What led to the transition from Gold Coast to Ghana?

The transition from Gold Coast to Ghana was led by the independence movement against British colonial rule in 1957.

The Gold Coast, now known as Ghana, was a British colony in West Africa from 1867 to 1957. The transition from the Gold Coast to Ghana was a result of a long struggle for independence led by various political and social groups against British colonial rule. The name change symbolised a new beginning and a break from the colonial past.

The independence movement was spearheaded by Kwame Nkrumah, a visionary leader and a staunch advocate for Pan-Africanism. Nkrumah, who was educated in the United States and Britain, returned to the Gold Coast in the late 1940s and became a central figure in the country's struggle for independence. He founded the Convention People's Party (CPP) in 1949, which became the leading force in the fight for independence.

The CPP launched a series of strikes and boycotts known as the "Positive Action" campaign in 1950, demanding self-governance. The British authorities responded by arresting Nkrumah and other CPP leaders, but this only increased their popularity. In 1951, while still in prison, Nkrumah was elected to the Legislative Assembly in a landslide victory. His release was negotiated and he became the leader of government business, effectively the Prime Minister.

The process of decolonisation was gradual, with the British granting more political power to the local government over time. In 1954, the Gold Coast had its first general election with universal suffrage, which was won by the CPP. The British agreed to grant the Gold Coast full independence after another CPP victory in the 1956 elections.

On 6th March 1957, the Gold Coast officially gained independence from Britain and was renamed Ghana, after the ancient West African empire. The name was chosen to reflect the country's aspirations to lead a united and independent Africa. Nkrumah became the first Prime Minister and later the first President of Ghana, and his vision of Pan-Africanism continued to influence the country's foreign policy. The transition from the Gold Coast to Ghana marked a significant milestone in the history of decolonisation in Africa.