The Legon FortDicbtl]' Oren of Lbc: Lq:o. Society _ Natiow Allain Vol. II No. 26 21 Dec. 1967-4 Jan. 1968 Price 12t np anit a JJ.taPP!l Artu ~rar 1 22 Decem ber 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER The Legon Society on National Affairs Wish all their numerous Readers, Contributors and Advertisers A Merry Christmas and A Prosperous New Year The Liberty Group of Companies compnslng Liberty Press Limited, Sanitary Paper Products Limited and 1 Mermaid Shipping Company Limited Wish all their patronisers A merry Christmas and a Happy \ New Year _f , .....~ ~ ~~. _.~ k"'" '¥i£-~ ~2 December 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER 1M THIS iSSUE EDITORIAL THE YEAR IN RETROSPECf EDITORIAL The Year Tn Relrospect THE YEAR 1967 has been an eveotfu l one for Ghana. both economically and pol itically. Courageous economic and political decisions- not a l· \I'RICA ways popular-have been taken. True to its declared intent ion of resusci- 1 he Nigerian Situation- tating a battered economv bequeathed by the old regime. tbe NLC has \ Personal View found it necessary to layoff redundant labour. devalue our currency. Abio13 lrele and renegotiate our external debts. It wou ld appear that the NLC has Sll:rra Leont: After the taken a ll the economic steps which any government in a similar predi. No -Coups' (I) K '\ B. Jones-Quactcy cament would have taken: but sti ll the economy does not seem to be moving fast enough. I'OLITICS 10 The most in tractable economic problem remains. undeniably. the \rc the Abbott Criticisms problem of unemployment. Since the coup 61.838 workers have been Really Sincere? laid of!. Of lhe tOla l laid of! only 13.636 or 22.05 per cenl have regis- P T K. Aidam tered with employment centres. Of those who have registered with OnSLRYER NOTEBOOK 12 emplo)ment centres only 37.58 per ceOl or 8.29 per cenl of total laid Rcr;igna.tions, Dismis... als and off. have been placed in employment to date. The public sector of the It. Information World economy accounts [or 84.64 per cent of the tota l laid off. and the priva te ~mp~lrl Licences sector accounts for only J 5.36 per cent. These statistics ignore those ~I' 'i~!lring Public Opinion laid off in the private bu~jnesses where proper accounts are not kept . II (,han:! There is also concealed unemployment in agriculture. hence the migra· I ulln 11 .1 II lhl,:. Airport tion of young men to the towns. This econom ic phenomenon is. how. ever. uffset by the unemployed who. after seeking in vain for johs I ErlER" in the urban areas. return to the rural areas to depend on the social and economic security system provided by the extended family l J n.:urrcnl5 and Abbott In the foreseeable future it doe.:; net appear that the econOnlj .,:an \ ""II (,hana LImited absorb the unemployed. for our population is growing at the rate of 2.6 per cent a year. while the rate of economic growth is only 1.6 per '" 'l ~lunialism and the F l.Hur,. d Ghana cent. Tn order to feed our growing population and have more job open- ill ).\ l Jnu th(. mgs in the ~Lonomy, economi"tl; calculate that we must have, at least. 'ler 1.:narics a growth rate of about 8 per cent. The sodal consequences of Lhe un· h. I ( urricula employment situation are grave. for In Africa the more unemployed l h' ,t\lJ~ "f Ghanal.J.n you have the more the demands made on the private incomes of those I ;J( gU'lIz~s ,vho are fortunate enough to be in gainful employment. This depresses DI ,Inc,j ::.tandard~ of Ii, ing all round fin j'h:(jIH Oa) The economic situ:J.tion IS aggravated by our foreign c'\change pt"'. II t (lion llf Seamen sitlon .x,,'cording to the 1Q 66·67 Budget we have a total of I I,J. of (,lUrle") In a NC'n5 . .!16)~1'" to pay In suppliers' credits. Of this amount not more 1', ~ll (Iftiu.:r than -t rer (cnt I::. payable in Ghanaian currency. What thIS means is that in the fore."eedhle future a lot of the foreIgn currency .... e l'arn will go In pa~menls of suppliers' credits. fhe unemployment ~ituation i~ further aggra\atcd !1y the number lOOh. Rf,\'IEW 20 of pupil!> \\ ho pour out ,)t our elementary schol)is .•\ .Od who not only have no hope 0; c\c:r ~ntering secondary school". training colleges and I tl \ )nlmlShl.'d Re\ reference to IlJll"iil O\l'r1:,rd; antJ their dienl:.., the Ti .. .s C~­ A7ikh\-e'" Rote J ,.i dl IS In c:\.!mple 01 thIs LlIling H~ cannot SlglliJiL ..U llb. \1a<'::.lule) di-cd in 'orthcm igeria Iu \ t\("r h.l\c f\)rgottcn. \.\h ile writing thi .... th..tl during .J \.:"ampai);n tour In the cause of national t III the \lcal l)t moependcnce- up till tht: milital) mdl'penUellce ill 1 y.t6. and it was his ut!ath lhat 'up lhal ended the First Repuhlic Ibo rolitician" ga\. 1 he di~­ small ethnic group. .. a chance not onl~ In express J mia' n\ d totdi nreak-up ol ",\;ig.;ri,l, e,en themsehes, but also to act a:s a moderating m- InHHII1C rh.it ilny c.:ntnl go\"ernmenl ,n~\\her.::: Iluence on the larger groups. Mr. Chukwulere 'n 1\ "nld \\\.)uIJ ugge~tcd at one point of his a rtic1~ Ibat we II' Sl' ·"illil 1~ ing do\\-n. wOlllJ ::.tart to be felt might adopt the Swiss solution. The constitution \ Itll Ih~ \I;'r\ \\ inJmg-up rrt)(·c,::.s. Hoy., do \\e of S"illerland i::. in fact federaL despite the offi· I , p.lfl ,p~,-iall~ \\ hen the probkm ... of cIa I Utle of that COUnlr). and 1 think. his sugges- h,mn:.' "b.. .... l'1s anu Itabilities an: raised? Such is the lion most apt for the S,\ u;s arrived at their pre· (\.0n,lnHL mtcgfJ.thln of 1 'igeria toda, and :sO huge sent :sensihle :solution onl} after fighting a sen:..e· .H {lllr hm.:-ign debts that v.o.: \\0\lld he bOllno to less civil \\ ar qUJrrel \)n the~~ pur::.uits dn~"a~. La~th. the rL:rcr,,:u:S::'lll\1 ... of the N\gerian ('n::.is in other Afri - o.:\lunlnC~ Dr. b iola [relc is a Resc.uch FcHo" in Freudl lan ..:annot be ignored. There i::. of \ [ ri ('3n Li ler.lIu re at Ibe In'. . itule of \frirn.n Sludi~. course a Jifference bct,,,cen Katanga dnd Biafra. l nilcI""'il) of Gha na. Hc i 'i a Bini from Benin 0". but sure!) the poin t is tha t circumstances will :\fid-We. . tcrn "i~eria and WOl' cdlllatcd in Ibad~n uliler. but lhe preceJent will remain. f he con- t n h eI""'if) ~lnd Ihe Sorbonnc. Pari..-.Ed, TI-fE LEGON OBSERVER 22 Decem ber 1967 SIERRA LEONE AFTER THE GIL BEY'S GIN "NON-COUPS" J. Background to the March-1967 Elections is made in Ghana By K. A. B. Jones·Quartey PRE·ELBerloN conditions in Sierra Leone in 1966· 67 were as chaotic and as potentially explosive as any in sub-Sabaran Africa. (See my previous a rticles on the subject in this paper: L.O. II. Nos. 3. 4, 5, & 7). Politically there was a state of a lmost com~ lete dysfunction in necessary factors of cohesion and viability such as leadership and consensus: on the other hand there was lillie to be seen or felt by way of dynamic political a nd economic planning, or of an ongo ing social pro- gramme. Economica lly the national budget had neve r been more " lowly" nor the standard of living more depressed and depressing, compared with costs, consumer demand, the social expec- tation explosion, and so on. Above all, the rela- tions between large sectors of the political com- munity and a government which had converted itself rapid ly into an ol igarchy. then into an oli- ga rch: were of the most hosti le and disintegra- tive. Tn short a state of diseq uilibrium, dysfunc- tion, and potential vio lence had settled upon the country. Th is was because of the disastrous policies of the then Prime Minister. Sir A lbert Margai. whose altempts to ape his latter-day model. Kwame Nkrumah, have eventually brought him and Sierra Leone to a condition even sadder than Nkrur1}ah 's and Ghana's. The Margai regi- me. like Nkrumah 's, had begun in high bopes and grea t expecta tions: but. grad ually at first then rapidly towards the end , it had become ideologically inflated. econom ically chaot ic, and socia lly decadent. It had becon>e a lso. inevitably and