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The Nkrumah Development Plans Is Found- Not In India But In Ghana
***Asante Fordjour
So you are a Ghanaian? Then Akwaaba, for you must be traveller. Though your country is not and had never ever been poor. Our "repeated history" also reveals that our nation had never ever been in want of leadership. Why then believe that Imam, the Pastor and that soothsayer that our fortune is at abroad but not at home?
Consider the numerous castles and forts planted along our coasts. And how great empires of all times, still struggle among themselves to have trade links with us? What about the sparkling reward of do it yourself beaming on the focusing face of the Osagyefo?
{sidebar id=10 align=right}Geographically, we are well located. Yes, our homeland is not land-locked. We have the sea, rivers- big and small, gold, diamond, millet, forest and many, many more. We are intelligent and courageous Remember, among others the Sarbahs, Hayfords, Dankwas, Adjeteys and the Amus. And of course, we must never forget courageous Nana Asameni, "the first Ghanaian Governor?" and Obenefo Albert Oboahene Adu- the alter of Culture of Silence? And what about the Akatakyiemma, the Rawlingses and the Osahene too?
Are we then not poor because we care seriously about that billions of beautiful birds in that bush that we could hardly lay hands on than that lone bird in hand?
True, you are suggesting nothing novel, for this sort of observation has often been made. The Holy Scriptures has it that, for the Kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. Unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several abilities; and straightaway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with same, and made them other five talents likewise he that received two talents. Faithful servants, Mathew Gospel accounts. So they were rewarded.
Thus notwithstanding the master's perceived shortcomings, they pitched on the foundation laid down for them and ultimately, benefited. Could this not be consistent with our own saying that had the "short-sighted" known that s/he would be the beneficiary of that adowati no a, s/he would have better smoked it well?
So, to the abro man, who "despised", him and mercilessly mixed up the gold-nugget with sand, in that he was shrewd, and probably, a dictator, he said: "Thou wicked and "royal servant", thou knowest that I reap where I sowed not .. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my [dwetee] talent to the exchangers... I should have received mine own nsihoo ." (Matt 25: 14-30)
This is why we may not disagree with Dr Charles Wereko Brobbey, the 2000 United Ghana Movement [UGM] presidential candidate. In a press conference, launching his party's manifestoes- A Fresh Start- Agenda For Ghana In The Third Millennium, the fine energy wizard said: ".. After (43) years of self rule... Ghanaians had perfected in the art of begging their colonial masters and fellow beginners to come and do everything for them. Almost the whole of our economic development programmes, says the former Volta River Authority boss, come from the generosity of the very people we fought to free ourselves." (Free Press, 25 -31 Oct. 2000, p.12)
This may not be extremely bad. But you may also add, how could this be our balance sheet? There may be some odds, yes.
As for example, what Dr Nkrumah says in his Book- I Speak of Freedom: "Although most Africans are poor, our continent is [still] potentially extremely rich? Our mineral resources range from gold and diamonds to uranium and petroleum. Our forests contain some of the finest woods to be grown anywhere including our cash crops- cocoa, coffee, rubber, tobacco and cotton. As for power, which is an important factor in any economic development, Africa, says Osagyefo, contains over 40% of the potential waterpower of the world, as compared with about 10% in Europe and 13% in North America. Yet so far, less than 1% has been developed. This is why [sadly] we have in [Ghana?] Africa the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty, and scarcity in the midst of abundance." (William Heinemann Ltd., (1961), pp. xi-xiv) This is of course, a valid stale cheque.
But because a prophet is hardly honoured in his home country, as until recently that some of us "confessed" to the Voice of America Direct Talk interview, that as a young folks, we did not understand Osagyefo pretty well (?), consider this one too. Dr Claire Melamed, of Christian Aid, United Kingdom, had said that rules allow countries to get a better rate for turning cocoa beans into chocolate. But many developing countries [like ours] do not have the infrastructure, factories and resources to do so. And countries that sell just textiles, such as Bangladesh, will not get as good a rate as India, for instance, which produces its own cotton.
This might not be news to you. But with the same welling of loss and sorrow pouring on our farmers less able to compete with producers from richer nations, flooding the market with the aid of their governments, which way forward?
Honestly, Christian Aid calculates that, without free trade, Ghana's national wealth in 2000, for example, would have been ?466 million higher than the ?2.7billion actually produced. In the same year, according to the report, our country lost the equivalent of ?24 per person in potential income but [sadly,] received only ?17 per person in aid. So we began importing rice in mid 1980s despite it being a major crop for our own farmers? (Metro Newspaper, London, Monday, 20 June 2005, p.5).
Implying that our small-scale farmers and herders too, need qualitative technical agricultural support services, access to a range of input and an improved crop varieties, better storage and distribution facilities and livestock improvement, but which has for so long proved to be more problematic?
As odd as these seem to be the woes of a country that lacks these and easily abandons its infrastructures to rust and rot and import yellow corn, creating additional 30 parliamentary seats, is all but now, economically impossible? Yes, there is a limit to what can be deduced from text, or treated as consistent. So, we might arguably not pore over the text of Macbeth to determine the number of Lady Macbeth's children.
But would it be a waste to attempt to discover from it whether Macbeth suffered from athlete?s foot?
It is on records that on 5 March 1952, when [Francis] Kwame Nkrumah became Prime Minister of Gold Coast, our homeland's Five Year Development Plan was launched. And through its implementation which you may also agree as an indication of the Osagyefo?s loyal stewardship, wishing only the best from the word go, here, Nzema Kotokoniba invested in the masses: So, 9 Teacher Training Colleges, 18 Secondary Schools and 31 Primary and Middle schools were built. In the Northern Territories, 10 new hospitals were built. And major roads linking Accra and Cape Coast and Kumasi and from Tamale to Bolgatanga, constructed (http://www.greatepicbooks.com/epics/november97.html).
The British, we are told, left no debts rather, bequeathed on us, a huge savings. So much so that our principal interest in this venture is not to question how many of such infrastructures were erected in the then five regions of Ghana after their113 years [1884-1957] of trusteeship? But in his effort to develop an equitable society, the 'Show Boy', launched a nationwide self-help schemes of continental importance. Consider, the proliferation of both traditional and foreign industries- the Volta Project, the Atomic Energy, the Akasanoma Plant [Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research?] and the "rushed" Job 600 Project that was heavily criticized for its initial fatalities and costs?
Had these state policies been strengthened and Farmers Brigade, for example, adopted in those decades, would they not have given us the exact economic shade that we are all now searching for? And perhaps not have spent decades of years in wasted endeavours?
