Why the ‘Sankara Circle’ mystery, and monumental negligence of Ghana’s iconic monuments?

Where in Accra can one find ‘Sankara Circle? Anyway, in case you’re an Accra dweller, don’t bother to rack your brains, trying to remember. There is no Sankara Circle in Accra. In fact, there hasn’t been one for the past 21 years!

Yet, just before finishing this article, on Thursday, November 23, 2023, passing in front of the Nima Police Station, I saw again, just by the King Tackie Tawiah Overpass, a directional sign which includes “SANKARA CIRCLE” still there. Ironically, it even has an arrow helpfully pointing towards the Ako Adjei Interchange!

The mystery is that the ‘Ako Adjei Interchange’ replaced the ‘Sankara Circle’ as far back as 2002, so why is there still a directional sign with that name written on it, when there is no Sankara Circle?! Who is in charge of just removing the misleading sign, or correcting it?

I was reminded of the ‘Sankara Circle’ mystery, which has bothered me for years, by a social media video I came across a few days ago. The video shows the shocking, disgusting state of the Black Star Gate, the centrepiece of our famous Black Star Square (also known as the Independence Square), a major visitor attraction.

It was an unsettling reminder that we are a people who seem to revel in the tag that Ghanaians lack a maintenance culture. Also, it’s yet another reminder that we seem to have too many officials with questionable attitudes to their duties; and supervisors who don’t supervise.

Otherwise, how can it be that the sign that says “SANKARA CIRCLE” is still there? I first drew attention to this puzzling anomaly in an article in The Mirror weekly on March 23, 2019.

Part of that article read:

“What is now the Ako Adjei Interchange, located between the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and the Police Headquarters, Ghana’s first interchange, under the President J J Rawlings administration, has had a number of name-changes. They include ‘Sankara Circle’ and then ‘Sankara Interchange’, named after the assassinated Head of State of Burkina Faso, Captain Thomas Sankara.

“In 2002, it was renamed yet again, this time after Dr Ebenezer Ako Adjei, one of the ‘Big Six’ who led the fight for Ghana’s Independence.

“Thus for more than 16 years, the Interchange has borne the Ako Adjei name.”

As I wrote in 2019: “I can imagine a bewildered tourist, or even somebody just visiting Accra from another part of Ghana, wasting time looking for a non-existent ‘Sankara Circle’!

“What kind of oversight is this?!”

Does it mean that in the successive administrations of the capital city, there are officials who don’t know that Accra no more has a Sankara Circle – and hasn’t had one for two decades?

And does also it mean that there is no government department in Ghana whose duty it is to check on street signs, traffic directional posts, etc.? Yet, there must be, and evidently, those officeholders are sleeping on the job!

Doubtless, it’s that same attitude that has allowed Ghana’s iconic monument, the Black Star Gate, to fall into such a deplorable, nauseating state of disrepair, as portrayed in the video. Indeed, so much so that a patriot, the concerned citizen who circulated the distressing video felt compelled to draw attention to the terribly embarrassing situation with a lot of biting insults for the authorities.

One reference source gives the following description to the monument: “Just to the north of the main square is a roundabout, in the centre of which stands the Black Star Gate, an imposing monument topped by the Black Star of Africa, the five-pointed star that symbolizes Africa in general and Ghana in particular. The monument bears the inscription ‘AD 1957’ and ‘Freedom and Justice’.”

(Incidentally, there seems to be some confusion as to which of the monuments is termed the ‘Independence Arch’, the one described above, or the splendid arch located in the main square. Some reference sources give the same name to both. This will have to be clarified soon by the appropriate bodies.)

What the video focuses on is the Black Star Gate section of the Black Star Square. Appallingly, most of the decorative low wall skirting the roundabout is broken. Other, disgraceful signs of negligence highlighted in the video include its filthy gutters choked full of foul stagnant water, leaves and dirt; cracks in the monument; its dirty walls; and overgrown grass. In short, its condition is a national disgrace!

Little wonder that the patriot was so angry that he even invoked Ghana’s deities to unleash severe punishment on those responsible for such monumental neglect!

His question: “What kind of country is this?”

According to him, he filmed the video earlier this year, significantly, on Independence Day, March 6, 2023. However, strangely, it appears that it’s only in the past few days that it’s been circulating widely.

On Tuesday, November 21, I went to the Black Star Square to check on the video report, hoping that the situation would have changed for the better since March. However, I discovered to my dismay that it’s still the same, if not worse, than what the video depicts!

So, again, what kind of country is this?!

Anyhow, sadly, the same negligent attitude is seen in relation to other national monuments.

For example, what accounts for the disappearance of the names of the dignitaries that two Accra structures are named after, the Interchange and the Overpass? Many years ago, one could see on them, respectively, the bold signs: “AKO ADJEI INTERCHANGE”; and KING TACKIE TAWIAH OVERPASS”.

However, in recent years, their name signs have vanished; and I confirmed that again on Thursday, November 23! In fact, on the Interchange, what is there now on one side is a huge commercial advert!

Why and how did this come about?

Of course Ghana is in the grip of an economic crisis and escalating cost of living stress. But does that mean we don’t take care of existing edifices? Even on a personal level, does a period of hardship justify a squalid home environment?

How can memorials honouring an Independence icon, and a revered traditional ruler, continue to be left without their names on the edifices? Surely, to be meaningful, the names need to be written conspicuously on those structures; again!

And the generally unkempt surroundings of our national monuments is perhaps a topic for another day! Weeds everywhere!

Interesting that this is a country on an offensive to increase tourist arrivals significantly, especially at this time of the year! But if there is no interest in keeping places like the Black Star Square in excellent order, why would tourists find Ghana attractive?

Equally importantly, what does such dereliction of duty portray of those supposed to be taking care of our national symbols – and about the country Ghana?

I pray that even before the expected Christmas tourism season begins, those responsible will ensure that all of the Black Star Square is made visitor-worthy again; and ASAP! The square, and Ghana, deserve better!

Authors email address: ajoayeboahafari@ yahoo.com