THE KROBO QUILL: Lower Manya

Showing posts with label Lower Manya. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: THE HENKING-CHRISTIAN-PADI MODEL

This is how an observer (also a citizen of the land) summarised the long chain of activities that led to the declaration of “Self-government” in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality (Manya Krobo Traditional Area) to compelled government and, for that matter, the Ministry of Local Government/Electoral Commission to conduct the local level elections in the municipality after three years without assembly members.

At least, one person has acknowledged my/our role (as Kloma Gbi) in rescuing the “poor” market women on the Agormanya market from the hands of the “greedy” and “heartless” leaders (if you like) who took advantage of the absence of Assembly Members and the virtual breakdown of the structures at the assembly to do all kinds of things including feeding from the toils of the “poor” market women/traders. Below is how how Dr. Enoch Teye Kwadjo puts it; I find it interesting and inspiring.

And the people of Manya Krobo declared SELF GOVERNMENT, the second to do so after Dr. Kwame Nkrumah did for Ghana

Dr. Enoch Teye Kwadjo

He writes: Today (December 3, 2013) the chiefs and people of the months-old Democratic Republic of Lower Manya Krobo (DRLMK) go to the polls to elect their representatives at the municipal assembly, so as to “re-join” Ghana.

The road to today’s election was synonymous with what Nelson Mandela would call “long walk to freedom”. And if there is any group or individual that has fallen several times along the way then it should be (and rightly so) the “three-member” Kloma Gbi group.

While variants of civil disobedience or positive defiance may exist, the Henking-Christian-Padi model appears to stand out among the other known forms of defiance. Selling the idea to market women to avoid payment of tolls and allied levies in protest against non-availability of assembly representatives was certainly not an easy process. Yet they succeeded in getting the market women and some prominent chiefs to buy into this idea.

Only a few people may be aware of the blackmail the three-member group suffered: the bloody lies; the failed attempt to round them up into police cells; the rejection and betrayal at the hands of those who should know better; etc.

Today, LMKMA votes through their blood and toil. And to learn that none of the Kloma Gbi members is standing to be elected as representatives should make their detractors re-think the obstacles they erected in their paths. Though majority of young people are driven by extrinsic motivation for what they do, there are still a few intrinsically-motivated youths around.

For years to come the Henking-Christian-Padi form of civil disobedience will remain a potent tool for other districts in Ghana to use. Indeed, while people can stop a person whose time has come, no one can stop an idea whose time has come. The Henking-Christian-Padi form of civil disobedience was an idea whose time had come.

I salute you guys on the occasion of today’s municipal level elections at the LMKMA.

The story of the boycott/self government: http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/1295-boycott-lower-manya-krobo-declares-self-government.html

http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/5306-assembly-elections-in-lower-manya-krobo-hang-in-balance.html

From: Dr. Enoch Teye-Kwadjo

Published on his facebook wall on December 3, 2013

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT ... about 2014 Ngmayem festival

The Prez. (middle) delivering his address during the 2012 Ngmayem festival durbar

Hi Mr. President,

I bring you warm felicitation from the home of quality & original beads and rich culture, Odumase-Krobo. It has become necessary that I check on you and make a few observations known to you as we the Krobos wrap up and start a new year this October.

The whole of this week, the town has been bubbling with rich cultural activities to mark the annual Ngmayem festival of the Chiefs and people of my Manya Krobo (my homeland).

We have a few more days and activities to go but tomorrow (Friday October 30, 2014) is the d-day for the grand durbar which will see lots of dignitaries in attendance.

I vividly remember that you graced the durbar in October 2012 but some of us were under the impression that you came that year because you needed us (our votes) even more than we needed you to add to the beauty of the durbar.

I was personally not convinced that you would have come that year looking at how tight you were on the day but you surprisingly came (though late) because it was an election year and your presence must be felt to pull you some more floating votes.

I still remember that you hurried through your schedule and your “equally important national assignments” (as is often the excuse) one of which was that year’s National Ed….. gathering/celebration in the capital city of Accra which ended around mid-day.

Ordinarily, our durbar ends just around mid-day or 1pm latest, but that year, we had to “WASTE” time in wait for you because you wanted to come at all cost. And true to your words (and promise to come) you drove at “top speed” from Accra and arrived at Odumase-Krobo within the blinking of an eye and hey, you, characteristic of you, wowed and sparked the crowd on your arrival. Whether or not your coming resulted in the massive votes you garnered in the presidential election is something I can’t really prove with figures, but I shudder to think that it did.