To understand why these matter so much for our discussion, let us screw out what economists regarded as the main engines of growth. Scottish economist Adam Smith has written that productivity gains achieved through specialization are the secret to the wealth of nations. But for these gains to materialize, producers must have access to markets where they can sell their specialized output and buy other goods. Could this mean larger market, and greater scope for specialization?
Today, new economic theories coupled with advertisement, transportation and patronage have brought local direct investment back to the forefront of Ghana development debate. Nkrumah made Ghana a destination of many.
But like the fate of our struggling state transport venture and peasant farming, we saw our future piercing in the skies like smoke. We shall travel no farther than to the early 1970s. It is unclear whether it was Lt. Col. I. K. Acheampong's regime where Sethra buses were herded on our roads only to be lost someday to the Kings of Kings Transport, in Odorkor, Accra.
It was speculated [so handle this with care] that the Kings of Kings and its dedicated conductors were able to manage engineering problems even far more accurate than top- flight state engineers who sometimes, suffered simple bolt- and -nut tightening?
Probably not measuring up to that business icon- Nseribe, our business-concious Gyima & Co. proprietary skills, arguably, could have transformed Ghana?s barren deserts into marshlands? And what about Mark Kwofie Transport, the royal from Tsito or so, in the Volta Region? True, there could be many, including Henry- I shall Return, we guess.
But, depite all these sole-trading, even Akatakyie Farms, at Okatakyiekrom could not withstand the test of time. Could this not be answered, say, in the context of the law of diminishing returns, that states that whenever a variable factor of production is applied on a fix factor- land, output increases and later decreases? Here, we are attempting to advance that economies of scale with growth and development, hardly attract easily, with one another in Ghana?
Thus, nicknames such as Alonte tie, Adjoa Nyanki, Kotoko annya ammo and won ntackle Polo, appear to us like that farmer in the Synoptic Gospel, whose seed fell on a good soil but bore no fruits and alas perished because of failed rains?
Today, how comfortable it is to travel on Dr Agyekum Kufuor's new buses. Arguably, this might not be different from that of Dr Limann, who also flocked our feeder roads with Tata buses. The only difference being the nation wide consumer co-operative union-the mechanism of distributing the then so called essential commodities, that sometimes, never reached their destinations? And also, unlike in Gentle Giant?s case- a stress-free journeys, buses break down sometimes mid-way or just after taking off? And part refund of our transport fares to continue one?s journey, as we all know, had hardly ever been part of our contract law?
So, we are not surprised that some traders and commuters are still complaining of lost fortunes and appointments due to these sporadic but rampant stoppages which neither management nor paid marshals devoted time and attention?
While tourists, guides and locals blamed conductors of poor customer service, ineffective communication and curses and tribulations of personal enrichment by selling single tickets in halves to passengers but accounted little to shareholders, conductors cry of comptrollers' half-witted kaawo-kudi syndrome? But could absence of broad and reputable workshops, external workmen/women or an insufficient dose of local vigilance not have been some of the odds?
Thus, to find a solution to our stewardships trap, to facilitate the development of our transportation infrastructure, why do we not need consistent mechanism to harness the capabilities of new ventures that could connect us to our roots?
We preach no paradise on earth, not at all. But, if our transportation system undermines free movement of goods and services, impedes business growth, and facilitates choked traffic, then how could highly-praise foreign policies, health programs, improvements in research and teaching methods and even free education from kindergarten to university level survive? As for example, the King of Kings in Accra and Mangoadze Farms, on Winneba Junction/Agona Swedru Road and Kwamoso Farms, in the Eastern Region, suggest?
Misery might not disappear because it is unlikely that selfless workers, supervisors, foremen/women and in a worst situation, even students, teachers, masters might exodus to more vibrant economies as Ghana experienced between 1966 and 1992?
So, you are suggesting that it is more important to be self reliance. And not to devote time and resource only on international transport network that lowers costs of punctuality. But also new endeavours such as searching the heroes in ourselves.
Here again, restoration of technologies for agriculture and public utilities, and economic integration projects that focus on areas such as health inspection and do it ourselves (DIO)?
Yes. How could our rural communities in our homeland, for example, enjoy sound health, if they were not connected to community sports, such as horse riding, ampe and personal hygiene? Thus, our Ankobras, Ayensus… could also be tourist destinations?
But, why for almost 40 years, we have witnessed numerous economic commissions in our country, which miserably, focused little on what we actually have on ground, making it effectively more distant than what our development plan implies? How could our homeland afford this reoccurrence source of remoteness? Weak political institutions and politics of hate have proven to be infinitely more expensive problems for Ghana.
These sadly, do not merely complicate our desire to develop at our own pace and strength or utilize effectively, our own resources. But has also troubled and prompted people in poor areas to travel to more prosperous regions partly because of an unending mass unemployment and uneven or biased distribution of national infrastructure and wealth?
The consequences have been bitter. Twice or so being expelled from Nigeria and once, beaten in Ivory Coast? Recently, even in Gambia. We have no forensic records on those who never returned. Some of our ideal women almost lost their prestige not only in our sub-region- Agege, Abidjan, Niamey or Ouagadougou, to remember but a few, but also in Libya. In some instances, it took the lamentations of brothers like Abirekyieba Kofi Sammy [Yellow Sissy Dey for Corner], Agyemang Pambour [Ama Ghana], before we knew of their plights and pleasures. Even masters we thought were passionate and caring without compassion, deserted us because of our ailing economy and future uncertainties?
Which is why today, the Akwamus, and probably, many of us, find it bitter in gulping, without tasting it, that ancient argument raised in that Ghana Education Service Textbook- Osabarima. Here, in the context of Nana Ansah Sasraku manhandling his own cousins- the Akuapeman and the Gas too? Here we are in Ghana, once known for its ideological and ancient mishaps, some have come to show their emotions more openly.
As for example, in 1999, where the Chronicle, reported that the National Democratic Congress, have warned Akyems to remain in opposition and rot in under-development?
If a nation is to be built on the premise that the political elites of our traditional areas or ethnicity have to pilgrimage to the Castle and negotiate, politically, with the president for infrastructures, then where is our destination? According to the paper, Prof Danso Boafo, the then Ambassador to Cuba, himself an Akyem, advised that if Okyeman- here, Kyebi, Abomosu and Kwabeng, were to have its share in the national cake, which you too, we presume, may say they are entitled to, then it must stop chasing the then [stray] elephant? And come under its tower? (The Chronicle Newspaper, Vol. 7 No. 139, 18-19 Aug, pp1&12)
Yes, considering the current widespread development wailings across our country, the Akyems might have not been the only people, who did suffer this primitive approach. For example, the Akwamus, the Denkyiras, the Kwahus, the Krachis and even the Ewes and the Asantes, to mention but a few, may still have their development worries? A travel with the Ghana Railway from Accra to Assin Fosu, Atieku, in the Central Region, or around Western Region, the home region of the first president, might even console the people of Asuo Yaa, in the Eastern Region, where Ghana recorded one of its worst rail disasters?
