Ghana turns 59 on 6 March, 2016 and it’s a big age for the shinning star of Africa.
As we gear up to celebrate this day, we cannot fail to recognize some of the important personalities this country has witnessed through it’s journey to this age.
We talk about super heroes in other countries, we talk about the first man to land on the moon, the first people to invent the airplane but we fail to appreciate some of our own who put their lives on the line to give us this beautiful country we live in now. You know about cocoa, but do you know the history behind it?
These are our very own super heroes who defied all odds and put their lives on the line to fight for this country and bestow unto us some of the things we enjoy now.
Let’s roll.
1. Tetteh Quarshie
I’m sure a lot of your know the popular phrase; “Tetteh Quarshie brought cocoa to Ghana”. Yes, this is the man responsible for the major foreign earner we have in the country.
Tetteh Quarshie was born in 1843 and he was an agriculturist. In 1870, Tetteh Quarshie travelled to Fernando Po (now Bioko in Equatorial Guinea). He spent 6 years there and returned in 1976 with several cocoa beans. Legend has it that he ingested the beans through his anal region. Tetteh Quarshie planted the seeds at Mampong in 1879 and it became successful.
Tetteh Quarshie died in December 1892.
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2. Yaa Asantewaa
Yaa Asantewaa was the Queen Mother of Ejisu in the Ashanti Empire. She was appointed by her brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpese, the ruler of Ejisu at that time. When her brother died in 1894, Yaa Asantewaa used her authority as Queen Mother to nominate her grandson as Ejisuhene. In 1896, the British exiled the Ejisuhene together with the King of Ashanti, Prempeh I, together with other members of the Ashanti government to the Seychelles, this made Yaa Asantewaa the regent of the Ejisu-Juabeng district.
The British then demanded the Golden Stool which is the symbol of authority of the Ashanti Kingdom. This demand led to a meeting where members discussed how to secure the return of the King. Of course, they were afraid and Yaa stood and made her infamous statement which she ended with this;
“If you, the men of Asante, will not go forward, then we will. We, the women, will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight! We will fight till the last of us falls in the battlefields.”
In 1900, Yaa Asantewaa led what has now become known as the Yaa Asantewaa war against the British. Unfortunately, she and 15 of her closest advisers were captured and sent into exile to the Seychelles. Yaa Asantewaa died whiles in exile at the Seychelles on 17 October 1921 and her remains were brought into the country for a proper royal burial by the Ashanti King, Prempeh I who had then been allowed to return home. We salute the Woman who stood against colorization and we can’t forget her as we get close to celebrate independence.
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3. Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey
If you remember the 28 February 1984 incident, known as the Christianborg Crossroads which led to the Accra Riots, then you wont forget these men. Sergeant Cornelius Francis Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey were Ghanaian ex-servicemen and veterans of World War II. They were shot dead by Major Imray on 28 February 1948 while on their way to present a petition to the Governor of the Gold Coast at that time, Sir Gerald Creasy.
The ex-servicemen who were members of the Gold Coast Regiment fighting alongside British troops in Burma, had been promised pensions and jobs after the war. However, when they returned home, jobs were scarce and their pensions were never disbursed. Their march on that faithful day, was therefore a peaceful attempt to bring a petition to the Governor to request the dispensation of their promised pensions and other compensations for their efforts during the war.
As the group marched towards the Governor’s residence at the Christiansborg Castle later known as the Osu castle, they were stopped and confronted by colonial police, who refused to let them pass. Superintendent Imray, head of Police of the British, ordered his minor to shoot at the protesters but the minor shot into the air. The frustrated and angry Imray grabbed the gun and ultimately shot into the crowd, killing the three former soldiers. This incident began the process towards independence of Gold Coast from the British.
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4. Okomfo Anokye
Okomfo Anokye was an Akwapim priest who is also credited with the formation of the Asante Empire. he was born in the late 1600 to Ano, who was from the Awukugua-Akuapim part of the Ayade Tribe and Yaa Anubea, from the Asante Agona part of the Ashanti kingdom.
Legend has it that at the time of his birth, his palms were firmly held tight and tried as his parents did, they couldn’t separate it. This continued for two years into his childhood. When they finally opened, in there were two totem poles believed to be from the gods. His parents and family believed that he was sent by the gods to lead the Okere people. When he attained priesthood status, he was given the title OKOMFO and he becgan performing wonders.
The Denkera’s who had been involved in several wars with the Ashantis requested the help of Komfo Anokye to in their war after hearing of his wonders. With the help of Okomfo Anokye, they Denkyeras defeated the Ashantis. He later also heeded the request by the Ashanti king, Osei Tutu to help them defeat the Denkyeras. He was then given a land to settle on after helping the Ashantis defeat the Denkyeras.
According to tradition, Okomfo Anokye commanded the Golden Stool from heaven and he handed it over to the Ashantis after they defeated the Denkyeras. The Golden stool is the symbol of the Ashanti Kingdom.
He also planted a sword in the ground which till date, has not been able to be removed despite several attempts with various equipment’s.
After Osei Tutu’s death in 1717, Okomfo Anokye returned to Elmina where he died. The real cause of his death remains known but it was said at that time that he had gone to the land of the dead to bring the key to death so no one was supposed to cry, else he will never return.
However, after a couple of days when he had still not returned, the women cried and this is said to have granted him permanent residence in the land of the dead.
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