Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 9 states was the preferred option or the watchword. This option was clearly stated right from the Conference of Independent African States in April 1958. As member states could only intervene at the invitation of the parties to the dispute or conflict, the occurrence of intra-state conflicts saw the degeneration of the already fragile economies and infrastructure of the conflicting states. Nkrumah's dream towards the realisation of a united Africa was cut short with his ousting on February 24, 1966 by a military junta. Nkrumah spent his last years exiled in Guinea. As a leader, Kwame Nkrumah had his challenges with regards to his ideal understanding of what integration meant and how it should be achieved. One cannot fault countries such as Liberia, Nigeria and even Egypt for their apprehension that Nkrumah's sole aim of bringing the newly independent states together was because he had ambitions of being their leader. Although he denied this, his blatant disgust at his Francophone neighbours for being puppets of France, their colonial master, derailed his relationship with them and catapulted their suspicions. Thus, they acted as stumbling blocks to his vision of a united Africa by disagreeing with his integration policies. Moreover, his united Africa quest was imminent and of much priority to him regardless of obstacles such as the hesitation of the Monrovia Group and the apprehension of the West about his ideals and flirtatious relationship with the East and the West simultaneously. Also, Padmore, his mentor was apprehensive of Nkrumah's intended quest, which he saw as a distant hope. 17 Thompson(1969) defines Nkrumah as a man of different compartments. One is tempted to agree with him in view of his relationship with both the West and East, all geared towards developing Ghana. A man, who was busy building the foundation of African Unity, also discontinued the colonial efforts aimed at integrating West Africa. Thus, he did away with the West African Airways Company and the West African Common Currency among others that the British colonial masters had established. He did not also support the idea of a sub-regional integration in whatever form. It can be understood that he did not want any relationship with the colonial masters, but the destruction of these integration efforts was quite unfortunate and backward. Was it not his overleaping ambition at play again? His famous declaration that:“Today, from now on, there is a new African in the world and that new African is ready to fight his own battle and show that after all the black man is capable of managing his own affairs…” 18 may hold the secret answer to why he would take such detrimental steps. Simple logic has it that a whole is built by the putting together of fractions. Consequently, one would have thought that Nkrumah could have built on the achieved integration blocks in the sub-region. After all, today, as part of the integration attempts, the West African Monetary Union(a common currency) is being created. 17 W. Scott Thompson, op. cit., 1969, p. 33. 18 G. K. Bluwey, Understanding International Relations,(Accra: Yamens Press, 2003). p. 102.