Thus from Tumu to Discov, stretching from Aflao across central to Elubo, Takoradi within the borders of Ghana, how could we take refuge behind these cracked medieval walls? Does this distasteful ego not diminish this trumpeted people’s power?
It should have come as no surprise to anyone of us, we guess, that some of the promises of the past century had been particularly hard to accomplish. So if today, we are told that a four member Mauritius Company Nine Stars Impex investment delegation flew into our country yesteryear to explore ways of stemming the ever increasing importation of sugar and alcoholic beverages and, claimed awareness of the failure of promising schemes at Asustuare and Komenda and its opportunities for the revival and development, especially, in sugar processing infrastructure, land and water resources. Despite the fact that Agricultural research into sugarcane in our homeland, as confirmed by the Agricultural Ministry, dates as far back in 1963? (Network Herald, 17 -19 Sept. 2002, vol. 122 p.1)
Cynics might decry this. Thus if our military historians, without regard to our future erroneously declare our country bankrupt, and become auctioneers and bidders and purchase for themselves ranches and transfigure their hamlets into villas, and mortgage our lives, how certain could the fate of our nation be? No wonder, Gold Coast, which for almost two decades, sat in banquet with Fidel?s Cuba, where in those days [ beneficiaries of Cuban Scholarship scheme might probably agree], every household had a full sack of sugar, still has to wail over sugar processing. To hammer the nail home, if Rawlings’ regimes were meant to be a safety-net designed for the weak and the oppressed in our society, then we may argue that our Chairman has left behind a net full of gapping holes.
Now, Ofie, we understand why despite bepowso hann and the Akuffos, Gyeke-Darkos, Nyantehs and the countless ones that you remember, Abotakyi is still a village and we still live in dark? And therefore, we have to desert and pilgrimage all these 40 years looking for gold and water on the Sahara Desert, leaving behind our homeland for buy-and-sell investors? Brother John Loglo explains that the reward of a conscientious and faithful steward is great. They will enjoy happiness of the Messianic banquet. And happiness is the by-product of obedience and faithful service Loglo, J., Advanced Level Model Essays And Context on the Synoptic Gospels, (edn) (1984), p. 203)
So, today, Comrade Wayo, could be quoted under the heading, 'I Don't Fear Death! 'Am In Politics To Give Jobs To The Jobless in 100 Days.... America Is Behind Me'. Why should we not flock in our numbers to dine with him? In the Ghanaian newspaper, Motto: The Truth Cannot Be Hidden, with ornamented picture of smiling presidential hopeful, J. A. Kufuor, dwarfing serious- looking Finance Minister Kwame Pepra, labelled with the sub-heading 'Where Is The Gold Money?' And featuring in colourful braces, a cap and a microphone firmly in his hand, presumably on a campaign trail, Mr Kofi Wayo, said: "For so long a time Ghanaians have been deceived by various political office holders..."
"The military who turn politicians overnight through the barrel of the gun to become politician officials only lie to the [people] electorate by promising them many unbelievable things... Rawlings launched a revolution promising to bring happiness to Ghanaians. Today what the people of Ghana can boast of is a chocked economic activity which has paralysed the economic fibre… ", fumed the ruling NPP former stalwart (The Ghanaian, Motto: The Truth Cannot Be Hidden, vol. 12, p. 1Vol. 12 p.1)
How time changes, our music idol, A. A. A. - we mean Akwasi Ampofo Agyei of Kumapem Royals, from Asante Mampong, once reasoned Big Brother, Damirifa Due, Due, Due. This is really true. Otherwise, no one would have dreamt of ex-Lower Saxony Prime Minister, Gerhard Shröder, who launched his chancellor bid on job creation, and triumphantly kicked out the pillar of German reunification, Chancellor Helmut Kohl, in 1998, loosing in a parliamentary vote of no confidence and subsequently, voted out of office in tears, even before his second term in office with not 3.5 million unemployed, as was the case of his predecessor. But this time, a hovering 7 million Volks out of work?
A political impasse that has altered the notion that the best are not always from the West as for the first time in Germany’s history, a pastor’s daughter, Angela Merkel- the Bio-Chemist, from then "Iron Curtain State" Brandenburg in the East, being cloned Thatcher.
In order not to look like that lizard that left its tail on a flight, and not to call a spade a fork but rather a spade, it appears the United Party (UP) tradition, where brother Wayo- the fine Lab our Minister that Ghana never had, had its umbilical cord, too, has neither discovered the memoirs of the Dr J. B. Dankwas nor that of Professor Kofi Abrefa Busias. So might arguably, also not build the Church, let alone a strong united Israel. And as the memories of we the electorate are usually said to be short, if God does not Sabbath in 2008, then NPP might escort its troops into the same trench that they reincarnated.
And the NDC, appearing to be waiting on the flanks for vengeance (?), and the NPP, which this writer too, has difficulty in reading its Development Plan but might not be prepared to go back for that brick that it rejected and has now become the vital stone for our national development, the Nkrumahist, might breath some sigh of joy in 2008. But only if they were to be in pole position to repackage the Osagyefo’s never-to- be- outmoded-and- never-in limited supply product for our emerging market?
Thus not to be preoccupied with party symbols and definitions of who an Nkrumahist is? Where the life and works of the Osagyefo, who this writer, is a greater admirer but a bitter critic, speak volumes for itself? Yes, the fact that Julius Caesar named Octavian as his heir rather than Mark Antony, probably contributed to the deterioration of relations and eventual civil war between Antony and Octavian.
However, stewardship is still our problem and must be learnt and taught if the little that we have were to be preserved. And not to be taken away from us in that After all, there is no better place like home? In short, we need to reflect on Jesus’ teaching in the parable of the conscientious steward. Thus when the physical presence of Jesus is withdrawn, the disciples would be like stewards on the great estates of Palestine, bound to absolute obedience to their Master and with complete authority over all the other servants?
First Published at Ghanaweb on 19 December 2005
JusticeGhana
No commentsI Was Set Up- Josiah Ayeh
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- Created on Monday, 09 February 2009 00:00
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I Was Set Up- Josiah Ayeh
The suspended general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Nii Armah Josiah Aryeh, has broken his silence after his suspension over the alleged bribery saga and his flirtation with the new patriotic party (NPP), by stating categorically that he was set up.
He said his detractors set him up in order to expose him to public ridicule and tarnish his image.
