The 1946 Burns Constitution: Ghana's Step Toward Self-Rule

In 1946, the Gold Coast Colony received a new constitution — the Burns Constitution — that for the first time gave Africans a majority in the Legislative Council. This episode explores the political maneuvering behind the reforms: Governor Sir Alan Burns, the African elite who pushed for change, and the limitations that still excluded the Northern Territories and kept real power in British hands. We trace how this partial concession set the stage for the more radical demands of Kwame Nkrumah and the UGCC just a few years later. Why did the British agree to share power? And why did the reforms ultimately fail to satisfy? Join Lucas and Luna for a deep dive into the constitutional hinge point that moved Ghana from colony to independence. #BurnsConstitution #GoldCoast #SirAlanBurns #LegislativeCouncil #KwameNkrumah #UGCC #Accra #ColonialReform #AfricanRepresentation #NorthernTerritories #ConstitutionalHistory #IndependenceMovement #GhanaHistory #WestAfrica #1946 #BritishEmpire #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo