Anyway, the homeland group is not widespread in the Volta Region. It is not known in many parts of the Region and not supported by many of the Chiefs in the area. Most of the agitators are dead or very old.
One thing you ... read full comment
Anyway, the homeland group is not widespread in the Volta Region. It is not known in many parts of the Region and not supported by many of the Chiefs in the area. Most of the agitators are dead or very old.
One thing you didn't stress enough is a dilution of their demands. Now they are calling for a semi-autonomous state within Ghana. That is a step down from their total autonomy demands from the 70s. Show they, somehow, realise the hopelessness of their case.
What I don't understand is why they are not calling for another plebiscite of the citizens of the area in support of their demands. They know they will never win. They claim that the 1956 plebiscite was heavily rigged. Today, they will lose without any rigging. The people of the area have known no other country than the one they belong to now and will never vote for anything else. That's why they're thinking a semi-autonomous status will be more palatable. Even that cannot be achieved for several reasons many of which you mentioned in the article.
As for their claim that they were promised a renegotiation of the union agreement after 50 years, it really bogus. The documents they produce to support that do not say anything like that.
As for the names "homeland" and "Western Togoland", they are using them for want of a better name not because the terms truly represent what they're fighting for.
It is true that our security forces should be on the alert for any violent agitation the group may want to start. But it should be possible that a properly constituted court of law be made to rule on the legality of their demands after which the group should be officially banned. For now, our constitution allows for freedom of association. They cannot form a political party because our constitution prohibits political parties based on tribes.
All African ciuntries bear the scars of the colonial divisions that were imposed on us by powers stronger than us. The way out is to seek greater unity, not more division!
Nei Teiko 8 years ago
....ancient Ghana history is the professor Emeritus, Kwame Botwe Asamoah. All Trokosis( descendants of the wicked King, Agbokoli) must read and learn. Kwame is really a germ as far as history is concern. His only problem is t ... read full comment
....ancient Ghana history is the professor Emeritus, Kwame Botwe Asamoah. All Trokosis( descendants of the wicked King, Agbokoli) must read and learn. Kwame is really a germ as far as history is concern. His only problem is the Nkrumah Never dies stuff - too colonial. Hope the self styled historians - Kwarteng, Andy Ks,Lungus......are reading and bowing to the Master Authority. Stay bless prof.
Odikro 8 years ago
Botwe Asamoah, you must be an idiot. The 1956 plebiscite was a referendum for 50 years, not for life. Even though I am not a sympathizer of a new referendum a secession of any part of the TGT, your reference is stipid and wit ... read full comment
Botwe Asamoah, you must be an idiot. The 1956 plebiscite was a referendum for 50 years, not for life. Even though I am not a sympathizer of a new referendum a secession of any part of the TGT, your reference is stipid and without merit. Keep you thesis and don't bore anyone here. Kwaseaa.
Francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Dear Brother Botwe-Asamoah,
Welcome back.
I have been waiting for this. I will follow the series as religiously as I had done with your other essays.
Thanks.
Dear Brother Botwe-Asamoah,
Welcome back.
I have been waiting for this. I will follow the series as religiously as I had done with your other essays.
Thanks.
Dziko Kwame 8 years ago
Dr Kwame Asamoah
I enjoy your piece. I totally disagree with what the so-called group stands for.
As a citizen of Tanyigbe in the Ho Central Constituency, and as someone very much excited with current affairs, I became ... read full comment
Dr Kwame Asamoah
I enjoy your piece. I totally disagree with what the so-called group stands for.
As a citizen of Tanyigbe in the Ho Central Constituency, and as someone very much excited with current affairs, I became "interested" to know what this topic really was, when it came out in 2006.
I therefore seem to disagree with your point that the Queen wrote that Great Britain could no longer "rule" TransVolta after the Gold Coast Colonies becoming independent". This is incorrect,based on what the story was, I think.
The Queen rather wrote on the condition of the "orphan state" of Trans-Volta Togoland, that Great Britain's interest in the region was waning, considering the advanced stage of TVT's neighbour's readiness to become INDEPENDENT soon; hence Great Britain was leaving the area. This was why Britain asked TVT what they would want: To join the Gold Coast Colonies and become One country at Independent; OR to remain a State.
So in May 1956, "To JOIN GOLD COAST won the Plebiscite. Nevertheless, just as you stated, the Ewe-speaking middle belt accused CPP of infiltrating the Campaign which resulted in the YES vote. This is the reason why the Leaders SG Antor and co traveled to the United Nations to express their misgivings.