fatally. corrupt. tyrannica l, and ripe for over- throw. A lbert Margai had inherited from his o lder brother. the late Sir Milton Margai, no wonder- ful bed of roses. as it was; A lbert made sure it was a bower of thorns by the time he was Gilbey's Gin is only one of the lhrough. H is brother. the cagey old former colo- maoy fine drinks made by Wine nial medica l doctor. had been cast in a strictly & Spirit Distributors (Ghana) Limited. You can also get conservative mould . Sir Milton was adroit and Henkes' Schnapps. Duncan's wise in the traditional ways. in which chiefs. for Whisky. Queen Elizabeth Gin, one, could be ski lfully manipu lated and manoeu- Reine Marie Brandy. Krimsk.aya vred into political acquiescence or action. by the Vodka. Mario Vermouth. All employment of a combination of superstitious- these fine quality drinks are made in Ghana. fear techniques. financial largesse, and punitive Sole Distributors:- sanctions or the threat of same; politicians and party men. for another. could be kept happy. or WINE & SPIRIT DISTRIBUTORS (GHANA) LTD. "snappy". by the tactics of the spoils sys tem . P.o. BOX 34t2, ACCRA. TELEPHONE 65898. To this extent, that is to say to the extent to LTO/WSD1/761A - :?2 Decem ber 1967 TIlE LEGON OBSERVER which he could use the trad itional social-control beginning of 1966 he was taking "his soundings means of obl igation. performance. recogni tion, on the idea of adopting a sim ilar sys tem"-tha t approval and reward, fo r his basic politica l ends , is. the one·party sta te-" for Sierra Leone". as Sir Milton Margai co uld and did have remarka- Patrick Keatley put it (in the Guardian of March ble and consistent success. But he was also com- 25, 1967, p. 7). In March of '66 Margai publisbed pletely innocent of any possible accusation of a Government White Paper setting out IllS one- modernism: he would without doubt steadfast ly pa rty sta te proposals. to the accompaniment of have held Sierra Leone, fo r as long as be could. mounting ala ml and anger among the growing to the qua intly '(pre-modern" atmosphere in number of malconten ts and diss idents in the which he found and left the country, Under tbe country. Nor was this disturbance restricted to lik e.. to the "'lC4sn.OoO <..Iebenturc:- .~s Alloley. 1 v.ou lll say that we have two such rart 01 (,h..lna s capital IS somewhat mi~leading. rcpr~sentali\'es on the Board. In , ... pl. .. ! 01' lhlS amollnt Ghana stands in rt':la- Superficial CritiCL<;OlS Ion In \hbll\{-(ih;,na t td. a~ u creditor \\1,0,,1;': The criticisms of the Abbott -Ghana agreement l"LuIH h' bnth hlJn (apital and J1 '\ed in(~reSl has to datl: have been too superfkial to be reflecting r' ,h.lr~holLkrs ' intcrests. Such claims a sincerl: and honest concern. and it is belic\ed hilV t,l h..: prov ideJ hlr tk-fore aT) \1f1ClH \\hile~ ufe sworn to ~reat Blacb with Jial!~c \ s.. . cls Commission Q. k, K. Bruce ,lflt...mpt This is the otlh.: ial vicw of the South Supreme Courl Bu i 'di.o!!~ (Secreta!') \tlll,Hl government a government which has P.O. 80x 119 • het'll I 'Pi..·it~Jly decled by an a ll-white ol igarch} .\cc.ru. !; all llu~ to "a tee-boil'al mistai..e in the booi.. foreign domination of our economy as onc. You \\.:nt funhcr to point out the din;rgenl views held in~ ,,::,lC"tn WhtLh caused an over booking of tbe ah. ..m t political Icadcrshi p, polklc'l to be pursued, etc, ,c,tlill):! lap.Kit)·· is inadequate. for it fad:i. to and ab""l\e all r..:gional ethmc ro:pre5C'ntation in public t: pld in "" h~ Europeans who booked and checked appointments. It is true the b"n on political acthity in f·· the 1\\0 Ghan.lians were preferred (0 the can hardly allo.... these di,·isions in opinions to be (ihanaians. l 'ntil that i~ sufficien tl) cxpld ineJ ckaTh: disccmcd. mUl.h more to be gfClUped under l'fie w ill (l)ntinuc to wonder what Lufthan~a I!> on.e catcg(lfY. But surprisingl) enough. your editorial :ngued that up to) the agrc.:rncn\ pro\ ided a useful pcg--ethnic. How come when you immediately suggest that me<;.t! \ ic,,"s ·cris..-Lross· 1 pcrwnall} ha"e no quarrel .... ith the ARE YOU criti..::s of the "bOOtt Agreement. But T wboll:- diS- on our agree with ,our conclusions of the unden.1Jrtents of th..: debate. Ho .... did your paper come 10 the conelu- SUBSCRIPTION LIST? shm that the defenders uf the Agreement feel the critki~ms were mOI;\aled b) the desirc to destroy 14 THE LEGON OBSERVER 22 Decem be. 1967 the 'dominant' position held by one ethnic group Neo-colonialism and the future of Ghana in the Civil Service, Commissions of Enquiry, and in Government? Furthermore how did you come to SIR-Perhaps one of the most hated words in post- know that students in this university are divided on coup Ghana is SOCIALISM. In a sense this is under- standable because it brings to our memory, a regime this ethnic basis? There is di vision in fact not based which had some honourable ideals but which lacked on eilinicity but on tbe appropriate means by which the necessary capable men to implement these ideals. to persuade the Government to realise ~be deficiencies of the Agreement and amend them, if possible. I It is not Socialism which we must repudiate but ra- invite your learned team to conduct an opinion poll ther those people who have in one way or the other on tbis campus and you will find bow miserably your demonstrated their unsuitability for the implementation conclusions fall. I ven ture to point out that any of socialist programmes. After all socialism can rightly person who sees tribalistic tendencies in another per- be regarded as the Economic counterpart of democracy. son is himself a tribalist. Your conclusion lacks There is nothing wrong with ereating conditions under objectivity aDd smacks of emotionalism. which all men who are able and willing to work are L'1 this era we are deceiving ourselves into believing assured of jobs for which they are best suited, and also that we are in a world of rationality. I wish to main- conditions in which it is not too difficult for the son of tain that we are only attempting to cling to rationality a common labourer to become a University Professor even without reason. I wish your learned team creates provided he has the ability. a true consciousness which is a pre-condition for be- coming responsibly involved in the transformation of In our enthusiasm to criticize Nkrumah's regime, our society. It is only when we acquire this t rue we have to be a bit more circumspect and generou~ consciousness that we can act on the basis of our We can never brush aside the blligbt side of Nkrumah, moral centre. who must be given credit for at least two qualities of Commollweallh Hall, Ernest Dumor his- bis earlier but later insincere efforts to help the ~on. poor and the unprivi leged, and also his uncompromi- sing stand against those foreign powers who enter into Abbott-Ghana Ltd . unfair economjc and political bargains with the de- SIR-Since the "ABBOTT" affair came (0 light I have veloping countries. It- is regrettable, however, that had the opportunity of studying the original agreement Nkrumah failed to see that neo-colonialism, as he and the ' 'Final'' agreement signed by the Government termed th is economic and political phenomenon, is not of Ghana for , and on behalf of, the people of ' Ghana an exclusive characteristic of the Western Powers, but with a firm called ABBOTT from Illinois, United a quaJity which is evident in the Communist count·ries States of America. as well. Both documents i.e. the original and the so-called revised version remind me of "Nco-Colonialism", a The Abbott-Ghana affair underscores to the cynies concept which unfortunately only v~ry few people can wbat neo-colonialism is. Recent articles in our papers easily identify. To say the least, those who negotiated about the affair show that our " intellectuals" arc now such an agreement must bow their heads in shame waking up from their deep political slumber. The ratber than