I also know that because it often rains on the durbar day every year, the practice has been to swerve the rain by closing the durbar early, say by noon. That year was an exception, we waited and waited for you, drummed and danced to while away time. We literally had to pause the main activities of the programme with a LOOOOOOONNNGGGG musical interlude from the Police band.

The Police band that gave us the long musical interlude

One of the chiefs being beaten by the rain

Before we could say jack, it started raining and you even had to deliver your speech under the cover of an umbrella. That was the first day I saw chief literally swimming in palanquins. We were heavily beaten by the rain on our return from the durbar and that was because we delayed.

Why would I conclude that you came in 2012 mainly to pick your badly needed vote? President Kuffour did same in 2008 (also an election year) and that was the last time I saw a sitting president at the durbar (at least in recent times) until you also came in 2012 (also an election year). I know you can’t be jumping from one festival to the other throughout the year, neither can you be at our Ngmayem durbar annually but when you time your coming to coincide only with an election year, then you push us into arriving at the conclusion that you come only when YOU NEED US and not really when we do

I am watching with rapt attention and in an attention position if you will prove me wrong.

Sources have told me you have been invited and you are coming godo godo; please do ok to clear that baseless perception of mine (only formed through observation)

I welcome you I advance

Mo heeeeeeee Mr. President !!!!

And it rained heavily

Traditional priests (in white) on their way from the durbar ground

Thursday, October 30, 2014

ZAIN GHANA HANDS OVER ODUMASE PRESBY JHS BLOCK (BACK PAGE)

The school building in its present new form

Full video available via this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVH07UUu1k&list=UU7ljxYzKiZJZYmrQI8c0nLA

Three months after Zain Ghana’s promise to the chiefs and people of Odumase-Krobo in the Lower Many Krobo District of the Eastern Region, the company has breathed a new life into the Odumase Presby Junior High School by razing to the ground the decrepit 121 year old classroom block and raised in its place a modern 6-unit educational facility.

The new disabled-friendly building which was inaugurated at a colourful ceremony on Wednesday August 12, 2009 is furnished with new dual desks from the pupils, tables/chairs for the teachers and has a 30-seater computer laboratory with internet connectivity as well as a 40-seater library. It also has a fully stocked staff common room, a headmaster’s office with fridge, washrooms, a rain harvesting/storage facility as well as a water pumping machine.

The state of the art facility would not only serve pupils of the school but double as a resources center for other basic schools in the district.

The reconstruction of the school, followed the publication of the woes of the teachers and students in the May 7, 2009 edition of the Daily Graphic newspaper. According to the report, the school faced imminent closure since the building was not only a death trap but did not provide a conducive environment for effective academic work.

Parts of the roof of the structure, which had never rehabilitated since it was constructed in 1888, often flew about anytime it rained. In one of those instances, a falling debris killed a 12-year-old class six pupil, Bernard Narteh and injured three others.

The CEO Mr. Chris Gabriel addressing the gathering

Speaking at the inauguration, the Chief Executive of Zain Africa, Mr Chris Gabriel, expressed the pride of his outfit to be associated with the project. He said “We are not only proud to have delivered on our promise within record time of three months but are also proud of the high spirit, dedication and passion displayed by the our staff towards the construction of this facility that will put a smile on the faces of these future leaders,” he stated.

“Since our children are the future leaders, who have a basic right to education, we are resolved to work with stakeholders to ensure a bright future for these young ones,” he added.

Hon. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo taking his turn to address the gatheing

For his part, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, also commended Zain Ghana, for its commitment to educational development in the country, adding, “you have proved by your commitment that you are a worthy ally to form a partnership with to solve both the communication challenges and socio-economic difficulties facing the region.

The Headmaster, rendering his appreciation on the day of the handing over

The Headmaster, Nene Seth Ayertey, also thanked management of Zain for the swift intervention and promised to take good care of properties and the entire facility.

The pupils having a good time

The students preparing to embark on a procession before the handing over ceremony

Float in session

Students off on a float prior to the event

Zain official admiring the compound

(R-L) Mr. Steve Torode, Chief Operating Officer, Zain Central Africa; the CEO of Zain Africa, Mr. Chris Gabriel, MP for Lower Manya, Michael Tey Nyaunu and Mr. Kodjo Baah, an aide to the MP in a hearty chat after the event