Based on their presentation and demands, the UN documented in December 1956, that the TVT entered a UNION WITH THE GOLD COAST FOR 50YEARS".
This is what I was told and was shown Daily Graphic copies.
Nobody is going to break away from Ghana and I am sure that those saying this are just ATTENTION SEEKERS. I agree fully that they should be tamed and not develop into anything unexpected.
As stated, I am just a keen reader. I object fully to what they presently stand for. When this news came up in 2006, I was only keen to know "why this was being said". Rightly,Dr Asamoah, the Spokespersons should get to the UN as you said and enquire about "renewing" the 50-Year Union.
Long live Ghana
Alligator 8 years ago
Kwame Dziko, were you told by your parents or elders that the TVT entered into agreement with the UN that the union with Ghana would be for 50 years?
Did they show you the documents that specifically said so? Kwame, think ... read full comment
Kwame Dziko, were you told by your parents or elders that the TVT entered into agreement with the UN that the union with Ghana would be for 50 years?
Did they show you the documents that specifically said so? Kwame, think of this very well. Who negotiated and signed this agreement on behalf of TVT? Did the British and the UN Trusteeship Council as well as the Gold Coast government all sign this agreement that the union would be for 50 years after which there would be a review?
This would be a strange agreement. The Trusteeship Council didn't have any power to promise TVT 50 years of anything. The British would have no interest in such an agreement. Nkrumah's colonial government would never sign such a deal after they had won the plebiscite even if the Togoland Congress cried foul over the conduct of the elections. Moreover, the northern parts of the TVT wanted a permanent union with the independent Ghana. Who was representing them to sign such an agreement? Even among the mid-Volta Ewes, not 100 % of them voted No. There were Yes votes even in the Ho and Kpandu districts which can be said to be "pure" Ewe mostly.
As for that thing about the Queen writing that Great Britain could no longer rule TVT... this is what the history books say. It was just as a manner of presenting things. When Gold Coast was almost set on independence, her majesty's government made a formal request to the UN about the condition of the TVT. After all, the TVT was NOT a formal British colony. They came into control of the area only because they were occupying the Gold Coast nearby and they (with the French) wanted to dispossess the Germans of their colony as part of their First World War effort. If Gold Coast became independent, the UK could, technically, not hold on to administering TVT as a separate entity from the Gold Coast that they were leaving. Of course, the UK would be interested in letting TVT remain with a British identity which it would do if it remained attached to the Gold Coast as an independent nation.
Kwame, try to question some of the things you were told. Everybody has his own side of the story and not all sides are telling the truth.
But the bottom line is that, the deal has already been done. There cannot be any going back to be fighting over how European colonialists divided us "by heart" and separated us from our kith and kin. It is too late now. I am glad that you stated categorically that you "disagree with what the so-called group stands for."
MINOR CASE 8 years ago
Even if the arrangement was for 50 years, I don't think the separatists will win if a referendum were organized today .Let them petition the UN to affirm the union by holding another and final referendum.
Even if the arrangement was for 50 years, I don't think the separatists will win if a referendum were organized today .Let them petition the UN to affirm the union by holding another and final referendum.
United Ghana 8 years ago
Very educational. We need to keep an eye on this group, but, we have to be cautious about treating them as terrorists, lest we end up giving them a sense of victimisation, which will only exacerbate matters. We are a democrac ... read full comment
Very educational. We need to keep an eye on this group, but, we have to be cautious about treating them as terrorists, lest we end up giving them a sense of victimisation, which will only exacerbate matters. We are a democracy, after all.
AK 8 years ago
Dr Kwame : i like the healthy discussion that your article has generated. This tells us that many Ghanaians have good knowledge about the subject. I totally agree with the contribution that we are all Ghanaians period . Those ... read full comment
Dr Kwame : i like the healthy discussion that your article has generated. This tells us that many Ghanaians have good knowledge about the subject. I totally agree with the contribution that we are all Ghanaians period . Those with contrary opinion i entreat them to abandon it. God bless our home land Ghana and keep us undivided.
Prof Lungu 8 years ago
Our thanks to Professor Botwe-Asamoah, for taking time to address this question.
As we say sometimes in our "business", it is "DEFINITIVE"!
They go back to 2008, when published a piece on Ghanaweb, reproduced below. (Se ... read full comment
Our thanks to Professor Botwe-Asamoah, for taking time to address this question.
As we say sometimes in our "business", it is "DEFINITIVE"!
They go back to 2008, when published a piece on Ghanaweb, reproduced below. (See below).
ITEM: We read that from "Ho" essay several weeks ago, and thought it was outright garbage.