In an interview in Accra on Monday, Dr. Aryeh said he suspected the involvement of the state apparatus in the scheme by the NPP to frame him up as a dishonest person.
?I have denied all the allegations made against me by some agents for the NPP, including the claim that I had received some money as an inducement to defect form the NDC to the ruling NPP?, he said, looking very worried.
He was particularly concerned about the penchant by a section of the media and the public to defame others, forgetting that everybody has rights.
During the run-up to the December 7, 2004 elections, Dr. Aryeh was alleged to have met some NPP members, led by Mr Stephen Ntim, the fist vice chairman of the NPP, in the house of Nii Owoo at East Legon in Accra.
Here he complained about the goings-on in the NDC and expressed the desire to defect. Dr. Aryeh said when he went to Mr Owoo?s house; he discussed his problems with him because he was someone he was familiar with.
It is alleged that Dr. Aryeh gave some conditions to defect after which Mr Ntim gave him $3,000 to address certain personal financial difficulties.
The NDC, alarmed at the development, set up a three-member committee, headed by Mr Alban Bagbin, the minority leader, and based on the committee?s interim report, the functional executive committee of the party decided to suspend Dr. Aryeh on December 21 last year.
Dr. Aryeh said he found it strange that although the NPP members had alleged that he had demanded bribe to defect to the party, they were unable to report his conduct to the police for action to be taken against him.
?As a lawyer, I know bribery to be a crime and I expect that the best thing for the NPP to do, particularly as the ruling party, was to have reported my conduct to the police,? he said.
He submitted that for the NPP to prove the case of bribery against him, the most prudent thing they should have done was to take the serial numbers of the bribe money, saying ?to tarnish my reputation, they set up the bribery scandal?.
Asked why he had decided to maintain a low profile since his alleged dealings with the NPP, he needed to reflect on those events and decried the attempt by a section of the media to demonise people on mere allegations.
Dr. Aryeh discounted claims that he ran away from Ghana to avoid media and public scrutiny, saying that he did not need permission from the public to travel.
Source: Daily Graphic, 09 February 2005
Ghana's Constitutional RoadMap
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Ghana's Constitutional RoadMap
The aftermath of Asante (or Sagrenti) War of 1874 which led to the landmark introduction of the Gold Coast Constitution of 1874 and the annexation of the Asante Kingdom to become a British Protectorate in 1885, can hardly be overlooked by history enthusiasts and constitutional lawyers. Thus for the first time in our history, Gold Coast had two distinct organs of government- a Legislative Council and Executive Council. The presence of John Mensah Sarbah (the first Gold Coast lawyer) as a Council appointed member and his launching of the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society later in 1898, against the backdrop of Colonial Legislation which sought to convert all Gold Coast’s lands into Crown land, that was defeated and repealed, demonstrated perhaps, the genuine interest of the British Colonial rulers in constitutionalism (7).
Assuming this was true; one might have argued that why then the War of 1900? It must be considered that although the Legislative Council of 1874 was a significant step for the Gold Coaster, the Council was composed of just three unofficial members and four official members presided over by the Governor who had the sole power of policy formulation and implementation. The 1916 Constitution wherein more official members- three Paramount Chiefs and three educated Gold Coasters were added to the Council, sought, arguably, to address this constitutional deficit. But it left much to be desired by the Gold Coaster (8).
The launching of the National Congress of British West Africa by Casely Hayford of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society (ARPS) of fame in 1917, whose petition to the British Governor in 1920, notwithstanding its criticisms of not having the mandate of the Gold Coast people, remains the corner- stone of the granting of electoral rights to some legislative and municipal councils and the establishment of Achimota College- hereafter, the University of Ghana, Legon. With this in mind, the Constitution of 1925- the Guggisberg Constitution, that denied among others, the African a place in the Executive Council and approved separate development of the Asanteman and the North- which until 1934, was not under the authority of Legislative and Executive Council and the Southern Gold Coast, on the other score, exposed itself to obvious censure as it was perceived as championing indirect rule (9).
Appearing similar in our generation, the irony then was that while the educated elites saw the Provincial Council as a perpetuation of colonialism, the chiefs saw themselves as representative of the people and believed that through participation in the new British-designed political institutions they could continue to perform their age-old functions of protecting the interests of their peoples. Thus the rulers considered the educated elites as being more interested in gaining power than advancing the interests of the masses (10).
We note that the educated elites on the other hand saw the chiefs to have become stooges of the colonial regime, more interested in perpetuating the system under which they had more power than the pre-colonial rule. So by 1934 Gold Coast, according to Adigwe, was in political eclipse- stretching itself out of the Sedition and the Water Works Bill for accelerated pace towards self-government. The JusticeGhana does not know when our contemporary elected presidents and selected chiefs, will no longer be bullied on these criticisms.
The Water Bill which came at the dawn of the Second World signalled the Gold Coaster of future erosion of “what they might have honestly or erroneously considered to be their rights unless representative government was established.” As usual the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society and representatives of Provincial Council in the Legislative Councils ((were known for their encounters)), they fiercely opposed the Bills. Though unsuccessful in their bid in London for the repeal of the Bill which became a law, their opposition played a crucial role in the 1939 election wher Africans who were not Chiefs did also stand for election and were without political hinderance, elected as representatives of the Provincial Councils in the Legislator.
It worth noting that constitutional development in our country continued despite the outbreak and the untold scourges of the Second World War. For in 1944, representatives of Asante Kingdom, were elected for the first time ever into the Legislative Council which from then on, legislated for Asanteman (11).
JusticeGhana
Trokosi, Ewes And The Israelites - Part 2
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- Created on Tuesday, 27 January 2009 00:00
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Trokosi, Ewes And The Israelites - Part 2
THE RETURN TO AFRICA
INTRODUCTION
In the first article in the series; Trokosi, Ewes and the Israelites, I promised to answer a question I raised with regard to the history of trokosi or fiashidi and the link with the Bible stories of Jephthah and his daughter as well as the story of the Prophet Samuel's upbringing as a Fiashidi.
I mentioned there was a problem with those stories because they all took place after the Israelites EXODUS from Egypt, so that raised the question: "how could the Ewes be linked to this custom of the Israelites if they had left Africa?"
{sidebar id=10 align=right}In this part of the article I intend to show conclusively that the Israelites did return to Africa, and this time they never left again. This means when we see certain African practices that are uncannily mirrored by what we read in the Bible, the people who have these customs and practices are the same ancient Israelites and what they do is what they have always done from ancient times as it's recorded in the Bible.
QUEEN OF SHEBA Obviously the million dollar question is; "how did the Israelites come to be back in Africa again after leaving Egypt for the promised land?"