appear in public to sbow us tbat their Congo mercenary affair also shows that the colonial hands are not stained as the Commissioner of Indus- powers and capitalist interests may be - deprived of tries wou ld make us believe. their political power in Africa but they will go to any Ghanaians have had enough of experts who are extent to maintain, or at least share, economic power. steering the Nation clear from the economic mess and The Rhodesi2n affair should make us ask whether mismanagement or the former government. But the Westminster Constitutional niceties and the much ABBOTT-GHANA agreement casts a very serious va unted British sense of fair play really stand up to the doubt on the efforts by tbose people presently respon- test o( crisis. The alliance between Britain and Russia sible for our economic destiny. In fact if tbe ABBOTT- in the Nigerian Crisis also shows that in the last GHANA agreement represents the manner in which analysis, the Capitalists and the Communists use equal- we are repairing such economic mess then I would say ly deplorable methods to achieve their objectives. without .hesitation that there is a greater doom ahead of Ghana. After relie·. .. ing Nkrumah of his great responsibilities, Mr. Editor, it is a palpable national disgrace for any what we have to do is to supplement bis good ideas Government to. a llow a foreign firm wbich is a with a set of tbeories which are strictly Gbanaian in minority sbare bolder to have such an absolute con- character and then implement these with zeal and trol in a concern in wh ich the Nation is the majority sincerity. "Theory without practice is empty and prac- share holder. tice without theory is blind". Those who hold ultimate The explanation by the Commissioner for Industries political power loday, will be failing this nation if they that the agreement was the best that Ghana could impose on us those so-called technocrats who because batter for was so unconvincing that further comment of lack of the mandate to rule, show utter disregard on it will be unnecessary. for the interests of the nation and the sllfferings of the The ABBOTT-GHANA ag reemen t is one of the common man. Theirs in his ''History of the French many agreements signed by Gbana since the Fe- Revolution" said that "God gave justice to men only bruary 1966 'exercise'. T believe the people of Ghana at the price of struggle". Let us not sow seeds which will would want to know what the other agreements are sooner or later germinate and create sociaJ unrest and like. It is possible others are worse. revolution. P.O. Box 46, ~ Kwame AgbeJi Institute of Statistics, H. D. Artbur Tema Universify of Ghana, LegOD. :!? December 1967 TIffi LEGON OBSERVER 15 The O.A.U. aod the Mercenaries whicb chooses to flout the Declaration can do so with ''';IR- -U reports which have circulated in these parts impunity. It is indeed a traged}' that these mercenaries for the past few days are true then they represent a ha\'e been left to their freedom and that justice has most disturbing state of affairs for Africa. The reports not been done to those countless. What bas bappened have it that the OAU Special Committee on Mercena- in tbe Congo is a real and painful lesson to Africa. It neS has asked all the Mercenaries, now disarmed in can happen anywhcre else tomorrow. That is why it is }twanda, to sign a Decla ration that they will not wrong to exchange Utese mercenaries for a mere De- ((:turn to Africa again. Apparently the implication is clarntion on paper. There are too many mercenaries that once they have signed this Declaration, they arc ready and willing to take advantage of the collective frec men generosity of Africans expressed through this Declara- i"ll put it mildly, this is an unpa rdonable act of folly tion . ~ I)n lhl! part of the OAU. One seriously suspects that 5.t6 Lillian Penson Hall, A lbert F i::. djoe this is the outcome of diplomatic pressure from the Talbot Square, \Vcstcrn world and the Inlernational Red Cross Move- Freetown, Sierra Leone. I !~·nl. The wh ile mercenaries. by themselves, have ":ly <'Ilbmitted that the Declaration signed by the Ghana. It is very interesting to read this; equally it is men.en taritory it could plead that the rection to the planners of the schools' curricula. Tbe n,dt,rl was , ... holly within its domestic jurisdiction. ~f:dav.I, fM exampie. did not take pact in the last 'I \l nlcdlOg and prc~umably docs not consider htL~I.:·1 h,lUl1d by nn~' such Declaration. B~ides, having THE POINT "1.:1' lTd to Handa's recent mad-drive to flirt with dh \frll.:.l under the EU l<;e of "Rc."l.iism'·. nothing Looking for a nice quiet spot to sit ~r .\ him from inviting mercenaries to help put and relax? do n fl ist.III..... mo\emenls in South.:!m Africa. Then come to r ,·dl 1 1\1 ... he \\ould be within bt!r So\ereign 11 hi I, h"I'se who Sohal! be harboured within her THE POINT [\pund.lriL.:s .. \nd Malawi is in Africa~ Want a nice juicy hot Barbecue with ')lHllh \! II,;) is also in Africa and not a member of a cool drink? Ih' f 1\ \ Sh," has in fact, been the sour.;e of recruil- l,"nl l f><.: ... .,;ral of these merccnaril.:S. Arc we to What about tea and our delicious hill· \;; thJI t-.~ ..- .lu"e of this Declaration o,;.'(pclling home-made cakes and biscuits? fr.,OJ -\fri!;3. South Ai"riC;) , ...· ill ':l)mpl)·J O.K., then make it a point (h pJ.,1 ! rl .. lm1.lnCC African countries agree on to come to rue ti,'(1 ,.1 poJiq but 1101 in their implementation. \ t th,') \l de..:ided. to brea!.. 011 dlpinmatlc ro.!- THE POINT lall,'11., Ilh Bril<;in o\Cr Rhodesia on I} a handful (at the juncti ..' n of the old Accra-Terna Road aod tHld lhl.: • llurnge to r..:spe..::t that decision h) the full, tbe Accra-Ada Road) I-ill\ .. an th~ OAtl ensure !.h,lt, tbis lime, thi~ De- I I. I , 111 be honoured b} a1\ its member ... Open 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. everyday -I In the unt,lrtuna\c ..:i\ i\ w;:"Ir that ha:, plagued ""li- Also available at gl'rI.t SLllU~ June there have been ,,:,)ruli..:ling rcporu (,I the presence of mcr..:cnarics lltl the battk-front. H THE POINT the'c rep,H"t<; should be true. it rnl.:J.ns that some m n:,llar; ..· s nrc sLiIl ac\iYe in Africa. "'bat prc\.c.nts Fresh Eggs, Khebab, Ice-cream, those r(\und ...- d up in Rwanda irum tcami.ng up with cakes, etc. lhelr 'C,llh:agu("s" elsewhere on the ,,(rican mntinent Afternoon Tea Time starts from \(\ lilrn· 1..10 the \\-J.r of destruction? the pai,l[U! troth is that the OAU is imPl.ltent and 3.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. 1"" ..... l·r!css to ensure mat the Declaration is honoured Tel. 81-2851 and carned \)ut fuJty. In realistic terms. any country 16 THE LEGON OBSERVER 22 December 1967 planners must be conversant with the direction the state languages and culture, as is being done by some foreign is moving towards. It they are aware of the ideological governments in the country. as well as the structural outlook ot the nation then a University College of Cape Coast, E. Boateng move is made in a purposeful direction. Cape Coast. Apparently we are modernizing. When a nation asks for tCGbnological implements and when it builds bu- reaucratic institutions in and around the ~ystem, onc Bla ck Africa asks for modernity. We need a va lue system which will SIR-In his exposition of recent political history of meet with the demands of the day. Often we read the Ghana, Mr. Howe, in his Black Africa, states inter alia: comments of people in you r reputable Legon Observer "Other leading members of the U.O.c.c. (United Gold that some people, in the normal work situation, behave Coast Convention) were William Ofori Atta .. and dysfuntionally. At a deeper .level of an<:llysis, the ra- Aka Adjei, a young barrister who, wi th Ofori-Atta, tionale behind this behaviour may be sought from the later joined the successful breakaway movement of conflicting values. A person may be alternating between