Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Holy Bible is describing, for us, the heart of such a great lady of Africa for whom we are gathered today; Fathia resembles her Biblical mother, Ruth, who, seeing that the afflicted Naomi was in need of support and help, said in a determined way with a very noble heart: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me."(Ruth 1:16-17)

That is what we are reliving at this moment, as the relics of Fathia Nkrumah will be laid next to her husband, the great hero of Africa, Kwame Nkrumah.

Fifty years ago, a young Ghanaian from the Nzima tribe proposed to a young lady, Fathia, in Egypt. She was raised in the very ancient, Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt, which was established by the African Apostle John Mark in the first century in Alexandria. She was nurtured on the milk of her Church’s spiritual teachings. Fathia is the daughter of the River Nile and the descendant of the pharaohs, who lived before Christ. Coptic means Egypt and Egypt means Coptic; it is not random that the blood of ancient Egyptians ran in her veins!

Fathia Nkrumah knew little about politics and African colonialism yet, when the marriage proposal came to her through our great President Gamal Abdel Nasser, she had a vision of man’s liberation; she had a vision of the removal of oppression from those afflicted in Africa, which was ninety per cent colonized at that time in 1957; she knew that our people all over the African continent – north, south, east and west- were exploited, oppressed and humiliated every day.

I can believe that Nkrumah had a vision; that Nkrumah had an inspiration by the spirit of God to take the risk as a liberator of Africans, irrespective of skin colour, clan, tribe or language. Fathia, also, could see well, and be convinced of Nkrumah’s vision, as she accepted to move cross culturally, from north to west Africa, where she agreed to stand and say: “Kwame, your people shall be my people, your God, my God. Where you die... there will I be buried.” No doubt, Fathia accepted the risk and the crossing, and as you learn the history of this great and powerfully-willed lady, you understand that she was chosen by God to stand next to Nkrumah in his struggle in spite of suffering from numerous plots of sabotage, and uncertainty in her life with their three children.

The great sacrifice! The great task that accompanied Nkrumah’s vision! He was committed to Mother Africa at large. He fought apartheid whilst apartheid had such a stranglehold on the South African people. He stood against all forces, which were against African people. He was the first to call loudly for the “African Renaissance” and “African unity”. No doubt, Fathia shared this great vision, irrespective of pains, sufferings and challenges, which assailed them both. They knew what has come to be well known: Vision without a task is but a dream; Task without vision is drudgery; vision with task is the Hope of the world.

Today, all over the African continent and indeed, throughout the world, we are celebrating the hopes that Fathia and Nkrumah implanted in the heart of every African: since he started the struggle, his African wife was next to him, exemplifying what a faithful wife can do for her husband; he was frequently absent, yet she endured, knowing that it was for a noble cause; she knew very well that African unity is the only hope for the strength of Africa because division amounts to weakness.

In the Biblical story of Ruth, we read that Orpah cared for herself and ran way. Ruth and Fathia selflessly served God by sacrificing themselves for others; God has rewarded them. I wish to sincerely congratulate you people of Ghana and Egypt for such an historical, African personality that will endure. The name of Nkrumah will never be forgotten in coming generations, serving as both symbol and example of how people can withstand unimaginable opposition, sustaining their convictions in accordance with their vision.

As the Coptic Bishop for African Affairs, I knew Fathia, visiting her in Laboni, Accra in the late 70s. I remember very well, my dear brothers and sisters, the volumes of tears she shed and how faithful she had been! She shared with me, her sufferings and pain as a young widow, raising her three children alone in the best possible way to make them successful Ghanaian citizens and citizens of Africa. She was clearly in need of pastoral love and care, and, through God’s grace, I listened to her for hours and hours, attempting to draw near to her heart to enable her to unburden her deep feelings. Thanks to God for this time, and for the Coptic liturgy we prayed with members of the Egyptian community in that Laboni home.

I frequently visited Fathia in Egypt and it seemed that she was living the life of a widow, about which the Bible speaks. She was deeply devoted to her children and to the name and memory of Nkrumah. She made no attempt to live her own life after the death of the first president of Ghana. She dedicated hers, like a candle that burns and melts every day, being all consumed by commitment to prayer, spiritual readings and contemplation, and to keeping the name of Nkrumah as a great, African hero. I believe she took the name of Nkrumah as an investment, which should never be encroached upon; she waited for divine mercy to salve her feelings. Whenever I had a chance to call Fathia on the phone from Johannesburg, I tried to offer her needed support and encouragement. Likewise, when in Egypt, I visited her or she visited me at the papal residence of the Coptic Church in Cairo.

Saint Paul says: Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. (1 Timothy 5:9, 10) I can surely say that looking at Fathia over the years, I could see that Saint Paul’s words apply to her as an honest and faithful widow until her last breath.

The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. Now, Fathia is reposed in the Lord; the Coptic Orthodox Church does not believe in death. We say that there is no death for Your people but mere departure; Fathia, as a faithful, dedicated and responsible wife to a symbol of freedom justice and unity, lives on with Nkrumah, perpetually delivering a vital message. May I invite younger couples of all African nations to look at this example of husband and wife, who dedicated themselves for a noble cause. Irrespective of other desires, they chose to sacrifice themselves selflessly up to their last drop of blood.

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark heard that Fathia reposed in the Lord 31 May 2007. He immediately honoured her by ordering the main Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Egypt, and the whole Coptic Orthodox Church, be opened for her funeral prayer, so that large numbers of dignitaries and other mourners could bid her farewell.

It is no wonder that Fathia is also being honoured by the great nation of Ghana today, being received on the soil about which she said to Nkrumah: “your land will be my land, your people will be my people”. I have no doubt that her spirit is rejoicing amongst you today, as we prepare to lay her next to her husband in the soil of Ghana.

Great mention should be made of His Excellency President Kufuor, for coming to visit Fathia in her bed in the last few hours before she left this world. As President of Ghana, he took such special care, as Ghana’s Government, Cabinet, army, police and people have done to receive her with open arms and hearts again- even if in a coffin; yet welcoming her again as a daughter of this African continent and as a Ghanaian citizen to be buried in the land of Ghana.
The Coptic Orthodox Church, through the Bishopric of African Affairs, whose headquarters is in Johannesburg, have offered a token of love to Nkrumah’s memory, and to Fathia as a daughter of the Coptic Orthodox Church. We have applied for a plot of land in Accra, for establishment of a charitable foundation, to be known as the Fathia Nkrumah Foundation. Later, it is hoped that a branch of this foundation be established in the town of Nkroful, at the request of Nkrumah’s clan and people who I met yesterday.

I wish to pray from all my heart and for all of you to raise your hearts, to ask: for the repose of the spirit of Nkrumah, who I am hopeful, is in Paradise for all the good work he has done for Africa; and for repose of the spirit of Fathia Nkrumah. I have no doubt, knowing her at a very close distance that she is likely in Paradise, waiting for the reward at the Day of Judgment.

May the Lord give consolation to the people of Ghana, the people of Egypt and to all of us, for the departure of such great people who will leave an everlasting message behind for our history.

Lastly, I wish to remember Fathia’s great works of charity in the 1950’s and 1960’s while First Lady of Ghana: Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:30-31). Let her works be remembered forevermore.

Glory to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By the Grace of God,
Bishop Antonius Markos
Coptic Orthodox Bishop of African Affairs
Accra, Ghana
11 June 2007