Whenever the question of the Israelites being back in Africa is raised the response has always been that they came to live in Africa when the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon. Personally, I am always puzzled by this response because according to the Bible, nothing of that sort took place. There is nowhere in the Bible that any or some of the Israelites went to live with the Queen of Sheba and her people after the Queen's visit to King Solomon's court. Despite the fact there is no evidence to back this claim, nevertheless this 'untruth' is peddled about as gospel.
The truth is the Israelites came to be back in Africa by their own volition through a mass exodus which has nothing to do with the Queen of Sheba. Below is the Biblical account of the story of the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon's court.
1 Kings 10: 1 - 13
10 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 5 and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; there was no more spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because Jehovah loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do justice and righteousness. 10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug-trees and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug-trees pillars for the house of Jehovah, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there came no such almug-trees, nor were seen, unto this day. 13 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.
For those who are interested in cross referencing, the same story is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 9: 1 - 12
These two accounts in the Bible books of Kings and Chronicles, make it quite clear; no Israelites came to live in Africa because of the Queen of Sheba, therefore any story that said the Israelites came back to Africa because of the Queen's visit to King Solomon's court is complete fantasy, there is absolutely no truth in it.
THE RETURN OF THE ISRAELITES TO AFRICA
Now that we have cleared up that confusion, let's tackle the crux of the matter and look at whether the Israelites ever came back to live in Africa or not.
The fact that sections of the ancient Israelites are in Africa is not in doubt by many historians. I am sure many of you reading this have heard of the Falasha Jews, also known as the Ethiopian Jews. As I said, the question of sections of African people being part of the Israelites is not in doubt but thanks to the discovery of the Falasha Jews of Ethiopia, the search is on to find the other Jews in Africa. As we come to the last article in the series, you would discover without a shadow of a doubt that apart from the Falasha, the Ewes are another section of the Israelites in Africa.
The Ewes of West Africa not only have fiashidi or trokosi as discussed in the previous article to identify them with ancient Israel but as the third and last article would show, their identity as the ancient Israelites comes in the bucket loads; so much more that would make the Falasha or the current Jews in the Middle East turn green with envy. In Part 3 comparing like for like of Ewe customs and traditions with the accounts of the customs of ancient Israel written in Exodus through to Deuteronomy, you would see without a shadow of a doubt, the Ewes are nothing short of walking, talking ancient Israelites.
Background
To understand why the Israelites returned to Africa, a little bit of background information is needed to understand what led to this difficult decision that was to bring the Israelites into direct conflict with the Almighty God, their saviour.
Also please note that in Biblical times the continent known today as Africa was not so called in the Bible. In the Bible Africa was referred to as Egypt or Ethiopia. It is important to bear this important point in mind as you read the Biblical accounts to understand the places being referred to when Ethiopia or Egypt are mentioned. The name Africa was the name given to the continent by the Romans long after the accounts we are going to read about took place.
The Israelites first came to live in Africa when the Patriarch Jacob also known as 'Israel,' along with his wives and children, were forced to leave the land of Canaan due to drought and famine, and came to settle in Egypt where his son Joseph was the Prime Minister. Later on Jacob and his children including Joseph died but their descendants grew exponentially in numbers and became a big nation in Egypt.
New kings that came to rule in Egypt and who did not know about Joseph, decided to subdue and check the growth of the Israelites so they made them their slaves. Thus for the next 400 years, bondage and servitude became the situation for the Israelites in Egypt. After 400 years, the Biblical account goes on to say, God decided to end their bondage by sending them a saviour in the person of Moses who was to lead them to freedom. This exercise of leaving Africa back to the land of Canaan became known as the exodus.
The first exodus is well known as it was heralded by the ten plagues God brought upon the Egyptians to compel them to release the Israelites and allow them to go away from Egypt to their new home in Canaan. Because this story has been narrated many times and quite a few popular movies have been made out of it, it's a very well known Bible story, therefore there is no need to go into any detail about it.
The second exodus on the other hand, is very obscure and very little mention is made of it anywhere. In fact, no mention is made of it at all anywhere other than the Biblical accounts. This lapse in telling the story of the second exodus may explain the reason why very few people have ever heard of it. This could also explain why no one is on record for mounting a concentrated search for the Israelites in Africa. It may also explain why Africans themselves view or treat with scorn and skepticism when fellow Africans not from their own tribe make the claim that they are the descendants of the ancient Israelites.
The Jews returned to Africa because Israel was defeated and destroyed by it's enemies the Assyrians and the Babylonian. The Bible explained the reason why this catastrophe befell Israel was because of a variety of reasons but chief among them was disobedience of the commandments and idol worship that speedily brought the wrath of God upon them.
The Biblical account tells us that over the years the Israelites came to secure the promised land and settled in it. However they did not prove to be faithful and obedient in their worship of the true God. They turned to idol worship as well as the worship of many other gods. Put simply, they did not hold fast and follow the commandments given to them by Moses which strictly prohibited the worship of idols or the worship of other gods.
After all the powerful works God had performed to save them from their enemies, the Israelites turned away from the TRUE God and sought after the other gods worshipped by their neighbors. In short they disrespected the TRUE God on a grand scale. To give an example, they would chop down a tree, used some of it as firewood to cook and then fashioned what was left into an idol and knelt down and worshipped it. As if this was not bad enough, they took to worshipping myriads of other gods as never before in their history. Given all that God had done for them, you might think this show of disobedience and ingratitude by the Israelites was nothing short of incredible, but that is exactly what happened.
It is ironic that an identifying mark for recognizing the children of ancient Israelites today is that apart from the worship of almighty God, they would also be worshippers of different other gods or idols. Funny huh? Who would have thought that to look for the Jews in Africa, the search should be focused on people with monotheistic and polytheistic beliefs mixed together in some strange cocktail as opposed to a strictly monotheistic belief which ancient Israel was famous for.
As we would later on discover when we start looking at these Africans, for example the Ewes, the Israelites did keep their monotheistic belief but they added what according to the Bible, became the worship of idols and many gods. What they did was, they worshipped other gods but kept the Almighty God in the centre as the supreme God. In other words, they created their own unique brand of monotheistic belief quite contrary to the commandments of Moses. So what you would find is their belief is monotheistic but at the same time: is not quite; in the sense that they believe in one Supreme God who created the universe and everything but yet they still engage in voodoo and other mumbo jumbo. If you read the Biblical accounts this is exactly what happened and it led to the downfall of ancient Israel.
Anyway I am not going to digress so let us get back to the story. After many warnings from the prophets which the Israelites did not heed, God decided to punish them by bringing captivity, slavery, death and destruction upon them.
