Nkrumah for King

It is February 1951. Kwame Nkrumah is sitting in prison at Fort James in Accra, Ghana. It is the eve of the first general election to be held under universal franchise in colonial Africa. Kwame’s Convention People’s Party is on the ballots. Africa is about to change forever. But for tonight Nkrumah dines with other prisoners.

Possibility
sits on a prison floor
beating
upon the door
of an impossible future

The convict
fills up
on maize porridge today
if the vote goes well
it will
be wine tomorrow

Then our gold will be ours
our cocoa will be free
in the colour of our skin
and the start of all chocolate.

© Iz Mazano 2019
Photo: Flag of Ghana