future academic life and work. I am also grateful to the team of examiners: Professor Erik Doxtader, (University of South Carolina), Professor Cheryl Glenn (The Pennsylvania State University) and Dr. Sergio Alloggio (University of Witwatersrand). Not only did these three astute scholars throw more light on my thesis, they each pointed clearly several scholarly paths for my future research work. I cannot forget the contribution of Professor Ian Glenn (Acting Director for the Centre for Film and Media Studies) for encouraging me and working diligently on the last minute paper work on the thesis. I would like to acknowledge staff of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) radio who gave me the opportunity to access the archives of audio recordings of Kwame Nkrumah. Although these recordings were found to be in a poor state of storage, the staff was of immense help. With their positive attitude towards my research, they helped me salvage key speeches that were central to my understanding of the iii rhetoric of Kwame Nkrumah. Again, I if I were to give a debt of gratitude to a group of Librarians that were passionate and committed to their work; these the staff of the Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town. They came to know me by name and in their minds I became synonymous with Nkrumah. I am grateful to the staff for their support during my long hours of search for the political history of the Gold Coast and the beginning of nationalist movements prior to Ghana’s independence. I could not have done this without, in particular, Busi Kangala, for all her help in locating historical Ghanaian Literature; Dianne Steele, for her immense help in my referencing style; Alex D’Angelo, for taking me through how to rummage through the vast electronic resources. I also would like to expressmy gratitude to two outstanding women whose friendship and love I cannot forget: Sharon Eaton-Barnes of IAPO and Merle Jordaan of Third Tier Residence. I also appreciate the members of the Brackendale Growth Group, especially Pastor Joshua, Toyin, Naomi, Chris and Bishop for providing me the needed religious and social support during my stay in Cape Town. Likewise, I mention my friends at UCT, namely, Prof Akokpari (Political Science Department) and his family, Eric, Nana Amoako, Jude, Saviour (Efo), Naa and Nana Yaa. I wish you Godspeed in your research. I also thank my friend and colleague, Kwame Amoako-Sakyi, for his immense interest and constant support for my work in rhetoric studies. How could my doctoral studies have been possible without the financial support of the University of Cape Coast? I am eternally grateful to Professor Nana Jane Opoku- Agyemang, immediate past Vice - Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and currently the Minister of Education, the Republic of Ghana for her support. I am also indebted to these senior faculty members at the University of Cape Coast: Professor Lawrence K. Owusu-Ansah, the Dean of School of Graduate Studies and Research; iv Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh, Dean, Faculty of Arts; Dr. Philip A. Gborsong, Head, Department of Communication Studies; and all my colleagues and the staff of the Department of Communication Studies. Dr. Joseph B.A. Afful, Head, Department of English; for straightening the initial concept and for painstakingly reading through the final draft of my thesis. I can never show the depth of my heartfelt appreciation. I am especially grateful for the support I received from my family, especially my father, Opanyin Kwabena Poku, who challenged me to have more than he never had academically. I thank my sisters, Diana and Rosemond; your support has brought me this far. I earn a doctoral degree, never forgetting your individual sacrifices and love during my many years in school. I also would like to show my gratitude to my in- laws, especially Mrs Dorothy Awuah-Peasah for her support for my family, not forgetting Jay and Jerry. v DEDICATION To Akua Serwaah, the woman whose love and strength provided the firm ground and atmosphere upon which this thesis was completed. Also, to Michelle and Michael, your constant questions sped me on to hurry and come home; to Manuel, your arrival coincided with the end. You made it complete. I love you all. vi ABSTRACT The study focuses on an examination of the political speeches of Kwame Nkrumah. The primary data of the study comprises audio-recorded and five volumes of selected published speeches of Nkrumah. Beyond these sources, the study explores the historical, political, and diplomatic circumstances which gave birth to Nkrumah’s rhetorical inventions.In terms of the theoretical framework, the study applied three main correlative approaches: Aristotle (2007) on Levels of Proofs and Rhetorical Regimes, Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca (1969) on Argument and Lloyd Bitzer on Situation (1968).Six major speeches were chosen for the study. They were selected chronologically ranging from 1950 to 1964. They were analyzed, applying the vertical and horizontal rhetorical structures. The study sought to find out the rhetorical strategies and tools, which Nkrumah employed in his political speeches.The study revealed that as part of his logical strategy, Nkrumah regularly employed logical association. With this tool, Nkrumah associates two entities either positively or negatively for the purpose of achieving good or bad publicity for a giving entity. The finding demonstrates that Nkrumah employed negative association in his political speeches to tag his Ghanaian and Western political adversaries to engender negative image for them whilst he used positive association to enhance his ethos.The study also showed that Nkrumah employed the argument of inclusion of the part in the whole. This argument becomes central to the subject of Africa’s unity as Nkrumah argues for continental unity in Addis Ababa. In this argument, the importance of Africa is brought to the fore whilst minimizing the focus on individual states. Thus, through his argumentation, Nkrumah deepens the continental discussion which seeks to project the debate on Africa’s freedom. The study also demonstrated that Nkrumah repeatedly applies symbolism as a strategic means of establishing his vii ethos as well as creating solidarity with his audience.The study further established that Nkrumah employs the collective memory of his audience to create pathos in his address. Lastly, the study showed that Nkrumah repeatedly used his messages to address composite audiences both immediate and remote. viii KEY WORDS Rhetoric, persuasion, identification, colonialism, Nkrumah, independence ix DECLARATION I declare that The Rhetoric of Kwame: An Examination of His Political Speeches is my own work and that it has not been submitted before for any degree or examination in any other university, and that all sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged as complete references. Eric Opoku Mensah x LIST OF ABRREVIATIONS AAPC All African Peoples’ Conference ANC African National Congress AWAM Association of West African Merchants CYO Committee on Youth Organization CPP Convention People’s Party EAF East African Federation NLM National Liberation Movement NPP Northern People’s Party OAU Organization of African Unity PAF Pan African Federation PDA Prevention Detention Act UNAM Afrique et Malgache UAC United African Company UGCC United Gold Coast Convention WASU West African Students’ Union xi PREFACE Kwame Nkrumah, as an African liberation fighter, has been a focus of intense academic interest both in the past and present. With respect to his life and work as a politician, he appealed and continues to appeal to various academic persuasions, especially within the social sciences. However, one fundamental strength of Nkrumah, which arguably, made him become a subject of interest both in the Gold Coast, Africa and the rest of the world was his oratory. Nkrumah’s rhetorical skill was what attracted me to pursue this research. The thesis is based upon analysis of hislandmark speeches which characterized the key moments which shaped the political discourse of the Gold Coast (later Ghana) and Africa as a whole. These will focus on pre-independence, independence and post-independence rhetorical inventions. Because the central argument of the thesis is woven from individual/particular situations, the thesis will providereaders the rare opportunity in situating Nkrumah’s rhetoric within political activities as they unfolded within the history of the Gold Coast and later Ghana.