The first calamity to befall the Israelites was the splitting up of the twelve tribe kingdom into two halves. Because of the badness of the people and King Solomon in particular, God decided to split the twelve tribe kingdom into two. One half came to be known as the two tribe kingdom and the second half came to be called the ten tribe kingdom.
The Bible account goes on to narrate about the bad ways of the ten tribe kingdom and God determined this time, to end it's existence by bringing permanent destruction upon it.
This calamity came in the form of the dastardly and supremely evil Assyrian empire. The evil Assyrian cut-throats attacked the ten tribe kingdom and after laying siege to it for three years captured it and promptly razed it to the ground. There was nothing left of the kingdom after the Assyrian orgy of destruction had come to an end. The violence and brutality of it all was unlike anything the Israelites had ever witnessed before. Worse was to follow. To further make sure the Israelites never returned to their land, the Assyrians brought in other people from different parts of their empire and resettled them in Israel and made it their home.
Those Israelites who escaped sought refuge with their kinsmen in the two tribe kingdom while the remnant that did not die from the sword and pestilence were taken into captivity and resettled elsewhere by the Assyrians never to return to Israel. The rout of the ten tribe kingdom was total and complete, and with new people occupying the land, it was finished forever. As God himself put it in the Bible; 'he (God) gave the ten tribe kingdom of Israel her full and complete divorce papers.'
After this display of wanton destruction by the Assyrians on the ten tribe kingdom, it was now the turn of the two tribe kingdom to taste the wrath of God for their bad ways.
The instrument of punishment God used was in the form of the supremo, 'Nebuchadnezzar' and his Babylonian hordes.
The Babylonians lost no time in going about the their destruction of Israel. After laying siege to the two tribe kingdom, they captured Zedekiah the King and butchered his sons in front of him, after which they blinded him permanently. They burnt the city and then took the Israelites in their thousands into captivity and exile in Babylon. Furthermore, to keep the two tribe kingdom pacified, the Babylonians appointed a puppet governor over what was left of the kingdom. After that, Nebuchadnezzar and his hordes went back home to Babylon.
One would think by now the Israelites would have learnt their lesson with all the calamities that God had visited upon them. Not so the Israelites; they were hardcore sinners that would not take punishment lying down. They promptly rebelled and murdered the Governor and the government that the Babylonians had appointed as overlord to rule over them. Following this outrage and afraid of retribution from the Babylonians they decided to make a run for it and fled to Africa never to return to Israel. As far they were concerned, they've had enough and they and the land of Israel were finished for good. That in a nutshell is - the second exodus - how the Israelites came back to live in Africa following the first exodus from Egypt.
The following are the Biblical accounts, and we take up the story in the book of 2 Kings chapters 25, narrating the story of the second exodus in the opposite direction; back to Africa for good.
THE SECOND EXODUS OF THE ISRAELITES
2 Kings Account Chapter 25.
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2 So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 4 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and the king went by the way of the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 6 Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 8 Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem. 9 And he burnt the house of Jehovah, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11 And the residue of the people that were left in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away captive. 12 But the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. 13 And the pillars of brass that were in the house of Jehovah, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Jehovah, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 15 And the firepans, and the basins, that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of Jehovah, the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of brass was upon it; and the height of the capital was three cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with network. 18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold: 19 and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war; and five men of them that saw the king’s face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the city. 20 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land. 22 And as for the people that were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor. 23 Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 24 And Gedaliah sware to them and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not because of the servants of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, so that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah. 26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
The Jeremiah Account
Jer. 43 And it came to pass that, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of Jehovah their God, wherewith Jehovah their God had sent him to them, even all these words, 2 then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: Jehovah our God hath not sent thee to say, Ye shall not go into Egypt to sojourn there; 3 but Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death, and carry us away captive to Babylon. 4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of Jehovah, to dwell in the land of Judah. 5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all the nations whither they had been driven, to sojourn in the land of Judah; 6 the men, and the women, and the children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan; and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah; 7 and they came into the land of Egypt; for they obeyed not the voice of Jehovah: and they came unto Tahpanhes.
The above are the Biblical account of how the Israelites returned to live in Africa and have remained in Africa ever since. There are further accounts of the exodus from Israel in the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah Account In Isaiah we read from chapter 30: Woe to the rebellious children, saith Jehovah, that take counsel, but not of me; and that make a league, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin, 2 that set out to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt! 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. 4 For their princes are at Zoan, and their ambassadors are come to Hanes. 5 They shall all be ashamed because of a people that cannot profit them, that are not a help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach. 6 The burden of the beasts of the South. Through the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the lioness and the lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the humps of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. 7 For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called her Rahab that sitteth still. 8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever. 9 For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of Jehovah; 10 that say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits,
The above are the definitive accounts and conclusive proof that the Israelites returned to Africa and millions of Africans today are the children of those Israelites.
THE LOOK AND COMPLEXION OF THE ISRAELITES At this stage some among you might be quite puzzled and scratching their head and wondering; "wait a minute," you might say: "Jews we see today are white caucasian people but the Bible is saying that the Jews came to settle in Africa, what is going on, who are these white Jews?"
The answer is very simple. According to the Bible, when the Babylonians invaded Israel they broke the Israelites into two groups. One group they took into captivity in Babylon. We read about these ones in the exploits of Daniel, Sha'drach, Me'shach and Abed'nego who refused to bow to the idol Baal, in the Bible book of Daniel chapter 3.
The second group were the FREE Israelites we have been reading about so far. The FREE Israelites were the ones who returned to Africa and these ones are still in Africa today.
The Israelites who were taken into captivity in Babylon were later freed when the Persian empire defeated the Babylonians. In the book of Nehemiah we read about how the captives returned to Israel and resettled the land and Israel was reborn. Those returnees from Babylon were never rejoined by their brothers the FREE Israelites who fled into Africa.
The Jews who returned from Babylonian captivity stayed in Israel until the time of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, true to form of their rebellious nature, these Jews murdered the son of God when he appeared among them. As you'd expect the punishment for this atrocity was not far from coming.
Seventy years after killing the son of God, the punishment for his murder came in the form of the mighty Roman Empire knocking on the doorsteps of Jerusalem. Under Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus, the Romans utterly destroyed Israel and sowed the land with salt so that it became uninhabitable. The Romans then took the remnant of the Jews into captivity and slavery in Europe.
That was 2000 years ago.
The Jews that were taken into captivity in Europe are the white Caucasian looking Jews we see today. After 2000 years of inter breeding with Europeans who had enslaved them, the result is the Jews who come from Europe and parts of Asia are white Caucasian looking people. The original Israelites were not white Caucasian people but dark skin people.
