Once Upon A Time From Gold Coast To Ghana

The quest of our forefathers to liberate us from social, political and economic slavery was fought selflessly and relentlessly. Their motivation was to secure Africa for Africans and for that matter, Ghana for Ghanaians.

The domination of Africa by Europeans was transformed from Merchant Capitalism to slavery and eventually, colonialism. Almost all the naturally gifted African States were colonized by the Europeans and the kind of treatment they ushered on the indigenous people was very distasteful and inhumane.

Karl Marx - the medieval philosopher defined Slavery as "the commercial hunt for black skin". While colonial experience took a milder way in West Africa, it was very horrific in the Central Africa. For instance, in the Central African territory, the whole of the Congo Basin was a property of the Belgium King Leopard hence this territory was administered as though it was a feudal fiefdom. Africans in this territory were treated like a glorified mammals that were in absolute servitude to the Europeans. In Kenya, the Whites forced the Blacks off the best land. The few who kept their lands were forbidden to grow cash crops. Also in Kenya, colonial masters made all Africans to carry identification cards, imposed taxes on them and restricted where they could live or travel.

The situation was very different in West Africa particularly Gold Coast. The indigenous people own lands and grew crops of their choice. However, the prices of farm produce were determined by the British. Also, the educated Africans were excluded from the Legislative and Executive councils.

The struggle to liberate Gold Coast from European domination started early in the 19th century. However, it became very clear in 1897 after the formation of the Aborigines Right Protection Society (ARPS). The ARPS was formed to protest against the sedition of the Land Bill. After the formation of the ARPS, it was not until 20th March 1920 that 50 delegates from the Four British colonies in West Africa namely The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Gold Coast, met in Accra to form the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA). This was the first cross-nationalist movement formed in British West Africa. NCBWA was a stepping stone for most African political giants including Dr. J. B. Danquah - the Doyen of Ghanaian politics.

In 1925, another inter-territorial movement was formed by the West African Students studying in Britain - the West African Students Union (WASU). This movement had Dr. J. B. Danquah as its Vice President. In 1930, the West African Youth League was formed. This movement sought full participation in the political administration and the Legislative Assembly.

The most vibrant of the youth associations was the Gold Coast Youth Conference. The first meeting of the group was held at the Achimota School in 1930. The leading nationalist of the movement included Dr. J. B. Danquah, Nanka Bruce and de Graft Johnson. The conference aims were to bring about reconciliation between the chiefs and the educated elites and also to fight for political and economic reforms in the colonial system by removing all sorts of discriminations and intimidations in the public service.

It must be noted that all the nationalist movements formed before the UGCC were "Proto Nationalist" - they did only agitated for their inclusion in the Legislative and Executive Councils. The formation of UGCC brought a new enthusiastic spirit towards the quest for independence. All the Big Six except Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was not a founding member of UGCC. Nkrumah was at the later part of 1947, invited from Britain to become the secretary of UGCC. The founding members of UGCC were British trained and legal minded hence they didn't use radical means to fight for independence. They chose the motto "Self-government in the shortest possible time".

On 26th February 1948, a boycott of European and expatriate goods was organized by Nii Kwabena Bonne III - Chief of Osu Alata. Two days after thus on 28th February 1948, a group of unarmed ex-service men were matching on the street of the Christianburg Castle to present a petition to the governor. Shooting was ordered on these men which led to the death of three namely Sergeant Adjetey, Private Odartey and Corporal Attipoe.

This brought unmeasured tension into the State. The Watson Commission was formed to investigate the cause of the riot and in June 1948, the commission finalized its report attributing the causes of the riot to social, political, economic, injustice, unemployment, high prices of imported goods etc. It must be noted that before the commission's report, Six leading men of the UGCC were arrested for allegedly masterminding the riot. They were later released after the report from the Watson Commission.

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who believed in the socialist ideologies, broke away from the UGCC to form the CPP in 1949 choosing the motto "self-government now".

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah won the 1951 election and became the leader of government business and eventually, in 1952, he became the Prime Minister.

