We live in a period of absurdities. However, that doesn’t mean that it must not be challenged with the full force of the will. Ghana is plunged under the electrifying awe of corporate capitalism (primitive accumulation) backed by an unrelenting and an over-zealous Atom-Bomb-wielding USAFRICOM. The people of Ada, are no strangers to the violence that this capitalism brings. These people, with the indomitable will power of Ada’s ancient generals of Korgbor, have resisted more than three-hundred years of chattel-slave trading on their coasts! Now, the people of Kewunor are fighting for their very survival under a new colonial threat—one that is not only seeking to transport its people as was the case in the chattel slave trade, but one that is seeking to displace the people and take their lands.
In an era of absurdities where Ada’s war generals no longer exist, where their history is also forgotten and replaced by the hubris of imported chiefs and chieftains, where Asafotufiame carries no longer any meaning, where the kingmakers of Ada cannot tell the difference between a bum and a war general, one can say, the people of Kewunor face, in the twenty-first century—more than a century and half since the last chattel slave left that coast—a more invasive, a more pervasive, a more terrifying and a more insidious kind of “chattel slavery.”
The western-European-American ship docked in the waters of Ada to lunch this new onslaught on Ada is Tresacco-Hilton-Hotels, and it is captained by none other than the pirate, CEO Ian Morris of Tresacco proper. What’s worse is that in the absence of a war defense machinery (Asafo) and knowledge, the government of Ghana, which delegitimized the Asafo (and all Asafos in Ghana effectively) empowered a pirate force as Ghana’s Armed Forces. This army offers no protection or resistance whatsoever for the people of Ghana, or Ada, or in particular, the people of Kewunor, in the face of terror. They could care less.
In March, 2018, Ian Morris, the CEO of Tresacco managed a Stakeholders Meeting about Kewunor (without inviting the people of Kewunor) in an attempt to forge a plan to dispossess the people of their lands so that Tresacco can now convert the old native Ancestral lands into private hands, and build a private resort for mass tourism. The resort will be managed by Hilton Hotels. The meeting of about 60 people (including sell-out district chiefs and community members around Ada) was held some two hours’ drive away (four hours with traffic) from Kewunor, in Accra, right under the noses of the Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Government Officials.
What’s more, Ian Morris will begin the meeting with the usual drivel of terrorists attempting to colonize native lands without actually alluding to the violence they represent—the barbarism they bring with them. Ian Morris’ nonsense can all be summarized as follows: Capitalism is good. Africa is nothing. Africa is nothing without us! We are here to help you. Ghana must accept. Kewunor must accept and the people must be heckled off the land because this is good for Africa and Africans. Tresacco-Hilton is here to kick the people of Kewunor off the land. This is good for Kewunor.
If anyone of the invited sell-out district chiefs or community organizers from Ada were actual students of their own history, they would recall the valiance of their Asafo against slave raiders like these. They would recall that Ian Morris is not a friend, but the enemy, a terrorist clad in sheep’s clothing. They would recall why they even celebrate Asafotufiame as a festival. But it seems they cannot either recall or they are unwilling to recall the atrocities of the past, because the vast majority of them aren’t actually truly Dangmes!
Although as Ghanaians another history should quickly jump to mind from the mainland. A case of one Thomas Bowdich, a terrorist who attempted to trick the Asantes into Unfair Trade becomes new. We can recall how Asantehene Osei Bonsu’s uncle, Nana Yeboah, reacted to Bowdich’s inquiries. Bowdich had engaged in the same drivel as Ian Morris is today, and he had assured the Asantehene that Britain’s motives in trading on the Gold Coast were well-intentioned, “consisting of nothing more than a desire to share the benefits of English civilization.” Nana Yeboah had guffawed at that remark and asked Bowdich, “Now, how do you wish to persuade me that this is only for so flimsy a motive that you have left this fine and happy England?”
Now, is anyone capable of asking Ian Morris how he wishes to persuade Kewunor, Ada, and the rest of the nation that this is only for so flimsy a motive (as bringing us English housing and hotels) that he has left his fine and happy England? But no one would ask Ian Morris, because our generation of leaders sit idiotically high above a mountain that they cannot hear the wailing of their own people from beneath.
Take for instance the “more educated than his ancestors” (the Metha), who happens to be Ian Morris’ Sancho Panza. He is the resettlement architect, Mr. Theo Obeng Sackey. Mr. Sackey proudly revealed at the meeting in March a 177-people housing unit to be built 1.7 km from the current location of Kewunor, on the ocean side of Ada. Mr. Sackey stressed the great improvements this plan would bring to the people of Kewunor saying that the concrete houses alone would improve Kewunor’s current situation since many residents lived in thatch houses.
Mr. Sackey reminds us of the typical slave raiding sergeant—he is in agreement with the terrorist for the money. He actually believes that there’s a problem in Kewunor he must solve. And that the way to solve it is to allow Ian Morris to colonize native lands with warlords from England and the United States (Tresacco-Hilton). Mr. Sackey is not aware that a terrorist makes up phantom problems to which he resolves to propose and implement phantom solutions at all costs.
The people of Kewunor never asked for concrete housing. No one asked to be colonized. No one cares about “the benefits of English civilization.” This part escapes Mr. Sackey. In fact, the shifting sands in the predominantly fishing community makes thatch-housing a superb adaptation. But the metha, like Mr. Sackey, are not privy to such sheer intelligence. The metha are enamored by terrorists and their colonial logic—making money at all costs. To this end, Mr. Sackey will sell his own mother to Ian Morris.