The phenomena of a section of Jews today looking like Caucasian white people is not hard to grasp if one can understand the fact that many Caribbean and African-Americans look almost white today because of only 300 years of Slavery at the hands of Europeans. Imagine how these ones would look like if slavery and inter breeding with whites went on for a thousand years as was the case with the Jews in Europe. If that had happened, most African-Americans and Caribbean people would most certainly be white caucasian looking people - no doubt about that.
Meanwhile the Bible gives us hints of the complexion of the Jews; the FREE Jews who escaped to Africa. For example in the Bible book of the Song of Songs chapter one, the Shulammite maiden; the most beautiful woman in all of Israel is described as a black or dark skin woman. Another example is the story of Samson; here again, the Bible is describing a black man. We know he is black because his captors failed to notice his hair was growing. Black people's hair curls and pads down as it grows, this means people who are not aware of this characteristics of this type of hair might see it as short hair when in fact it has grown quite a bit. If Samson's hair was like a white person's hair which is straight, a few weeks growth would have alerted the Philistines of the danger. Yet another example is the Apostle Paul who was mistaken for an African when he was in Rome. Also read the visions of the Prophet Daniel and the Apostle John, you would notice the complexion of the spirit beings they described was men with dark skin.
As you can see the Bible is filled with examples of the ancient Israelites being dark in complexion. There is not a single mention of ancient Israel being white or Caucasian looking. I hope this explanation clears up any confusion about the complexion of the Israelites and would help you identify the Jews in Africa. Also this information should help you identify the originators of the Holy Bible as black or dark skinned people.
THE FIVE GROUPS OF ISRAELITES IN AFRICA
The Falashian Jews of Ethiopia have been shown to be descendants of the Jews that came to Africa, however according to the Bible the Jews that came to settle in Africa were broken into five groups. Five groups that the Bible described as five cities, this means the Falasha is not he end of the story of the Jews in Africa. They are simply one section of the Jews that settled in Africa.
This means there are four more sections or groups of the Israelites scattered somewhere in the vast plains of Africa.
The confirmation that the Israelites were not all in one group and divided into five is recorded in Isaiah chapter 19 verses 18 and 19 which reads;
"18 In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction. 19 In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah."
All the verses used in this article are taken from the texts of the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible.
NEXT ARTICLE
Now that we have irrefutable proof from the Bible that the ancient Israelites are in Africa, the next task is to find them. Next month, in the last article I would bring it all together and show that a people in West Africa known as the GBE language ethnic group which is primarily made up of the Ewes, the Ge or Ga-Adangbe, the Fon, the Aja, and also many Caribbean and African-Americans are another section of the children of the Israelites lost in Africa.
Did you guys know Ewes have a secret language used in their shrines apart from the ordinary everyday language you hear them speak? Prepare to be blown out of your seats as you discover an illiterate African people that speak perfect classical Hebrew. If you think the story of the Prophet Samuel being raised as a fiashidi was enough to give you diarrhea then get ready for the mother and father of all shocks. You would literally be blown out of your minds. The next and last article is real fire-works, stay tuned for it.
Source: Robert Barker(Ghanaweb,27 February 2007)
Trokosi, Ewes And The Israelites
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Trokosi, Ewes And The Israelites
PART 1
INTRODUCTION
This is the first of three articles I am writing to show the connection between the Ewes and how their religious practice known as fiashidi or trokosi helps identify them as part of the twelve tribe kingdom of ancient Israel.
In the first part, I would help you understand what is trokosi, it's origins and how it links the Ewes with the ancient Israelites.
{sidebar id=10 align=right}In Part Two, I would talk about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land. In fact, I would do more than that. I would reveal a Biblical bombshell recounting how the Israelites after taking possession and settling in the promised land, promptly packed up and returned back to Africa and have remained there since. In Part Two, we would clearly see the Ewes as part of the Israelites who returned to settle in Africa hundreds of years after the exodus from Egypt. This has nothing to do with the story of the Queen of Sheba in the Bible. No, this Biblical account is in fact the story of the second exodus, this time back to Africa for good.
Finally in Part Three I would show how trokosi and other traditions of the Ewes is definitive proof and clearly mark them out as a section of the lost ten tribe kingdom of Israel.
This article is not about holding brief on the rights and wrongs of what goes on in trokosi or fiashidi religious practice. This article is mainly to show the importance of some of our African customs and traditions and why it is important to preserve them if necessary. As you read on, I hope you would come to agree, it is not very clever of some Africans to rubbish our cultures and traditions after listening to self-serving racist foreigners who come to our shores and downplay our beliefs.
There is the need for African sons and daughters to tell our own unique stories. I strongly believe that people who lose their roots, lose their sense of direction as well as their spiritual strength and power. As you read on, I hope you would begin to see the uniqueness and importance of hearing the story from an African son or daughter, instead of listening to strangers who visit our shores to belittle or rubbish our customs and beliefs.
The best way forward is for us to focus on preservation, and the way to do this is to examine the culture or tradition and if it does not serve our modern needs then it can be improved upon or modernized. Calling for the complete abolition of a tradition or culture like trokosi without knowing the full facts behind it's origin and history is nothing short of criminal vandalism.
TROKOSI OR FIASHIDI
Trokosi also known as Fiashidi has been bandied about on GhanaWeb for some years now and generally used to demonize Ewes. I feel it is time someone did a proper investigation to start an intellectual analysis and informed debate on the subject.
I must admit the first time I heard about Trokosi was on GhanaWeb when the resident tribal hate mongers were using it to castigate Ewes and whip up a hate campaign against them like the Nazis did to the Jews before massacring them.
Ewes at the receiving end of this barrage and hate campaign seemed at a loss as how to defend themselves. This was very surprising to me until I realized one fundamental truth.
Most Ewes have no clue or knowledge of what is trokosi or fiashidi. They have never heard of it let alone seen it in practice.
This is because many modern day Ewes were not born in Eweland, but rather many have been born and brought up in other parts of Ghana and everywhere else but Eweland. Because of this, the word Trokosi is completely foreign and alien to them, as it would be to any other Ghanaian who is not familiar with trokosi.
Another reason why many Ewes have never heard of Trokosi or Fiashidi is because it is a religion - a very rare religion. If you do not belong to a particular religion, how would you know what they believe or practice let alone defend it?
The Ewe silence on fiashidi or trokosi was quite understandable because contrary to what we have been led to believe, trokosi is a religious practice and rare. It is not prevalent among Ewes as the hate mongers would have us believe. It is hard to come across trokosi in the Volta region, it is there but one has to search for it in other to find it. It is not something you stumble upon immediately one enters Eweland.
Based upon my research I found these were the reasons why most Ewes here on GhanaWeb were at a loss as to how to respond and defend trokosi.
