21/09/2026
To the youth who didn't know
General E.K. Kotoka smiling with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, President of Ghana at the time, on the day Nkrumah departed for Hanoi, North Vietnam.
Kotoka was one of Nkrumah's trusted military
officers, seen as loyal and dependable.
The very next day, February 24, 1966, Kotoka led a coup d'état that overthrew Nkrumah's government while he was abroad on a peace mission to end the Vietnam War.
Kotoka announced the coup on national radio, declaring the end of Nkrumah's rule and the dissolution of the Convention People's Party (CPP).
The operation was codenamed "Cold Chop," a chilling metaphor for betrayal from within.
Nkrumah later wrote in his book "Dark Days in Ghana" that the conspirators had planned his assassination and deceived the public with false claims, including rumors of Russian troops and secret tunnels, to justify the coup.
Lesson? They smile with us, but some carry daggers behind their backs. Ghana's first coup wasn't just a change of government. It was a masterclass in political theatre, betrayal, and the fragility of trust.
Happy birthday Dr.