Sad, Heartbreaking!

The murder of two African-Americans in Akwamuland as reported in the DAILY GUIDE yesterday is as mindboggling as it is heart-wrenching.

Considering the circumstances underpinning the murder of the two persons who heeded the invitation to return to their roots and the advanced age of one of them—75—we are even more alarmed.

Even as the law enforcement agents continue with their investigations, having made two arrests so far anyway, there are a few questions worth exploring.

Answers to these would assist in pinpointing those whose negligence or remarks, or even demeanour, facilitated directly or indirectly the despicable act. Ghanaians are noted for their hospitability and so what befell the two persons is not only uncharacteristic of us, but one enmeshed in something beyond the ordinary and therefore worthy of thorough investigations.

After all, the deceased have lived with the locals for all these years without any shred of suspicion of bad blood between them and their hosts. Their contribution towards the development of the area in their own way is household knowledge in Akwamuland. Their protection of the environment for instance is something which has won for them the hearts of those sharing in their ideals.

We have learnt about the alarm raised by the murdered persons about a threat to their lives – something they reportedly notified the law enforcement agents about, upon the advice of their lawyer.

It would be instructive to know what action was taken regarding the report they made about the threat to their lives. If the killing of their two dogs by unknown persons followed the threat on their lives, it is evident that somebody was really on the path of mischief or even ready to draw blood. If no action was taken at all, given the foregone, there are grounds for queries to be issued to some public officials who might have under the circumstances shirked their responsibilities.

Although the chieftaincy title bestowed upon one of them was symbolic, the Chieftaincy Minister is said to have passed remarks suggestive of his opposition to the honour. Indeed, he is said to have even accused the holder of the symbolic title of holding himself as a chief – something he considered illegal, as though seeking to undo what had been ordered earlier.

If indeed the minister said what he is reported to have said, we find it worrying especially against the backdrop of the explanation by Lawyer Samson Lardy Anyenini, the lawyer for the Americans, that the title was bestowed upon one of the murdered persons by the then president of the National House of Chiefs.

What informed the opprobrium of the Chieftaincy Minister to the bestowal of the title and a seeming disapproval of the presence of the Diasporans?

The invitation to the Diasporans to return to Ghana as a policy initiative has suffered a major setback by this unreasonable action and making a mockery of our tourism efforts.

Only thorough investigations into what happened and the upholding of justice would assuage the pain of the remaining Americans on Akwamuland who could be considering the various options.