Bearing in mind this is a religious practice and the rarity of it, my suspicions were aroused because of the degree of noise about it's practice. It was not hard to see that there was something more than met the eye behind the hullabaloo. It was clear that the tribal hate mongers had an agenda and Ewes were the target of their mischief. Reading between the lines, the agenda was simple - to demonize Ewes for Political gain and damn the consequences.
It was pure unadulterated evil behavior and one has to say Rwanda comes to mind when you watch the tribal hate mongers at work on the Ewes. The same tactics of demonizing neighbors for political gain, was used by the Hutu Interahamwe militia to start the civil war and massacre in Rwanda.
As I said earlier, the first time I came across the word Trokosi, was on GhanaWeb and since then I set about to find out what the noise was all about. What I found out was a revelation.
The difference between me and the hapless Ewes under attack was that, upon my understanding of trokosi, I recognized it immediately for what it was because I had read about it many times in the Bible. I was like the movie character archeologist Indiana Jones, who upon seeing an artifact recognized the significance of it, while all around had no clue as to the importance of what they held in their hands. When I read about trokosi, I immediately recognized the overwhelming significance of it and and how it can help a section of black Africans trace their roots and ancestry to way back.
The rest of the modern world likes to paint black people as primitive, backward and not contributed much to world history but here I was looking at trokosi and I realized the historical significance of fiashidi was going to change this erroneous perception of black people to some extent and forever.
Before we delve into the origin and history of trokosi lets pause for a second and separate some of the fact from the fiction.
FACT OR FICTION
Fact - Fiashidi or Trokosi is someone pledged to the God and such a person is known as slave or wife of the divinity or deity.
Myth - Trokosi means slave or wife of the Fetish or keeper of the shrine
Fact - Ewe women who can not conceive and have their own children but believe in this religion consult deities in order to have children. These children are later pledged to the divinity or what is described as the deity.
Myth - Trokosi is a atonement for crimes by family members.
This is not true. It is a lie that girls are sent to the shrines to atone for crimes committed by other relations.
Fact - Trokosi or Fiashidi tradition does not allow the keeper of the shrine to play around with the girls sexually. When one goes against any of the regulations, the belief is it is not human beings that will punish you. The deity will punish you because all the girls who go in there for training are the daughters and princesses of the divinity. So if one take liberties with them one would be punished by the deity
Myth - Fiashidi or Trokosi girls are raped.
This is not true. It is a lie.
Fact - Trokosi or Fiashidi is a religious practice. Only followers of this religion practice fiashidi or trokosi
Myth - Trokosi or Fiashidi is slavery in the Volta Region and the rest of Eweland.
This is false and a very wicked lie. Slavery does not exist anywhere in modern day Ghana. It is against the law to engage in slavery, it is a criminal offense. If such allegations were true, Ghana's judicial system would be awash with court cases to do with slavery
ORIGIN OF TROKOSI OR FIASHIDI
Hardly anyone you would speak to knows the origin of trokosi. However upon researching the subject, I recognized and knew of it's origins and where it started because I had read about it many times in the Bible. Without any preamble, the following is the Biblical account of the beginning of trokosi or fiashidi.
Judges 11: 30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto Jehovah, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand, 31 then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Jehovah’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering. 32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and Jehovah delivered them into his hand. 33 And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter.
So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. 34 And Jephthah came to Mizpah unto his house; and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me; for I have opened my mouth unto Jehovah, and I cannot go back. 36 And she said unto him, My father, thou hast opened thy mouth unto Jehovah; do unto me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth, forasmuch as Jehovah hath taken vengeance for thee on thine enemies, even on the children of Ammon. 37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may depart and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions. 38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew not man. And it was a custom in Israel.
The above is basically what is Fiashidi or Trokosi and it started with the Israelites.
Japheth's daughter was hereby obeying the Biblical command in Eph. 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), or Col 3: 20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.
Japheth's vow and her daughter's response by allowing herself to become the property or slave of the shrine of God is what is known as fiashidi
Notice in Judges 11:39 it said this became a custom in Israel. This was the beginning or origin of Trokosi or Fiasidi.
Later in the Bible we see the confirmation of this custom in Israel because one of the most famous prophets in the Bible called Samuel was raised in the fiashidi tradition.
The account about the prophet Samuel is in the Bible book of Samuel reading from chapter 1 verse 10. ...... 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head .............
.....21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto Jehovah the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and there abide for ever. 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of Jehovah in Shiloh: and the child was young. 25 And they slew the bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto Jehovah. 27 For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 therefore also I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he liveth he is granted to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.....
The story continues in 1 Sam. 2: 11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest. .........
......18 But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 19 Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went unto their own home. 21 And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah.
There is absolutely no difference between what is fiashidi and the Biblical account you have just read. In fact looking at fiashidi is like going on a time travel back to the days of the ancient Israelites.
The Lord saviour Jesus Christ made reference to trokosi and fiashidi when he said the following in Matthew chapter 5: 33 Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God; 35 nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one.
All the verses used in this article are taken from the texts of the American Standard version of the Bible.
As you can see trokosi and fiashidi was a very important custom in Israel and the Lord saviour Jesus Christ rubber stamped his approval of it with his response in Matthew chapter 5.
Of course common sense dictates that abuse and deviation from best practice may have set in with time because it is common for this to happen with any human institution. Therefore it would not be surprising to hear of abuses within trokosi or fiashidi religious practice. Such abuse or deviation from true worship can be found in any religion in the world today. Giving that Fiashidi or trokosi has existed for thousands of years one can say with confidence that fiashidi or trokosi is no exception to this rule of deviation or degradation with time. But just as we don't call for the abolition of other religions like Islam or Christianity because of abuse or deviation from it's original principles, it would be wrong to call for the abolition of trokosi religious practice because of abuse.
In my view, it is easy to police trokosi or fiashidi and make sure no such abuse takes place. However this is not the aim of my research. My work is to show how trokosi or fiashidi helps identify the Ewes as a section of the twelve tribe kingdom of Israel that is usually referred to as - the lost ten tribes of Israel. Thanks to trokosi and other traditions of Ewes it is now possible to find some of the missing links and put the jigsaw puzzle together for a section of the lost tribes
NEXT ARTICLE
One question that springs to mind upon reading what I have written about the story of Jephthah, his daughter and the account of Samuel's upbringing is they all happened after the Israelites EXODUS from Egypt so how could the Ewes be linked to this custom of the Israelites when they had left Africa?
I would be answering this in my next article by revealing the Bible bombshell that the Israelites after they had settled in the promised land, fled back into Africa because of strife and have remained there since. Please stay tuned.
Source: Robert Barker(Ghanaweb,12 January 2007)