Kwame Nkrumah" (p. 232). two poles, rural behaviour and ur-ban behaviour. It As far as we know, William Ofori-Atta never for a becomes more confusing when one is in such a dual moment, either privately or publicly, "joined" the framework. Therefore, in planning curricula one must Nkrumah group. Tn spite of humiliation, threats and take the needs of the nation into consideration. It arbitrary arrest! and detention, William Ofori-Atta never wouItl be futile to ignore the family as it is the most wavered from his original political beliefs and convic- important institution in the whole social structure. tions. From June 1949, when Kwame Nkrumah founded What benefit wi ll the nation get. from tbe point of his now discredited Convention People's Party, to Fe- view of development, if there is no continuity of equal bruary 1966, when both the Party and its Jeader were experience between the home and the school, for exam- happily overthrown, Willie and his illustrious uncle. ple if after school, the child goes home to find a diffe- J. B. D anquah of blessed memory, fearlessly and stoi· rent set of codes, nonns and values operatiog. ca\!y opposed Kwame Nkrumah and his small 'gods'. My basic submission therefore is that the planners The only Ofori Atta who "joined tbe breakaway move of curricula must be in such a position that! they are ment" of Kwame Nkrumah, much to the disappoin tment able to take many factors into consideration vis-a-vis of the progressive opinion of the Abuakwa state, the social institutions operating within the )J"ystem, as was Aa ron Dfori-AHa, laler to be known as Kofi the school is part of tbe system. Asante Ofori-Atta. It was he who, after feeding fat So often one reads from tbe Sociological literature on state funds while in Britain, returned to form a the complexity of nonns and values co-exist ing in the despicable 'triumvi rate' in the Abuakwa state with urban milieu. Often one comes across people who are Nkrumah 's leading 'gaping sychopbant ', Kwaku Boa· " in town", but for all practical purposes, a re "of tbe teng, and Akwasi Amoako AHa, to destroy one by one town" . To bridge tbis gap will be the job of the curri- almost all the cberished va lues and traditions of the culum planners, a difficult but useful assignment for sta te. tbe nation. If urban centre is tbe civilizing agent, There is another statement in Mr. Howe's book the broker of what is desirable as weB as the ideolo- whi ch should be cla rified. Writing ~n the same subject, gical pathfinder need to set standards throughout the Me. Howe maintains that the United Gold Coast Con- length and breath of the country. vention functioned "under the leadership of Dr. J. B. 3622, Durocher St., A. P. Twumasi Danquah and Samuel R. Wood, fonner Secretary of Montreal. P.Q. the Abo rigines (Rights) Protection Society" (p. 232) Canada. Here too, it must- be corrected that, although S .. R. Wood was a very influential member of the A.R.P.S .. he was never a lead ing member of the U.G.c.c. One _T he Study of Ghanaian Languages wonders whether S. R. Wood was even ~ active po' SIR-With the establisbment of Universities in tbe litician in tbe late 1940's. Perhaps the only public country, a start should be made by the Institute of action taken together by S. ~. Wood and Dr. 1. B. African Studies, University of Ghana, Legan for the Danquah was their common expression of alarm and study of Ghanaian languages. If it is essentia l for edu- indignation at Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia, in 1935. cated persons to learn foreign languages, ancient and Dr. Danquah was at this time Secretary of the Gold modem, then it is equally necessary that cbairs should Coast delegation to England led by his brother, Nana be established for the study of Fante, Asante, Ewe, Sir Ofori Atta. There was also another poJiti.;ai mission I Hausa dialects, in the Institutes of higber learning. to England during this very period consisting of two Great scholars as the late Dr. Akrofi and Rev. G. officers of the A.R.P .S., George Moore :md Samuel I Acquah contributed immensely to the spoken and R. Wood. who came to protest to the Secretary ~~ written Akan languages which were to b~come the State for Colonies against certain "obnoxlous laws standard type in our vernacular language. In some enacted by tbe Governor, Sir Shenton Thomas, and I European Universities, there are strong and powerful to demand a refonn of the constitution. Both D.r. faculties which specialise in African and Oriental Danquab and Mr. Wood took the opportunity of their studies. These Universities attract students who specia- presence in London at the time to join the Committee lize in native languages, religion and anthropology. You of the International African Friends of Abyssinia which I cannot live and work with the inhabitants of any re- aimed at the maintenance of tbe territorial integrity and gion without some knowledge of their way of life. the political independenee of Abyssinia. As far as I look forward to the day when Institutes for the the post-war political movements are concerned, .Mr. study of Ghanaian languages will be established all Wood was neither a leader nor an intluential member t over the world for the dissemination of Ghanaian of any of the political parties of the period. 22 December 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER 17 Other mino r mistakes may be observed: first. the his~ of Labour and T rade Unionism. lory ('If Ghana has never known Aborigi nes Protection (c) Drawing up a Constitution 'ociety (p. 232) but ABO RIG INES' RIGHTS PRO- (d) Appointing an economist or labour expert ex- fECT ION SOCIETY second , the Aggrey referred to perienced in sbi pping to advise the Union at page 237 was D r. James Emmanuel Kwt.:gvi r Aggrey Black Star L ine, G . O. McClean :.nd NOT Dr. Rudolf Agg rcy. P .O. Box 259, 1l is hoped that Mr. Russell Howe wou ld immediately Takorndi. <'. ~1.if\' these minor errors in his subsequent publication If 'Black :\frica" in order to straighten u p ou r h is- Lack of Courtesy in a Publi c Officer nrt. al rcct)rds. SIR - J went to the Accra International Air Tenninal G ilhert Murrary Hall. S. K. B. Asanle on the I ltb instant to buy some stamps and some ai r I 'nhcrsilY of Leicester. tetter ca. rds as well as to post some letters. Some of the Leicester, l.K. letters I wanted to PO!;t were air Jl'ITPr (,:1,1"1"1" "0 there was no problem in posting those. Others were, how- ever, inland letters with no stamps on them. That Expensh e Day I first checked up at the post office to see if it was IR On 8 Februa ry, 1964, the proscri bed C.P,P .. led open and found that the door was shut. I Iherdo'l1 hv Mr K .... eku Akwti and the other socialist boys, walked round to the pillar post box and dropped the or~:lnl~cd a huge demonstration in the Un iversity of fully prcpaid air Ictter cards and came back into the (,hana "a neo-co lonia list and anti-C.P,P. institution". building to await the opening of the Post Office. While [luring this demonstration, the demonstrators entered at the kiosk or newspaper stand 1 read a notice pasted lhc blh of residence and looted valuable a rt icles. on the doo r of the Post Office. Among other bits of ()o the next day, when members of the Students' information the notice announced that on week days RI pn:sco lati\\! Council. accompanied by Professor W. the office opens from 7.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from E. Abraham. assessed the cost (,f damage done, it was 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. T checked up on the time from my IHI that ab~)Ul NC 1.500 worth of university property wrist watch which was 3 minutes to 8 :l.m. Thinking had bCI,;[l damagl'd or stolcn. that the door was shut because it \\as chilly o r windy !'