Nkrumah won the 1954 election and any other elections held before Ghana became a republic. On midnight of 5th March 1957, the British Queen signed to grant Gold Coast independence. The name Gold Coast which was given by the Europeans was dumped for Ghana - a name of it ancestral descent. The name Ghana was proposed by the Historian Dr. J. B. Danquah.

In 1958, Nkrumah passed the Preventive Detention Act - a law deliberately passed to cripple his political opponents. On 1st July 1960, Ghana became a Republican State. In 1964, Nkrumah turned Ghana to One Party State. Nkrumah arrested Dr. J. B. Danquah and detained him in Nsawam Prison till he died in 1965. Many were chased on exile. Obetsebi Lamptey was on exile in Togo but returned home hiding in bushes and eventually died miserably. Nkrumah's demigod nature and high incidence of corruption that characterized his reign gingered the Armed Forces and the Police to collaborate to overthrow the Nkrumah's CPP on 24 February 1966.

The National Liberation Council which overthrew the Nkrumah government after governing for three (3) years, drafted a new constitution to usher Ghana into a civilian rule. On October 1st, 1969, the NLC handed over power to the Progress Party under the leadership of Dr. K. A. Busia. Busia who was the chairman of the National Commission for Civic Education under the NLC, popularized himself with the masses hence won the 1969 election overwhelmingly.

The Progress Party is a product of the U.P tradition hence traces its root from the UGCC.

The Second Republican constitution adopted a Parliamentary system of government hence Dr. K. A. Busia became the Head of Government (Prime Minister) and Justice Edward Akufo-Addo became the Head of State (Ceremonial President).

After 27 months reign, the National Redemption Council under the chairmanship of Gen. I. K. Acheampong overthrown the PP government. The NRC metamorphosed itself to Supreme Military Council 1&2. SMC 1 was under I. K. Acheampong while SMC 2 came under the chairmanship of Gen. F. W. K. Akuffo after a successful palace coup to overthrow SMC1.

On 15th May 1979, junior rank military officers attempted a coup but was not successful. This led to the arrest of Flt, Lt, J.J. Rawlings but released after few days.

On 4th June 1979, flt, Lt, Rawlings organized some junior rank military officers to stage a successful coup to overthrow the SMC 2. The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council initiated the "House cleaning exercise". By this exercise, former coup makers and some high rank senior military and police officers were persecuted through firing squared on 16th and 22nd June 1979.

After three months reign, the AFRC drafted a new constitution for civilian rule. This brought to power Dr. Hilla Liman (President of the third Republic).

On 31st December, 1981, J. J. Rawlings made a u-turn to overthrow the Liman's government. The second coming of J. J. Rawlings was named the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC). After being under military rule for ten (10) years, Chairman Rawlings and his PNDC drafted a new constitution for civilian rule. This was due to internal and external pressure demanding for a Democratic system of government for Ghana.

The 1992 constitution came into being and candidate Rawlings won the 1992 elections as well as 1996.

The 4th Republican constitution is the longest serving constitution in Ghana after independence was attained.

It has had seven (7) successful elections bringing to power five (5) Presidents namely J.J. Rawlings, J. A. Kuffour, J. E. A. Mills (the late), J. D. Mahama and the incumbent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Ghana@60
The Star of Africa (Ghana) is at its retirement age. The youthful years of Ghana was characterized by political instability. The adolescent years of Ghana was characterized by autocratic rule and the adult years of Ghana has been characterized by massive corruption. Ghana is looking forward to be productive at its retirement years.

The President of the Republic has assured Ghanaians of his commitment to fight corruption to the brim, embarking on industrialization drive to move the state from the Guggisburg agrarian economy to value added economy as well as judicious usage of the national resources to the benefit of all.

Ghana's 60th anniversary is an anniversary for HOPE. The match to wipe off the tainted image of mother Ghana. The match to social and economic liberation. The match to restore confidence in the Ghanaian economy. The match to the promise land which our forefathers dreamt about.

Ghana is sixty but it is not late.
Ghana can work again.
Let's all hands come on deck to build our motherland.

Arise Ghana youth for your country.