Muhammed Ali, also known as Cassius Clay, made a pilgrimage to Africa to meet his brothers and sisters. To Muhammed Ali, it was a day of joy, repatriation, and a day to visit home after 400 years in captivity. During the pilgrimage, he visited some noted and historic African countries such a Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria, Zaire and etc.
The late world heavyweight champion and the greatest boxer ever to grace the boxing world decided to visit home and learn about his roots and culture. Africa is a broad and very vast continent of amazing people and cultures, but why did Ali select Ghana first?
Ghana has been seen as the cradle of freedom and the Black Star of Africa. Ghana is the first African country in sub-Sahel Africa to gain independence from European bondage. The country also had one of the greatest African presidents at the time. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was seen as a visionary leader and a pan-Africanist by many people in the diaspora.
Ali started his African pilgrimage tour in Ghana, which is the gateway to Africa. Ali wasn't the only African American who visited Ghana; the likes of Malcom X, Maya Angelou, George Padmore, W.E. Dubois, Martin Luther King, and many other noted African Americans and Pan-Africanists.
Meeting Asantehene Nana Agyeman Prempeh
Ali landed in Ghana at Accra International Airport on May 16, 1964, and was met gracefully by the then foreign minister, Kojo Botsio. Later, Ali met Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to whom he gave the legendary boxer a traditional Kente cloth called "Oyokoman", which is generally worn by kings and those with higher status.
Ali visited Ghana, and he popularly made this famous speech, as he said. "I want to see Africa and meet my brothers and sisters". He continued. "I am happy to tell our people in the diaspora that there are more things to see in Africa than lions and elephants. They never told us about your beautiful flowers, magnificent hotels, beautiful houses, beaches, great hospitals, schools, and universities".
Muhammed Ali and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
According to sources, Ali ate Ghanaian dishes and had a sparring boxing match in the Ashanti region in front of some 40,00 fans. Ali also made this remark in Kumasi when he met the Ashanti king: "In America, everything is white—Jesus, Moses, and the angels. I am glad to be here with my true people." He also tried mightily to pull the legendary sorcerer Okomfo Anokye's sword but couldn't, as the legend says.
Muhammed Ali was accompanied by the son of Ali's teacher and the one who converted him to Islam, Elijah Muhammed, his brother, his promoter, and other dignitaries. After the defeat of Sonny Liston, Ali dropped his English, or, as he called it, a slave name, for an Islamic name.
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