The message and argument itself is internally confused/incoherent.
None of it makes sense!
READ (from another media source): "...In an argument, the group claimed that residents of the Western Togoland voted to become a union with the Gold Coast (now Ghana) but the union had not been established up till now and that Ghana opted to be a unitary state under the plebiscite in 1956 [referendum] to be in union with a common constitution with the WesternTogoland and the Gold Coast but there had been no unionized constitution up to date..."
WE SAY: We are assuming the people behind that so-called "Homeland" do not understand the meaning of a "Union", versus "Unitary".
By The Way (BTW): The last we checked, the southern extremity of that so-called German "Western" Togoland did not have access to the Atlantic Ocean, not from the Gold Coast, or from Ghana.
Peace!
=====2008=====================================================================
--------------
General News of Friday, 23 May 2008
Source: Homeland S.G Foundation
Message from Homeland Study Group
A PRESS RELEASE OF THE HOMELAND STUDY GROUP FOUNDATION IN RELATION TO
THREATS OF ARREST AND INTIMIDATION
The Homeland Study Group Foundation is a nogovernmental organization registered under the laws of
the Republic of Ghana. We have taken legal steps to address the anomalies, fraud, deception and misrepresentation identified in relation to the 1956 plebiscite that brought two sovereign states, Western
Togoland and Gold Coast (Now Ghana), into a so called UNION.
It has come to our notice that certain highly placed individuals or groups in political circles have
commenced efforts to use threats of arrest, detentions, false arrest and malicious prosecutions, intimidation and harassments to force the Foundation into possible suppression and submission. The said
group of persons wished to foment trouble at our front and take such maneuvers calculated to hoodwink
the public into believing that the Foundation is a bunch of lawless individuals.
Please find attached the full text of the press release for your necessary reference and publication.
Yours sincerely
For C. K. Kudjordjie (Chairman) (0246633790)
------------
Source: www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/MessagefromHomelandStudyGroup144229
----------------------
==========================================================================
Prof Lungu 8 years ago
"...They go back to 2008, when they published a piece on Ghanaweb, reproduced below....
ITEM: We read that piece from "Ho" several weeks ago and thought it was outright garbage....".
Greetings to all!
"...They go back to 2008, when they published a piece on Ghanaweb, reproduced below....
ITEM: We read that piece from "Ho" several weeks ago and thought it was outright garbage....".
Anyway, the homeland group is not widespread in the Volta Region. It is not known in many parts of the Region and not supported by many of the Chiefs in the area. Most of the agitators are dead or very old.
One thing you ...
read full comment
....ancient Ghana history is the professor Emeritus, Kwame Botwe Asamoah. All Trokosis( descendants of the wicked King, Agbokoli) must read and learn. Kwame is really a germ as far as history is concern. His only problem is t ...
read full comment
Botwe Asamoah, you must be an idiot. The 1956 plebiscite was a referendum for 50 years, not for life. Even though I am not a sympathizer of a new referendum a secession of any part of the TGT, your reference is stipid and wit ...
read full comment
Dear Brother Botwe-Asamoah,
Welcome back.
I have been waiting for this. I will follow the series as religiously as I had done with your other essays.
Thanks.
Dr Kwame Asamoah
I enjoy your piece. I totally disagree with what the so-called group stands for.
As a citizen of Tanyigbe in the Ho Central Constituency, and as someone very much excited with current affairs, I became ...
read full comment
Kwame Dziko, were you told by your parents or elders that the TVT entered into agreement with the UN that the union with Ghana would be for 50 years?
Did they show you the documents that specifically said so? Kwame, think ...
read full comment
Even if the arrangement was for 50 years, I don't think the separatists will win if a referendum were organized today .Let them petition the UN to affirm the union by holding another and final referendum.
Very educational. We need to keep an eye on this group, but, we have to be cautious about treating them as terrorists, lest we end up giving them a sense of victimisation, which will only exacerbate matters. We are a democrac ...
read full comment
Dr Kwame : i like the healthy discussion that your article has generated. This tells us that many Ghanaians have good knowledge about the subject. I totally agree with the contribution that we are all Ghanaians period . Those ...
read full comment
Our thanks to Professor Botwe-Asamoah, for taking time to address this question.
As we say sometimes in our "business", it is "DEFINITIVE"!
They go back to 2008, when published a piece on Ghanaweb, reproduced below. (Se ...
read full comment
"...They go back to 2008, when they published a piece on Ghanaweb, reproduced below....
ITEM: We read that piece from "Ho" several weeks ago and thought it was outright garbage....".
Greetings to all!