\ic'" thai the as~ls and conduc~ of these nalion-w rec- Of both, I worked on the handle slightly to see if it k~r .. :.tIC I)eing PWbL'Ci, I appeal to the Chairmen of the was locked. The door opened at ttiis but I was imme- fir,,!,, Commissions of Inquiry to compel Me Kweku d iately ordered, in a stern yoice. to "close the door" \Iowei .;fJJ the other organisers of the dl,;munstration I did not abe)' The order wa.s repeated seyeral times Ip ,_aring hefnrc them) to refund to goyernment chest but it all sounded stranged to me. I was then asked, Ir t" .he ulli\crsitv the cost of the damage caused by "ha .. c }'OU k.nocked! when you want to entcr you r h It obnously Irrc'sponsible and capricious venture. father'::. room don't )OU /...nockr'· I said nothing. "Why 0" Set'nnda ry School G, ..\. F remponj! do you do things like tha t, big man?" 1 was asked. r I r zon then said that 1 did not see how one k.noc/...s to ente r O. 80' a post office. "Then come in and stand! when an office '''illl Olb is do))cd dun't you knock!" In reply I asked. " have }OU dosed"" and the answer was, "yes we ilave closed Nationa l Union o( Seamen Don't tal/... to me this morning". 1 then remarked. "you .l~ ""IICl the Seamen Union was formed in 1966, sound rather queer to me thi!; morning". I tben shut hi t I' 1\11 has fuiled miserably to fulfil he l objectives. the dON and returned to thc kiosk and en,:ntually went lI"H; wnst.lnt ui"mi~sal of both office~ and Executive away \\.-ithou l buying any stamps or posting my un- d mh~rs h.l~ I;llntributed greatly to the inSlabilit} of prepaid letters. Ih I nilll1, \bflUI cight}-fhe pe r ..:ent of the members Sir. what is !.he US!! of the notice on the door! Has n Jllil Jail;: this fact enables the execuli\c to manipu, it been Slue/'" there In o rder 10 lure people in ill the t t tht: lOilln In their pcrslmal intcTl!Sts. Hardly \\~lUld wrong limes to n:c.::i\e su,:h reprimands? How cou ld they "II .. ult I'r Hl,it.:; nc'\-s fr,lm the memb<.:rs bdor. .. the officer pos~lbj) liken the post office to my "father', dlill': a deCIsio n, nor d ,l they imrkmenl .... h.u i" room" M indet..'d. to :IOY prl\a.te room? \\hy .:ould he 'ill n III th, Bye la .... s, F,H e:\amplc, Offence '10. IJ not ldl me that the ..:ounlcr was not yet open to the Ilc that rhell "f l 'nion pn1pcrty or misappropria- publici In any case, what \l-as wrong in my opening 1111 1\ l ni,ln Funds ~alls for the c\pulsion of the the door ~lf the airport post (\ffice ~nd at a time it was III nu ... T f ,1m the \lniMI" yet Mr A. ~a}1 E:;sien. the ann~lunccd 10 h:l\e been opened for the past 17 minutes? (,cncr,,1 Sc..:retal) ,,1' "I.l' .5., wh" \ io l.lted this ta\\. \Vh} .·ould the offker behave lil..e thaI \\-hen all over W,H n,)t e'i.["\~II('d from the Unilln but mther rcmo\cd the \\,\rld it i .. rcnnisiblc to queue up in a post office (, I ,till .Inu put ahllard m.\ '·",)de Lago,)O" N a hank ,md wait to be c;er'\'ed? \o\ny is that officer It I~ "ell l..('Il)wn that ,'ur officers :HC embeuJiing not hecdinJ!. all the c::l.mroaigns and national L.. . ll::. f"r lunds "tth Impunity. There arc I')lhcr odditic. . liJ,.e the C~'urtc~) in public officers and greater output of work? usc "I "Opcr;ltl,'tl One Year' Ho\\ ..:ould sUl'h discourtesy and arrogance be allowed at \lur ro~t offices and. moreover. at one of the entry It \ ,'uld I.'>c hlghl) appre.lollcd if ;\!r n. .\. U<.:f\lum. pt.Hnts into ~'ur count.!)? \\nen somc post offi..:\; em· Gelleral $..::nct3r) of Ghana Trad..:!; \..nioll t.:ongress pl(l~cc!; L~)mplain of "poor pay and poor 5enice" wh.J.t .... ,'ult! u<;.: hIS gllod dflcl!S to I,Jt,k inti' the affair<; ,'f this exactly do they mean "hen the\ exhibit such ... Igns [larticuia'" Union. of poor sen ices themSl:he~" (a) B ... calling upon the -\uditor G.::ncral to audit the Ministry of E.. .. teroaJ \ffain. Dr. H. Lima.no P ,O. Bos~ (b) Briclin& the offi.:~rs llf N.V.S about distribution ACaB. 18 THE LEGON OBSERVER 22 December 1967 Community Centre in Bawku Town "SUBSCRIPTION RA1'ES SIR~Letters have been sent to all Canton Chiefs in SURFACE AIR the Kusasi area requesting them to bring their subjects 10 Bawku Town to build a Community Centre through 6 months 1 year 6 months I yO&< communal labour. Though the Bawku town needs a ------------------- community centre, it is never the duty of the poor I Ghana NCl.30 NC4.50 villagers to labour for towns-men to enjoy. I am rather very sorry that the organiser seems not ~-----~-I---~I--- 38/ - to be interested in the well-being of these poor villa- Africa 2JJf - 55/- 70/- gers. How can the Chief ot Sapeliga and his subjects - - - ---- take part in building a community centre through U.K. 2JJf - 55/- 64f- 120/ · communal labour in Bawku town when these people -------- stay almost 30 miles away from the town. How many Europe 301- 60/- 160)- --- 84f-times in a yea r do you think a peasant fanner from ---- Sapeliga would visit Bawku town to take part in the U.S. S4.30 $8.60 S12.00 S23.DO enjoyment of this centre? Rate payers in Sapeliga ------ range from 5,000 to 7,000 persons; Owing to bad roads Caoada $4.30 S8.60 Sl2.00 $23.00 food can hardly get to this village. Worikambo and Bugri are also vill ages almost 28 miles each away Minimum subscr iption: 6 months. Quotations for other from Bawku town. areas will be supplied on request. The roads that were existing between these places and Bawku are now unusable, and tbe market trucks Subscription Order have to pass through bush paths on market days to Copy the following form and fill for a subscription for enable tbe poor villagers get their day-to-day essential yourself or on behalf of somebody else: goods. Jt is also apparently clear that there are no (BLOCK LETTERS) good drinking wells in all these villages. If Name. the Organiser of the above-f!!entioned project is a good citizen, he must call the villagers to:- 9\ddress (a) Build market-sheds in their respective village mar- kets to protect themselves from sun and rains. (b) Sink good drinking wells in order to escape genns. (c) Build good roads to enSUTe quick food supplies and other commodit ies that cannot be obtained in v illages. P.O. Box 8, Anicks Dinko Bawku The Prah Report SIR-One finds, on a visit to A'GCra or any other urban area in Ghana, that workers queue for a considerably No. of copies per issue., . long time for bus rides home and to their offices and Mail by Air/Surface (Circle appropriate word) factories. In desperation and anger many workers go by " tro-tro" lorries, and the relatively well-off go by Value of remittance enclosed . taxis. - (Payable to The Editor, The "Legon Observer", pleaSl It is well-known tbat our bus system is shabbily or- cross all cheques or postal/money orders). ganized and operated. It was with considerable relief Send your application and enquiries to The Editor, that the public ,ve1comed the appointment of the Prab The " Legon Observer", P.O. Box 11, Leeon, Ghana Committee to look into our bus service. Even tbough the Committee has submitted its Report to the NLC nothing has been beard of it. In the public interest can this Report be publ'isbed soon? To our Contributors Community 2, Augustus Mensah. Tema. We would like to remind our prospec· nve contributors about some of the rules ADVERTISE I governing contributions·:- , The MAXIMUM length of articles is 4 IN THE pages quarto, typed double-space; lelrers LEGON OBSERVER should not exceed it pages quarto, and should be exclusive to the "Legon Observer". * Lengthy contributions are likely to be de- I Your customers read the LEGON OBSERVER layed or not published at all. Contributions I * not exclusive to the L.O. will not be pu-You get quick results * You get more busiJ;less blished.