Comment: From Akanland to Akan-Ga

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Facebook: Kwame Akoto

Author: Botifans
Date: 2022-08-08 11:51:41

The Newspaper “West Africa”, called him out once again in an editorial, it wrote: “It appears Dr Danquah’s view of nationhood does not extend to the Non-Akan population of the Northern Territories”.

…….

The name Ghana was adopted at independence because it is believed that a number of ethnic groups in the Gold Coast traced their ancestry to inhabitants of the Ghana empire.

The first person to make this suggestion was Rev. J. B. Anaman in his book, “The Gold Coast Guide” which was published in 1895. Another propagator of the idea was Lady Luggard, wife of the infamous Lord Luggard who spearheaded what came to be known as “Indirect Rule”, especially in West Africa. Luggard’s Book, “A Tropical Dependency” also included the stories of the empires of Mali And Songhai and was used as educational material at the Achimota School in the 1920s.

At the time of his death, Ghanaian clergyman and academician, James Kwegir Aggrey was working on a major history thesis to establish the historical connection between the people of Gold Coast and not only Ghana Empire, but Mali, Songhai, Egypt And Abyssinia. However, the publication failed to see the light after his demise in 1927.

Another author, Rev. W. T. Balmer who was a tutor at the Mfantsipim School also wrote about this connection to Ghana Empire in 1926.

These publications and research piqued the interest DR J. B. Danquah who published his Book, “Akim-Abuakwa Handbook” in 1928, two years after Balmer’s Book and Thirty-Three (33) years after J. B. Anaman first made the suggestion.

**J.B Danquah’s propositions and changes

However, Danquah in his book proposed that the territory be referred to as “Akanland” instead of The Gold Coast, a suggestion that drew sharp criticism. He later suggested “Akan-Ga” as a replacement which failed to acknowledge the other ethnic groups.

The Newspaper “West Africa”, called him out once again in an editorial, it wrote: “It appears Dr Danquah’s view of nationhood does not extend to the Non-Akan population of the Northern Territories”.

……

How can an arch-tribalist, who ignored other ethnic groups in a multi-ethnic society and advocated for “AKANLAND” as the the name for an emerging territory be a “FOUNDER”?

When he was challenged to consider the presence of other ethnic groups, he then said, it should be AKAN-GA..when he lost the plot and masses overwhelmingly rejected him and his absurd suggestions, his followers claimed his suggested “GHANA”..lies.

Danquah’s idea of nationhood was purely a nation without Ewes and with other territories playing subsidiary, peripheral and lower-level roles to his super vision of AKANLAND.
You heard Osafo Marfo right…. that is the dominant philosophy in the Eastern Region.

It was Nkrumah who stood for a nation of equals where everyone had stake in the nation, GHANA… regardless of ethnic or religious background.

The UNITARY STATE that was FOUNDED and OUTDOORED as GHANA on 6th March 1957 was the handiwork of Nkrumah.

Danquah, the arch-tribalist had nothing to do with the UNITARY GHANA.

Feh!!!!