What’s more, the metha, together with the chiefs and community organizers from around Ada and the prostate media in Ghana (particularly Joy FM, which attended the March meeting) completely miss the entire point: Kewunor is not just a community of people. Kewunor is a human habitat. A fine example of how human beings ought to live in balance with their environment.
The people of Kewunor fish, and make a living here. They have kept this land so serene that Ian Morris foams and salivates at the mouth when he sees it. But instead of learning from the people of Kewunor and returning to England to re-educate his own people, Ian Morris would rather terrorize it. Kewunor is not built on the super-predatory-consumption styles of Nottingham (nothing village), England. Kewunor has human philosophy. Kewunor is a humble civilized abode and Ian Morris is there from “nothing village” wielding the sword of corporate capitalism to plunder and to loot it. The chiefs and community organizers aiding and abetting this terrorism ought to understand that they are being tricked.
It seems that the only class left in this room amply aware of the trickery (blem-na-le) of terrorists remains the Volta Revival Foundation, which forced its way into that March meeting (without an invite) to protest Tresacco and Hilton Hotels, and to protect the interests of the people of Kewunor. The Volta Revival Foundation is buoyed by the motivations and lessons of our own history in Ghana. There’s more to learn from our own mistakes.
Across the river, over in Eweland proper, folks mince no distaste when they refer to these marauding foreign traders as Ayevuwo, literally meaning, Cunning Dogs, who engage in nothing else but Blem-na-le (trick-and-catch). Ian Morris and the company he represents, Tresacco-Hilton, are truly cunning. They are there terrorizing the people of Kewunor for no civilized reason, but solely in order to make money, and more money alright—not for the people, but to enrich themselves in England! They are there to loot, and to impoverish the people of Kewunor. What, really, can one expect from a capitalist-pig from “nothing village,” England?
We of the Stop the Maangamizi: We Charge Genocide/Ecocide Campaign Stand alongside Grandmother Africa and the Volta Revival Foundation together with Kewunor; just like we stand with the indigenous communities of the GaDangme in and around Accra and Somanya and also those of the Akan in and around Atewa Forest against similar land-grabs and dispossessions! No more “Blem-na-le” cunning tricks of the “Ayevu” must be allowed to deceive our Afrikan people in and beyond Ghana today into prolonging the continuing enslavement phase of the Maangamizi that is present-day neoliberal capitalist Neocolonialism!
Akpe Kakaaka! Medaase paaa! Oyuwa dorn! Na gode!
By Amenuti Narmer -, thanks a lot for the post.Really thank you! Much obliged.
Lots of these would be recurrent in the ensuing years.
This would especially be seen in the Ewelands since they’re mostly desolate as a consequence of lack of developmental projects and job opportunities. Since the odds are steeply against these lands, there is very little hope for my people
But coming to think of it, one needs to acknowledge that no one is to be blamed except us. Both the Ada’s and the Ewes fancy living in Accra and other places. They own large mansions and lands elsewhere and build or develop little to nothing on the lands of their ancestral lands.
Coupling this with the relentless of the government since its inception to impoverish the land, one can sadly envisage that it’s only a matter of time when they would start seizing the lands
You must not let them. We must all band together to prevent such atrocities some lands should be protected from development to allow for oxygenation and body mind balance. Many forests and lands are protected in most so called developed countries yet they come to disrupt Africa.
We must fight against it.
Nana Afia Serwaah Bonsu Sadly the odds are against these lands.
They must destroy it in order to maintain the main stream narrative on the fast disappearing forest and farmlands. They would do go ahead, regardless of massive protest with the full protection of sons of the soil in the force.
The people have only cudgels. It may help keep them abay for a day, but surely it wont be able to stand its grounds on the second and the third day.
Nonetheless, we would try and so
But thanks for your concerns
You already sound defeated shame really because our minds hold the key into what changes we put forward.
Nana Afia Serwaah Bonsu Hahaha. Not even death can scare me away.
But one needs to understand clearly without doubts that the odds aren’t in their favor. Lots of people are going to be abducted, many more would pass on and great deal of people would return with all kinds of injury. If you doubt me for a second, then find out abt the history of these imperialist in Niger delta, Congo, etc.
I hope these wicked predictors are stopped as their only mission in life is to destroy the good and replace it with evil.
When you take the path of capitalism you are tempted to lick the honey it leaves on your hands instead of wiping them off.
We need to chart back to basics as Africans else once the capitalist provides you the jobs you need then what.
Sankofa for the sake of future generations.
You mean Ian Morris’s Sancho Panza. He did all the dirty work for Don Quixote….
Thanks for the correction, it is exactly what I had meant to write.
The article is a pile of total rubbish .if the hotel is built is it not the people of kewunor and surrounding villages who will be employed ?The youth in the area are roaming around unemployed and involved in armed robberies in prampram and on the Tema Sogakope road .Mr Ian Morris and his partners have nothing to again by destroying the environment. Ada was a shithole once until investors went there and built hotels ,guesthouses and aqua sports facilities .Over 6,000 people are employed across the value chain .what we must THINK of is to how to get Ian Morris to do mix developments .Building the Hotel incorporating the demands and wishes of the people of kewunor and making concessions that will protect their way of life ,not the I am writing what I like drivel posted here smh.