-Editor. n December 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER 19 WHAT SORT OF RISKS DOVOU TAKE II Accidents and illness can happen any time to any of us. How long would your income continue if you were unable to work. You can insure against this very real risk. All you have to do is contact your nearest S.I.c. office - tbe easy and simple way of protectmg your income and safeguarding your future. ACf NOW ITS TIllE rot.' TALKED INSiJRA.YCE WITH STATE r\Sl'RANCE CORPORATION po. Box 2363 Accra Tel. 64619--65740 20 THE LEGaN OBSERVER 22 December 1967 Book Review digger of the Revolution , the one who betrayed its conscience by holding on to bureaucratic state power long after the Bolshevik trusteeship THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION: had been rendered unnecessary by the recovery of RUSSIA 1917----{j7 the working class. (By Isaac Deutscher, N.Y. Oxford Univ. Press Deutscher does realise, as a good Marxist 1967 lIS pp.) sbould, that it was not the personality of Stalin Reviewed by that was solely responsible for the aberrations of S. Ryan the Revolution. Quoting Khruschev, he asserts that THIS exciting little book must surely be one of Stalin was no mere 'giddy despot' but an uneasy the most important to appear on the Soviet symbiosis of Marxism and the savage and back- Union in the last few years. In it, Deutscber, per- ward Russian environment. Much of tbe seeming haps the most outstanding historian of the Russian irrationality of Stalinism and indeed Leninism Revolution, attempts to eval uate the performance was accasioned by the manner in which the of the Soviet regime over the past fifty years. As Revolution took place. The telescoping of the tbe title suggests, Deutscher believes that the bourgeois and proletarian revolutions "produced Revolution is st ill far from being complete, a long series of crises which could not be mana· but he does give cred it to tbe Bolsheviks for ged by normal methods of statecraft, political ac- baving transformed Russia from a savage and commodation or manoeuvre." As is the case with backward oriental despotism iJ)to one of the many new nations today, the pre-conditions of wor1d 's great industrial and military powers, not- genuine socialism were totally lacking in Russia. withstanding tbe extraordinary losses that that Against the stark backwardness of Tsarist Russia country sustained during two world wars, civil the democra tic aspirations of the Leninists were stri[e and fOreign intervention. A ltbougb outspo- powerless. "Scarcity inexorably breeds inequality kenly critical 01 tbe Sov iets, Deutscher does not where there is not enough food, clothing and agree that a modified Tsarism might have ho-using for all, a minority will grasp what it can achieved the same results, and tbat the Revolu- while the rest go hungry, clothed in rags and tion was therefore unnecessary. Russia, he asserts, crowded in slums". The same tragedy is now cou ld only have made the strides it has by drawing being enacted all over the tiers monde. on her agricul tural resources and the extraordi- Deutscher is a lso fiercely critical about the nary exertions of her workers. T he Tsarists, he defioiencies of contempGrary Soviet society. He believes, were too dependent' on Western finance complains about the continuing inequality in tbe capHa l to attempt such a revolutionary develop- distribution of wealth and social benefit" about ment strategy and were too feudal in fheir orien- the lack of decent housing-the average room tation to release farming from the paralysing space per person is still only 6 square yeards-and grip of the aristocracy which such a strategy about Ihe Machiavellian trade union policies (i.e would have called for. Moreover, they lacked socialist competition) tbat are st ill being used to the poljtical strength and moral authority that turn worker against worker and prevent the for~ would have been needed to extract from the mation of working class identity and solidarity workers the kind of sacrifices that the program· Deutscher also claims that a deliberate attempt is me demanded. still being made to isolate the enterprising workers Deutscher nevertheless believes that the same from their less competent colleagues, and tbat results could have been achieved with more this manipulated "brain·C!irain" has condemned order and rationality, and without the terror, the latter to social and political debility. blood, tears and moral degradation that Stalin The monopoly of political, economic and cul- inflicted on the Russian people. But Deutsoher tural power that the "new class" exercise over studiously avoids telling us what these alterna· Soviet citizens is also roundly condemned. Soviet tive strategies might have been, thougb at one bureaucrats, he says. exercise power greater than point he seemed to bave found the answer in that wielded by any possessing class in modem "voluntary co·operation." He nevertheless ex· times. But Deutscher's use of the term "new presses uncertainty as to how meaningful that class" is somewhat different from that of Djilas alternative really was. Although he is unsure of its actual size. be Again, without really attempting to define its believes that the "new class" is much smaller elements, Deutscher tells us that a Leninist than Djilas suggests. It does not include all the "strategy" might have been less counter·produc· 12 million or so members of the bureaucracy. tive than Stalin's. Stalin, he sa.ys, was the grave· specialists. intelligentsia etc., many of whom he 22 December 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER 21 says enjoys standards of living no higber that the disappearance of concentration camps and the Rritish lower middle class. Some earn even less cruder forms of police terror. The nat ion is th"n highly skilled Soviet workers. Only the upper beginning to recover its mind and speech. but is reaches of the bureaucracy, part hierarchy and thwarted by the slow pace and lhe hypocricy of n1ilitary personnel constitute a genuine noveaux de-Stalinisation. "The half freedom the Soviet riches strata, and even then, these lack some of the Union has woo since Sta.lin's days can rndeed be hasi(.; attributes of an exploiting class. For one even more excruciating than a complete and thing. the group lacks self confidence and feels hermetic tyranny". The Soviet people are aJso continuously driven by guilt feelings to conceal its hungering for the full story of tbe revolution and identity and share of the nalional cake. As much for informat.ion about some of the men who ,IS is pOSSIble. it avoids conspicuous expenditure helped to make it, but who in this anniversary and Jares not flaunt jts anti·egaWarianism too year sti ll rema in nameless. natcdJy as could a capitalist ruling class. which For all his criticism of the Soviet elite whom (.hd not have to depend on an egalitarian ideology he dismisses as an "arrogant bureaucratic oli· rOT it'i legitimacy and survival. Moreover. the garchy, incorrigible in their national narrow upper strata has not succeeded in isolating itself mindedness and egoism", Deutscher still has an a~ a c3ste since ideology and the needs of an abiding faith in Lbe Marxism eschatology and l"panding economy have resulted in massive and continues to believe that a Marxist apocalyp tic 1 arId ~.){;ial mobility. "happening" is imminent in the West. Indeed, he T >cs.pite this open class system, the privation explici tly rejects the neo-Bemsteinian "myth" of (11 the ma~es remain real as does the smouldering secular prosperity and argues instead tbat it was ,tnlal!onisJ1l hetv.een lOwn and country. Soviet the unfortunate isolationist policy of Stalin rather 4.;1t1/C::ns are said to be angry that a super·power than the inherent strength of capitalism tha t has u~ h as Ru!:.sia cannot provide a better standard been responsible for the "colossal mylh of tbe \1f li",lIlg lor its people. 