By Dr Akofa K. Segbefia
I am from the Royal Akornu family of Anyako, which qualifies me to ascend the Aposa Stool. I am exceedingly proud to be Ewe as much as I feel proud to be a citizen of New Juaben. Many of my siblings and I were born in Koforidua and my younger brother is the Ewe Fia of New Juaben
When my great great grandmother was heavy with her second child, a diviner told her that descendants of the baby would become prominent people and so asked that the child be named SEGBEFIA. No other names were added.
Se(God), gbe(Domain/Kingdom, Fia(King). Segbe( God’s Kingdom), thus Segbefia means “King in God’s Domain” or “God’s anointed.” And this is a name I carry with pride, conviction, and a chip on my shoulder.
I am, therefore, able to look authority in the eye and tell them a piece of my mind, so long as I hurt no one in the process. Truth hurts but edifies. My friends in power, whichever way, know this about me.
Not too long ago, Hon. Dzifa Abla Gomashue, Member of Parliament for Ketu South, visited the Constituency with Parliament’s Select Committee on Education during which they paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the area, Torgbui Amenyah Fitih. Torgbui, as is normal for traditional rulers to take advantage of such occasions, asked that government complete an E-Block project in his area.
Then later in a radio interview, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo was asked what he made of Torgbui’s demand. All the President said was that Torgbui should go complete the project himself. My initial reaction was, “Nonsense.” How could a head of state of Ghana hold a traditional ruler in such disdain? What did Torgbui do wrong? As far as I know, the high office of the President imposes certain civility and decorum on its occupant.
Would Nana have given the same response if the request was from the Mamponghene, Okyenhene, Okuapehene, or the Asantehene? Would he? If he would, what would the reaction of the citizens of those traditional areas have been?
I recall a time when Otumfuor Opoku Ware was celebrating an anniversary at the then Kumasi sports stadium. A Queen-mother asked the then Chairman Rawlings to reactivate the Ashanti Shoe Factory. In his usual rambunctious manner, Rawlings responded that if the people stopped eating cowhides(wélé) there would be raw materials for the factory. Of course, my reaction then was, “Nonsense. Jerry could use a mire diplomatic language.” Rawlings was lambasted for what they said was an insult to their royalty.
The truth, however, was that you cannot eat the shoes and still wear them. It has been scientifically proved that wélé has no nutritional value whatsoever.
But Nana’s response seems to be in character with the political tradition he represents. Open, yet subtle dislike for Ewe people, who, in their illogicality are aliens. How they came with such thoughts only they can explain. Remember, when there was an outcry for the people of the coast in the Volta Region after tidal waves swept across the area last year. Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh threatened to go on a demonstration against any help to the Volta Region because his constituency in Ashanti was also flooded. During the last voter registration, security people were posted to our eastern border to ward off “aliens” who might want to cross from Togo to register. But a motley group of them were sent to other regions to create a semblance of a nationwide exercise. No one was fooled.
Their target was Ketu South, a constituency that turns out a huge voter roll each time. It beats my mind that people who aspire to rule this country do not know the demography of each district, municipality, or metropolis. Even in the face of the seeming security intimidation, Ketu South turned out huge numbers one more time. Hon. K. T. Hammond said at the time that the Ewe were foreigners. I don’t what it is about Ketu South that gets their goat. Sad, if you asked me.
Then one Abronye was screaming to high heaven that the Ewe contribute nothing to the development of the country and that all the Ewe do is kill. I hope on his day of reckoning he will have evidence of his claim. I wonder how they view the very highly respected Ewe in their fold. Those who readily come to mind are Elizabeth Ihene, Sam Okudzeto, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamaklor, Dr. Archibald Letsa, and Kofi Dzamesi. Dzamesi’s mother is Ajyem so he can be considered a child of two worlds. Mr. Yaw Osafo Mafo was also heard saying only people from the more economically endowed regions of Ghana must be elected to rule the country I am glad he is not the president of this nation and I pray he never gets the chance.
Before them, Victor Owusu of blessed memory was quoted as saying the Ewe were inward-looking. I thought lessons would be learned from these yet our utterances reflect the magnitude of our hatred for others. Is it not true that one who fails to learn from history has a high propensity to repeat the same mistakes?
When Miss Amekoafia became the first Miss Ghana at I dependence with a number nine tag, people of the Volta Region are pejoratively called Number 9. Then there is this Ayigbe nomenclature. There are many Ewe groupings like Anlo, Ave, Some, Tongu, Ewedome, Akpini etc. but there is no Ayigbe. It comes as a big surprise when some Ewe refer to themselves as Ayigbe. Have we lost our identity as a people? How can you let others tell your story for you? I do not get it.
That the Ewe spread across four countries in our sub-region does not make them stateless. There are people in the north of Ghana who share language and ethnicity with Burkina Faso. There are Akans astride the western border with Côte d’Ivoire, not so? How come the Ewe haters do not notice these? Or the Ewe light is so bright it blinds them from seeing things from their true perspectives?
Personally, I may be detribalized but it does not take away my identity, my language, my culture, and my personality. Let none do. We know what happens at enlistment centres, recruitment centres, job placement centres. National unity and cohesion cannot be attained when some people hold claim to more entitlements than others, just because of where they come from or what language they speak. This toxic fantasy of superiority over others must give way to equity and oneness.
Those who want to turn history on its head must first tell me if the European slave dealers, upon arrival on our shores, already knew Dzogbeawo, Bluawo, Eweawo, Gēawo and Fanteawo.
That the Ewe do not react violently to insults and name-calling is no act of cowardice or fear. It is because of the discipline and fortitude handed down to us by our forebears as our historical narratives have portrayed.
Writer’s email: akofa@yahoo.com
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