Ghana’s strategic location on the western coast of Africa made it a preferred region through which to send slaves. Many of the slaves that passed through the Door of No Return were not even Ghanaian—instead, they had been transported into Ghana for the sole purpose of being transported on from there across the Atlantic.
After World War II, European powers were weaker than they had been since the beginning of colonialism, and many African nations—including this one!— saw their opportunity to gain independence. Led by Kwame Nkrumah, its first President, the Gold Coast declared its independence in 1957. They chose a new name to suit their new nation, drawing inspiration from the African Empires of the past, and settled on Ghana. The brand-new nation would indeed be a land for warrior kings!