1n the sphere 01 civil so-called failure of socialism". In pursuit of the hhc lit::, frustratton is also evident despite the mirage of Socialism in one country, Stalin. and (;IIANAKOTE: BEESHAl\I TEMATEX: CEMENT PAINT the supt::rgloss enamel pamt the emulsion paint that makt$ protects your borne in all that 's ~asy to keep clean your home corne alive. Made weathers. Specially made to ~fld protects woodwork to last in hot climates and give adJed ~trengLh and is vailablc in a range of known for 1tS durability available in a range of dazzling I.:olours qualities exciting colours. NC1.50 per gallon NCltl.OO per 56 lb. Drum NC6.25 per gallon ~ STATE PAINT CORPORATION, P.O_ BOX 144, TEl\IA. ______- ...l 22 THE LEGON OBSERVER 22 December 1967 now his successors, have caused the defeat of Repu bJic which was. to them, an undesirable Socialism in many countries, and h;!.ve exposed man ifestation of African aspirations and ability the Soviet Union itself to mortal peril. for self-government. This was, naturaUy, con- There is no doubt that Deutscher's book will be trary to their teachings and dangeroos to their widely read and that is will provoke discussion interest as a source of inspiration for African for some time to come. For this reason, it is nationalists and peoples elsewhere, at the time, something of a pity that Deutscher did not take under suppression in their so·called "colonial the time to spell out what he believes the real terr itories and protectorates." alternatives to StaliQism ought to have been. It is. therefore, not merely the question of Indeed be has left largely unanswered tbe age-old Liberia 's century of survival but equaJJy an ap· question as to whe~ber or not Stalin was a neces- precia tion of Liberia's struggle and success in sary evil. these circumstances that these African nationa- lists and leaders who eventually led their coun· tries and peoples to independence (Dr. Azikiwe, Matters Arising outstanding African intellectual and nationalist, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Ghana's heralded "Osa· gyefo" of yesterday, President Sekou Toure of LmERlA'S ROLE IN AFRICA Guinea and several African leaders) have va· By riously given utterance to. And President Toure J . Christopher Ricks only gave eloquent expression to these historical facts when, as Mr. Saifu, complains, he said: (Second Secretary and Consul , Liberia EmbaEsy, Accra) "In the history of this new Africa which has I WRITE to emphasize, intw alia, the fact that just come to the world, Liberia has a pre- no one can change a people's true history-let eminent place because she has been for each alone by mere myths and blatant absurdities or one of our peoples, the living proof that our slanders and bigotry-in reply to the libellous liberty was possible and nobody can ignore article entitled "Liberia's Role In Africa" which the fact that the Star wh ich marks the Libe· appeared in Vol. II No. 22, 27 October-9 rian National Emblem has been banging more November. 1967 issue of the "Legon Observer" than a century-the sole star which illu· by one Mr. Yaw Safiu, whose journalistic stan- minated our night as dominated peoples." dard and taste can do very little to enhance This is a history upon which the Government the reputation of any paper. It is amusing, to and people of Liberia have never been satisfied say the least. that an article so entirely devoid to rest their national future nor to take undue of the elementary scruples of scholarship pride in. And to refer to this as mere intense was accorded such a prominence and space by emotional effusion or imagine that. by turning editors who are also professors of so outstanding a blind eye to the history of his own country and an institution of learning as the University of glossing over historical facts and tangible achie- Ghana, regardless of their professional and ethi- vements in other people's country, he can ei ther cal responsibility to determine the policy and con- change theIr history. or, for that matter, belittle tent of their paper. This reinforces the Embassy's «Liberia's role in Africa", only reveals Mr. Ya\\' reason for finding it difficult to dissociate Mr. Sa!1u's gross misconception as to tbe subjective \( . A. B. J ones-Quartey, Chairman of the Edi· aspect of any human struggle and his pitiablr torial Committee, from the scurrilous attacks lack of objectivity and intellectual honesty. upon the Government and People of Liberia, in The nature of tbe article: to give an idea of view of his sarcast ic television remarks which the jumble of facts, host of inconsistencies and preceded said art icle. baseless conclusions which characterised his arti- The Embassy has already described the article cle, let us refer to one or two typical examples: as "slanderous and couched in crude and unscru- First. his sources of information: without an), pulous language" and bas rejected it as "puerile sign of eritical analysis-not to mention syn- recitation of uncorrelated 2nd inaccurate dis- thesis and realistic interpretation--of his factS. tortions of foreign propaganda and half-truths of Mr. Saffu also failed to state anything within his old colonial days, without the slightest objectivity own experience or to cite anyone he was able or realism." to interview on the spot in Liberia. This fact is Doubtless, these foreign agents and their mas- substantiated by his own words here:- ters had one obvious motivation:- to see an end "I passed through Liberia in July 1964 from to Liberia's existence as an autonomous African one end of tbe country to the other. However, 22 December 1967 TIlE LEGON OBSERVER 23 I cannot pretend to know the country at first tionship or mutual economic ties with other hand . But one book, R. L. Buell 's Liberia: friendly countries, A century of Survival. (penn. Univ. Press. Inaccuracy and confusion of facts: An exam- I q~7) and two articles, one by George Dal- ple of the inaccuracy and confusion of facls ty- ton. History, Politics and Economic Develop- pical of his article is, again, revealed by these ment in Liberia (Northwestern Univ. Progr. suggestions about a " 1922 loan". And I quote: ,)f African Studies, Reprint Series No.3) and "In 1922, for instance, Liberia had to accept the other by J. Gus Liebenow. <'Liberia" in 22 American officials. in whose bands she Guendolen Carter. (ed. African One Party agreed to place the collection of all Liberian <;tat('~. (Chicago University Press) seem to me revenue. the administration of native and mi- d tairly adequate basis for a modest indict- litary affairs and the control of virtuaUy all ment agai nst Liberia: for a reconsidera tion government expenditures in return for a $5 flf her allegedly inspiring role in Africa's miJiion loan. When Liberia showed signs of histor~ resisting this thrust a t ber independence, the I find it particularly significant that a ll the U.S. threatened that it rn.jght be necessary for three Authors J have cited a re Americans. her " to reconsider her objections to the esta- I his is because it is America. her Govern- blishment of a mandate over Liberia ". ments and a la rge Finance Corpora tion shield- Admittedly. tbe loan cited was requested by the fllb itself under the umbrella provided by Liberian Government and sponsored by President -\mencan Governments. that has been in the Woodrow Wilson in 1919. but never materialised UIll:nmmendab1e;; position of a Patron State as a result of protracted negotiation. to mollify to I ihena American a rms hclped Liberia to certa in stipulations of the agreement. which even- preserve her te rritorial imegrity. But they tua lly bro!..e down. 1n addition to this. never in d.!: 0 helped lhe small A merico-Liberian oli- her history has Liberia ever surrendered the ad mi- ' Mr SaHli obvjously has no Washington. With the United States Secretary of It! o.:'pl perhap,"" their nationality. the whole Sta te. Mr Henry L Stimson (Memoir..:;, C. L. f )ulld,\tiun and nature of his reasoning can he Simrson, former Liberian Secretary of State, Vice "a Ill'; own log!l: seems to be based on President and Ambassador to \Vasbington), This !. I II... ...,dls. " a fairly adequate basis for a again evince the arbItrariness of Nlr. Yaw Saffu II\~ II t IIldiLllllcnt agamst liberia" on the in Iink.ing up C\'eOls which have no relevance to r,1I11111 lhdl the Juthors are Americans; that onc another \Ill r I Jnt! her governmen ts shielJ a large Fi- r.. .. loreover. this would-be intellectual and critic n '\1 .... ti. tp1T_ltHlO, anJ are in the positton ~)f a of Llbcna who said he had visited the COUll try p"u 'l) "'talc ttl liberia" "in 1964 from one end to the other" surdy de- I'l 'db this ludinous argument seriously is k. ... monstrated his utterly unconscionable disregard I\. 