General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was a Ghanaian military officer who played a key role in the 1966 coup d’état that overthrew President Kwame Nkrumah and his government.
Born in 1926 in the Volta Region of Ghana, Kotoka rose through the ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces and became a leading figure in the National Liberation Council (NLC), the military junta that ruled Ghana after Nkrumah’s removal.
Role in the 1966 Coup
On February 24, 1966, Kotoka, along with other military officers, led the coup that ended Nkrumah’s rule while he was on a state visit to Hanoi.
The coup was largely driven by dissatisfaction within the military and political opposition to Nkrumah’s socialist policies and alleged authoritarian rule.
Kotoka announced the takeover in a radio broadcast, declaring the formation of the National Liberation Council (NLC), which assumed control of the government.
Death and Legacy
General Kotoka was assassinated on April 17, 1967, during an attempted counter-coup known as the Ghana Military Academy coup led by junior officers.
He was shot and killed at Ghana’s military headquarters.
Despite his role in toppling Nkrumah, Kotoka remains a controversial figure in Ghanaian history.
Some see him as a liberator who ended what they viewed as an oppressive regime, while others see him as part of the military intervention that disrupted Ghana’s early democratic development.
One of his most lasting legacies is Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, which was named after him in 1969.
The naming remains a subject of debate, with calls for it to be changed due to differing opinions on his role in Ghana’s history.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma