Opinions of Monday, 1 February 2010

Columnist: Harvey, Nathan

Ethnocentrism And Akan Persecution In Ghana

Yes, the weeding out of Akan military personnel is in full swing. From the exclusive recruitment exercises for the Ghana Army, conducted in the Volta region only, to other confirmatory developments.

Col. Damoah was thrown out, Lt.-Col Richard Amponsem-Boateng--a stellar soldier, a brilliant and courageous soldier in excellent health, died so suddenly owing to pernicious juju of Ewe origin(Amponsem, we saw it, and could have reversed it...RIP), Officer Serebour is under persistent harassment etc.

Brigadier Mensah Wood, an excellent Fante Soldier, died mysteriously allegedly attributed to pancreatic cancer, but in truth, of poisoning. His death was to clear the way for an Ewe man to take his place.

Yes, the fact of it is, the Ewes are fighting dirty, throwing below the belt punches, and the Akans are sitting down, and resorting to ''Fa ma nyame'', i.e give it to God.

No wonder, our country, has been taken over by these Togolese degenerates and hardened ethnocentrics.

Yes, once more 1981and the immediate years afterwards, have come around again. Just as then, Arnold Quianoo, Tsikata, Captain Hugo Benzin Huppenbauer(Beninois-Fon/Ewe) and other Ewe officers were given the special task of hounding out Akans from the Ghana Armed Forces, and many Beninios/Togolese Ewe were recruited in replacement, to create a wholly ethnically biased in favour of the Ewe, Armed Forces, so have those days, once again, come to pass under this administration.

Yes, their rank and file, from officers to the filthy lowlifes, were recruited into the Armed Forces of Ghana, with the express purpose of harassing and throwing out Akan officers and Army personnnel.

In pursuance of this, they brought in riff-raffs from and other educated kith and kin from Togo and Benin.

Look up the name, Benzin. Do an internet search on it, and you'll know from whence, that name originates.Infact, anyone with just an appreciation of a little West African history, will know Benzin is a name so rife in Benin. How many Ghanaian Ewes, do you know, that go by that name? You'll come to know, its a Dahomey name. Did I hear you say, oohhh, a Ghanaian could have that name? Yes, they could...but it is most unusual for a Ghanaian, even an Ewe Ghanaian, to have such a typical Beninios name.

That man, I suspect strongly, was one of the many Beninois Fon men, who were recruited into the Ghana Armed Forces, and one of the many imported ones from Togo and Benin, brought in, to beef up the numbers of Ewes in the country.Benzin, Behanzin etc are all Dahomey Fon names. Where is Dahomey presently? In the country of Benin, it is.

Yes, such is how, Rawlings, Tsikata, Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor Williams(now and so shamefully, Head of the Council of State, deep rooted Ewe tribalist and supremacist, the brain behind most of the anti-Akan pogroms you all witnessed under Rawlings), pursued their ethnocentric agenda. Recruiting and settling Ewe and Fon people in bulk into the Armed Forces of Ghana and in Ghana in a well executed agenda of beefing up their mediocre numbers by hook or crook in Ghana. In addition, and in pursuance of their avowed policy of diminishing the numerical advantage of Akans in Ghana, they had uppermost on their agenda, a plan to merge Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso, into one supercountry. When Burkina Faso, refused, to tow along, after the Thomas Sankara overthrow, they sought to bring Benin into the plan. This plan, hasn't been buried, it is very much on the cards. What is happening now, is only the beginnning.

Such is what we got under Rawlings. Now, under Atta Mills, is it happening once more.

Akans, in the armed forces, are being hounded, falsely charged, maligned, harassed at the least opportunity. From officer rank to recruit, no one is spared. Once again, the armed forces of Ghana, is being rendered an Ewe exclusive bastion. Why, is Ghana an Ewe country?

Once again, despite denials, the truth of the NDC, being a vehicle for the Ewe dominance of Ghana, has been confirmed. I mean, it is as if, the NDC won all of its votes in the Ewe areas only. Did the NDC not win substantial votes in the Akan areas? Did Asante Region not give NDC, its 2nd highest votes in the country? Were all those, who wasted their 450,000 + votes on this useless, Ewe-centric party, in Asante Region, all non-Asantes?

Akans, wake up. You've been in a slumber for too long. It is only because of lack of a self-love, inter/intra ethnic love within the Akan family, that is permitting these Ewes, mostly of Togolese origin, and an inconsequential minority in Ghana, to ride heads and shoulders over us.

You gave the NDC, substantial votes, yet, see how, you've been discarded and are being shunted out of the good of the land. Open your eyes, open your ears, and see how the Ewes are taking up all the posts in the land. From Ministerships, Board Memberships, Diplomatic postings, scholarships, military posts, police, immigration, CEPS, IRS, etc.

For the 20+ years, of Rawlings's rule, many there are of Akan stock and others, who bemoaned the overbearing influence, favouritism, grossly disproportionate access and utilization of state resources and the then all-pervasive Ewe domination of Ghana. For 20+ years, we bore the yoke, we exercised restraint whilst suffering the insult, the ignominy, the pain and indignity of being rendered mere inconsequentials in our own land, despite we, being a majority in Ghana, and despite us, sustaining Ghana with our resources. We looked on and saw how our resources were utilized for the upliftment of the Ewe and Ewe only. How scholarships, aid etc meant for all Ghanaians, were so grossly diverted into the hands of Ewes exclusively. We endured the insults and disparaging remarks, such as:''oh, those Akans are not interested in education''.

Now, once again, under this ''push-around'' President Mills(whose own people the Fante, are so grossly disappointed in him), we've been ushered into another era of an Ewe dominance of Ghana.

Why, Akans, Dagombas, and many other non-Ewe Ghanaians? Should the good of Ghana, go to the Ewe only? Are we, the Akans so meek, so docile, so weak, so unassuming, that we willingly submit to servitude? Is that what our history informs us of? No.

We were a people fiercely protective of our independence, even when need be, we took on the Europeans(a people in terms of technological development, way way ahead of us.....yet, we took them on and defeated them several times, nonetheless). From Nzema, Ahanta, Aowin, Fante, Ga, and inwards, our histories are replete with many a time, when we arose to confront an oppression.

So then, what happened to this fighting spirit as was so witnessed in our forebears? Have we and are we allowing modernity, a love for money( a discernable weakness, of which ploy, they've capitalized upon to render most of our traditional leaders and men of influence, stupid submissive zombies--clowns given to wanton public displays of silly exuberance in honour of a murderer of Akans) and a lazy passing the buck philosophy, as exemplified in the ''Fa ma Nyame, Eny3 hwee, Onyame mere ne mere pa'' and other defeatist sayings, to render us all, easy push-overs and imbecilic inconsequentials---even in our own land of birth?

For how long, Akans, should we allow, our subscription to our misinterpretations of Christianity(misinterpretations of its pacifist virtues. Are we the only Christians in this world? Where has it been written in the Bible that be stupid and allow yourself to be downtrodden or rendered such cheap fodder?Aren't Americans, Brits, and many others, also Christians, even to a greater depth of it, than us?

Yet, do they allow others to lord it over them in their own jurisdictions and even without?) to render us, such a cheap helpless bunch, easily harassed, easily murdered, easily raped, easily chucked out of public service jobs, easily chucked out of public institutions, perpetually subject to the dictates of a minority group of no essential contribution to Ghana, easily dispossessed of our lands(Afram Plains, etc), easily cowed into submission, (look on for our lands to be desecrated and stripped bare of its precious contents--surface mining, our river bodies polluted and our people fall prey to strange diseases as a result of, our farms confiscated) all because since Ghana came into being the burden of its sustenance has fallen so grossly disproportionately on the Akans and the Akan land areas. Yet, worsening matters further--rubbing salt in our injuries, we the Akans are not allowed to enjoy the fruits of the sacrifices we have had to endure.

For how long, will we allow this rapacious bunch, essentially and yes, emphatically so; of Togolese mostly and Beninois origination and nationality, to control us/dominate us, sideline us, render us all inconsequentials , in our own land of birth and our own country of which we, in the main sustain?

Even in Ghana, do the Ewe, in the little part of their lands that come under Ghana's jurisdiction, allow non-Ewes to Lord it over them? Hell no. They won't even, to this day, allow any non-Ewe, to head any state institution in their region. Be it, any educational, health or any other Governmental Instititution. Should a non-Ewe indigene be appointed to any such institution, even a private one in their homelands, they'll protest vehemently and make sure one is kicked out. That is how its been in their homelands ever since Kwame Nkrumah(and even, the Osagyefuo(the so-called unifier, eschewer of ethnocentrism), threw them out of his govt from 1961 onwards), committed the gross error of bringing them into Ghana. That is the sort of policy, these arch, yet, very deceptive deeprooted ethnocentric insulars, have held unto, since their inclusion to this day.

Yet, audaciously and so hypocritically, they've the temerity to accuse others of being tribalistic, whenever their glaring ''only us'' behaviour is exposed, and do, so affrontly, expect to be allowed free reign in other parts of Ghana.

How then, do we allow these outrageously ethnocentric people, and even worse, of a dubious Ghanaian nationality, to come over and Lord it over us in our own areas of Ghana?

Akans, why, since when did we become such zombies. If under Rawlings, in the face of the barrel of the gun we bore his oppressive Ewe domination agenda with fortitude in the interests of peace, and hence allowed ourselves to be taken for fools, do we have to make the same mistake again?

Since when did democracy mean, a majority group, should be rendered subject to a minority group of foreign derivation, in the land of the majority group? Do the English, the French, the Germans and many other democracies, worldwide, allow such nonsense? Yet, don't they all, have minority groups in their countries?

Will the Caucausian majorities in the Uk, France, Australia, Canada, USA, and elsewhere, in the name of democracy, sit down and allow their minority populations to render them so powerless and stupidly submissive in their lands? Won't they find a way, no matter how flagrantly unlawful, no matter how outrageous, no matter how unfair, no matter the prostestations, no matter how immoral, no matter how non-conformist to the status quo, of ensuring that, and yes, rightly and naturally so, others--the minorities, know of whom is in charge in their own land? Yet, aren't they, the espousers of most of the democratic principles they expect the rest of the world to follow?

Ahhhh, Akans, wake up. Put on your thinking caps.

Why, should we allow the fact of a mere inconsequential non-contributory--yet, expect to consume in excess of--so disproportionately and live off the fruits and toil of others--courtesy of a ready access to Ghana govt treasury ((of Togolese stock essentially)) rapacious, arch ethnocentric peoples(whose only concern is the wholescale promotion of their ethnic parochial interests, damn the consequences and come what may) to be pulling the strings in our own land of birth.

Does the fact of it happening now, not confirm the fact of the NDC, being a political party, set-up with the express purpose of ensuring the Ewe dominance and control of Ghana in perpetuity? Does it not give credence to the fact, often denied and so deceptively hidden--thanks to the Akans they make use of as mere window dressers(Mills, etc), that the NDC, is the catalyst and means by which a better ''Ewe only'' agenda is being pursued with a veageance in Ghana, to the detriment of all other non-Ewes?

Akans, for how long will we sit down, bicker endlessly, uselessly and stupidly amongst ourselves, allow the sight and issuance of pots of money to render our minds mushy and easily malleable(Akan chiefs, watchout, the day of reckoning will come) undermine one another, sell one another out(a fashion amongst Asantes nowadays--fools, t)n wo nua, kogye nim) dredge up some silly histories of inter-brotherly strife, of which in truth, we all are guilty of--when the causative factors are taken into account and honestly analyzed and proceed to use such to cut one another down; only for this Togolese group, of which we've no blood affinity, cultural, religious, ethnic etc, with guile and duress come to dominate us, lord it over us, push us aside into the gutters, render us cheap pushovers only fit for the consumption of leftovers in our own country and land all because, these of Togolese and Beninios stock mostly, have managed remarkably, to coalesce into a single entity--albeit temporarily, all because of a wholescale ethnic promotion and domination agenda.

These,--in ignorance, many of us, non-Ewes don't know--are the most divided people one can ever encounter anywhere on the face of the earth:

''THESE EWES, ARE A PEOPLE WHO IN THEIR HOMELANDS ARE SO DISUNITED. I HAVE LIVED THERE, I KNOW. THEY BICKER, QUARREL AND CURSE ONE ANOTHER, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.LET IT BE A LITTLE MISUNDERSTANDING, EVEN OVER TRIVIA, AND IMMEDIATELY, THEY'LL THREATEN ONE ANOTHER WITH THE INVOCATION OF A SO SO AND SO gOD, WITH THE ATTENDANT CURSE UTTERANCE. THE ANLO LOOK DOWN UPON THE NORTHERN EWE, THEY REGARD THEM AS THEIR SLAVES(HISTORICAL JUSTIFICATIONS), THE NORTHERN EWE HATE THE ANLO.

AND YET, WHEN OUT OF THEIR REGION, THESE PEOPLE, ARE ABLE TO, AND SO COMMENDABLY, DISPLAY A REMARKABLE SENSE OF UNITY. THEY SHED IMMEDIATELY MOST OF THEIR MISUNDERSTANDINGS.''.

Yet, they've been able to, despite being so attuned to disunity and disregard even for their own native authority, have been able to shed such unsavoury behaviours and unite, even creating trans-national groups(CEANA, spanning Ghana, Togo and Benin: an organisation with the express purpose of advancing their ''only us'' agenda) all in pursuance of a grand tribalistic self upliftment and domination in perpetuity of Ghana.

Akans, why can't we, who are all of one blood essentially, go anywhere in Akandom, and you'll find Oyoko, Bretuo, Aduana, Dehyena, Abiradzi, Ekuona, Asona, Twidan, and their equivalents, only the name change in Nzema and Aowin, all over Ghana, in all Akanman. Go over the border, in La Cote d'Ivoire, and it is same there.

So then, we who are all of a greater affinity, of same stock and race, why can't we shed our petty divisiveness and assert ourselves in our own land and country?

Please, let the men and women amongst us arise. Don't let our corrupt, Judas Iscariot Traditional Rulers hold you back. Their day of reckoning will come. On that day, we shall see, if they are our Rulers because of themselves or because, we allow them to be there. We shall see, whose interests, they'll have to be there for. Don't let this so-called Democracy, to render us slaves and inconsequentials in our own land.

Please arise, before it is too late. Ghana, our country, is in grave danger of slipping out of our hands. We are in grave danger of being rendered slaves, in our land of birth, by a rapacious foreign bunch.

"BNI Interrogates Top Army Officer!

There is growing anger and unease within the officer corps of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as the rank and file over what is seen as the witch-hunting of a top military officer as well as the five who are on trial for the alleged killing of former Deputy Managing Director of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Mr. Rokko Frimpong.

This follows snippets of information that raged within the ranks of the military that the last Commander of the 64 Infantry Regiment and now the Director of Defence Intelligence (DI), Lt. Col T Oppong Peprah had been picked up by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) over the death of the late Rokko Frimpong!

Lt. Col T Oppong Peprah was picked in the morning by operatives of the BNI and released late in the evening, this newspaper has learned.

Lt. Col T Oppong Peprah’s troubles come in the wake of the claims by the prosecution in the Rokko Frimpong trial that the five soldiers who stand accused over the murder of the former Deputy Managing Director of Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) were instructed by a superior officer!

Lt. Col T Oppong Peprah happens to be the Commander who took over from Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo Lartey, the current National Security Coordinator following the advent of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in government, and there is a large body of thought within military circles that the latter believes that his troubles with the NPP administration has their root with his fellow officer. There are many in the military who believe that Oppong Peprah is being framed up by a certain tribal sect in the Military High Command who initially wanted him released from the service and when he was appointed the Director of DI, have sworn to get him out.

Information reaching us from Burma Camp indicates a raging confusion is in the offing as many of men and officers are shocked at the attempted frame-up of this fine soldier.

So far top ranking military officers such as six one star Generals from the Akan areas, Col. Damoah and Lt. Col Serebour and among others have found themselves being chased out of Ghana’s man army, and there is consternation that Oppong Peprah may be headed towards an even steeper cliff.

The Attorney General’s Department has already stated that it is not ready to prosecute the five soldiers because the case is still under investigation, even though it has put the five suspects before court and managed to secure remands for them!"

Nathan Harvey