‘More Than A Goal’ film eyes Nkrumah’s vision of African unity
Award-winning, Pan-African sport design team, 54 Kingdoms, and production partner, WB Group, have announced the production of a groundbreaking documentary, “More Than A Goal,” an electrifying exploration of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s revolutionary move to unify the African continent through football.
The documentary which its trailer was released Wednesday, June 19, takes viewers through an unprecedented journey from Nkrumah’s pioneering role as the architect of Ghanaian independence on March 6, 1957 to his audacious quest for a unified African voice on the global stage.
With gripping detail, the film unveils how he brilliantly wielded football’s universal language and passionate following as a vehicle to rally the continent under his transcendent Pan-African vision.
Produced by Ghana’s WB Group, it pulls back the curtain through interviews with powerful global voices, historians, activists, journalists, musicians, and legendary footballers from the United States, Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya.
These esteemed storytellers represent merely half of the compelling perspectives that will grace the final documentary. From PLO Lumumba (Kenya) and Seun Kuti (Nigeria) to Peter Alegi (USA), Lawyer Anokye Yaw Frimpong (Ghana), Osei Kofi, Kofi Pare (Ghana), and the late, great Joe Lartey (Ghana), they breathe life into Nkrumah’s seismic impact.
“Football’s meteoric rise as Africa’s beloved obsession mirrored the continent’s awakening – a profound yearning for self-determination that reverberated from Cairo to Cape Town. As nationalist fervor catalyzed anti-colonial movements, the sport emerged as a rallying force, uniting diverse peoples under one unifying passion,” said 54 Kingdoms to TheAfricanDream.net in a statement.
“In those electrifying matches, Africans glimpsed their collective power, their unity of purpose. The pitch became their battleground, each goal a thunderous declaration: decolonization was no longer a hopeful dream, but an unstoppable reality in motion.”
Motivation
14 years ago, passionate Pan-Africanists, Ghanaian Nana Poku and Kwaku Awuah, founders of 54 Kingdoms, designed their first football fan-gear, which they dubbed the “Homecoming” collection.
It was launched in 2010 to pay homage to South Africa as the first African country to host the FIFA World Cup, while also celebrating the six African countries that represented the continent during tournament: Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and South Africa.
As they delved into Africa’s rich football heritage for their “Homecoming” collection, they stumbled upon a revelation that would forever reshape their creative vision – Nkrumah’s ingenious use of football as a unifying force for the continent.
“Nkrumah possessed a clarity of vision that few leaders have ever matched – African unity was the indomitable path to realizing the continent’s boundless potential, while colonial borders strangled that destiny like insidious vines,” said 54 Kingdoms.
“Cast your eyes across Africa’s modern landscape; from simmering conflicts to economic stagnation, the echoes of Nkrumah’s foresight still reverberate hauntingly. Ultimately, even his staunchest critics cannot deny the enduring wisdom underlying his conviction that unity, not fragmentation, holds the key to Africa’s ascension.”
From that moment, Nkrumah’s unwavering belief in African unity became the north star guiding their creative endeavors. For the next decade, his vision shaped their World Cup collections, inspiring them to craft an “African Unity Design Blueprint.”
According to the co-founders, it is a four-phase journey of “Educate, Unite, Build, and Progress,” with each collection paying homage to Nkrumah’s dream. This was also part of their 2022 “Forward Ever, Backward Never” line.
Fundraiser
54 Kingdoms and WB Group have launched a joint fundraiser to help finish the project, and help them interview the remaining voices, including Nkrumah’s own children and active/retired African football players across five countries.
The fundraising goal of $35,000 will cover crew travel expenses, archival footage acquisition, translator fees, and final production costs.
“We’re extremely honored and proud to present to the world, More Than A Goal – a dynamic film that dives into the legacy of a trailblazing Pan-African icon, who ignited a flame that has burned steadily for over six decades. A flame that illuminates the path towards a unified, empowered, and respected Africa on the global stage,” said 54 Kingdoms.
“After over a decade of passion, perseverance, and an investment 1.5x more than our fundraising goal, we stand on the precipice of unveiling our crowning achievement.”
Any contribution according to them, however little will will not only preserve Nkrumah’s indelible legacy but also ignite the flames of unity and progress that he envisioned for the beloved continent.
Source: TheAfricanDream.net
Oral Ofori is Founder and Publisher at www.TheAfricanDream.net, a digital storyteller and producer, and also an information and research consultant.