'I. pt tilt rrim:iple that any ..:riticism, h0wcver for the \aluc and men£.) of what he sa~s ""hen he 1 II 111w. . lj dC~tgneJ to slanulo!r and lJistTedit any (ompareJ relat ionship betv.een any groups o[ Li- \11-, la-I mdt.'pt:nlient State-English or French- herldns with that existing between the- racist j1L1.1 'n,T induJing Ghana-i!) an "ade~!uate ba- minurity white setllers or Afrikaaner!> and the I r IT l llwde~t indictml.mt" simply h('cause it -\fri(;an~ of apartheid South Africa. This, ind~, \\,\'s \\rttft.'n t'ithcr h) an Englis.hman or J. seems to belie the seriousness of ;\ofT Saffu's sug- lien ·hll1.J.Jl eVt!n thl1Ugh I iben..t. was nner a gestIon that he "tra\elled from one end 01" Libe- 'bn of the t 'nitt.'J St..tkS of . \mcriLJ. as such. ria 1O the other in 19M" Fo r it ',"ould not be -\nJ furthcrl1lOre. If h) the tcrms "Patron or improbable that he should ha\ e discovered or, ('lit-Ilt Status" Ir SatIu reft:rs to intem:.iltOnal at lca!>t. ]earned lOilfl'; \lr lraJiti(lOiJ l relations and eCOOOnlJl.; ties a) that the traditional chiel"s that he referred to lx'\\C"l:n mJependellt nations. then. kt him point J.S "humiliated and degraded go-in-between 11..) ~n) dc\cklpmg nation or ncn a Jt.' .... elo~"'l1 " \\oere (as many of them ar,>! ",Ill!) in the- I... lU tHr. that d(.1CS not maintain traditi ..l. nal rela- National Legislature ~ Sen:lt0r. .. and Mem- 24 THE Ll'lGON OBSRRVER Z2 December 1967 bers of the House of Representatives, unlike depression whioh resulted from World War I and their counterparts in Ghana. Also to be found forced Sir Gordon Guggisberg, then Governor of as party leaders and officials are some of the Gold Coast,- to raise loans for his "Ten Year these chiefs; and ~Jjeir women and children Development Plan" to the tune of £4 million at are likewise represented in the Legislative, 6 per cent interest in 1920; and again in 1925 for l'lxecutive, and Judicial branches 01 the Go- £4,628,000 at 4t per cent interest for water works, vernment of Liberia; in such top posts as railway and harbour development, that compel- Chief Justice, Vice Presidents, Cabinet Mi- led Liberia to make loans for developmen, pro- nisters, Ambassadors and Consuls General, jects in , the same period. Let Liberia 's critics in Chief of Staff and Generals of the Army. their comparison, out of fairness, also take into Some of these old foreign and new African account that Liberia, unlike all of her sister critics and particularly of the standards of Mr. African States, never had any legacy, in the form Saffu and some of his h,entors at Lggon, who of development, from the colonial past, but had indulge in abstract thinking and false obsessions, to rise at ber own instance from the very scratch. sometimes fall in crass errors in their assessment This is a statement of historical fact, in no way of most questions on Liberia for these simple intended to cast aspersion upon, or belittle tbe reasons: . aohievement of our Sister African States after i) that they do not consider the peouliar situa- indepftndence. tion and differences in baokground between This is pub'ished tlnedited - Ed. Liberia and other African countries when drawing their comparison and sweeping con- clusions; ji) they invariably ignore in their assessment. WANTED either convenient1y or otherwise, the universal aspeots and proper historical perspeotives of A TAPE RECORDER some of the facts and questions on which their Eitber ("') a Philips: 4-speed, 4-traok, (prefe- charges and invectives against Liberia are rably the EL 3549 model) largely based. Or , ~b) a Uher portable. iii) that they show very little or no scruples in drawing sweeping conclusions on questions in Write to tbe Editor, Tbe Legon Observer, or about Liberia when they know, really and Legon, stating your offer. truly, that they are not conversant with Ihe realities and facts involved; and moreover, iv) they, sometimes, maliciously olose their eyes to such facts or aGhievements as wou ld reflect credit on the Government and People of Li- beria: ADVERTISE v) tbey often fail to take into account all the changes whicb have taken place in the past as well as the revolutionary character of the social, political and economic transformation IN THE whioh bave taken place as a result of the Unifjication Programme and other policies of the Tubman Admin istration in recent years. I wish, finally, to assure Mr. Yaw Saffu and critics of his mentality that no section of the LEGaN OBSERVER Liberian citizenry welcomes his patronage or impudence in assuming the role of champion • Your customers read the for democracy in Liberia; he would do well in discussing economic, social and political matters LEGON OBSERVER pertajning to tbe history of Liberia or in com~ paring Liberia with other countries or in pre~ tending to lament the political fate of chiefs in • You get quick results other countries to remember that "charity begins • You get more business at bome"~ and that he would have done well to recall that is was the same world~wide economic 22 December 1967 TIlE LEGON OBSERVER 25 Opinion a nd what is liberalism but disguised capitalistic colonialism?" It is easy to see why such one· sided critics exclude a ll forms of oppression INTELLEcnJAL NON-ALIGNMENT-WHO against tbe people at home. On their scale of WANTS IT? values freedom from the degradation of colonialv By ism occupies an bonoured pedestal. beside which Oppong-Agyare all other forms of domestic inequality and dic~ tatorship must pale into insignificance. The other Rl o\l)lN(; and listening to other people's c riticisms. group of critics, mainly from the home front. are ,me: gets tbe impression that there is nothing by convi nced that charity begffis at home. and tbat \" hiLil the whole world sets more store than however laudable a foreign policy is, it must not lairnl:ss and objec tivity. Journalists. who wield be allowed to lead the people to despai r and lr'_'nenJous pmvcr in the society. are constantly want. Because Nkrumah permitted this to happen. admlmbhcd to be fair and objective in criticism. he is. and will continue to be. a vil lai., of Ghana. rhus. it is easy to take this appeal for fairness But an insuperable difficulty arises when nei~ md Ohjl' 'tivity to he a call for intellectual noo- ther side is prepared to concede to tht! just claims li1::,.nmcnl or intellectual detachment or liberal- of the other. And the person who advocates for 'lolll "ome people have taken the call seriously and both views st raightway ends by being. in the h;~\~' ,-,onsequently tried to be scrupulously fair words of Professor Mazrui. "despised or blamed [lid t)hJ~·ctlve. intellectually detached. as it were. by partisans on both sides"-a veritable victim ,n Iheir appraisal of personalities and comments of intellectual non-alignment. It is nOl difficult to )[l (" Io:nh. But wmewhat ironically. public re~ trace the source of this mental atti tude. Ever JdllJIl It' Ihl:lr points of view has a lways been since the Great Galilean sa id. "He that is not 'lIlotlun,-dl~ dblOrled a nd as heatedly attacked. for liS is against us." politicians have accepted 111f-.; otkn than not. these intellectual liberals this dictum and used it to justify their gross intole· ·qd hy alienating all so .. ts of people. being ranc~. Nor is the converse. "he that is not against ~1;l1nl" I "'0 .111 ~idcs. becau~e their stand is never us is for us" necessaril) true. For all we know. 1 l1nqudl1f1ed support for or a (l1l1~bloodcd attack it is possible that a person may nm be for you '1 ",ny nne partil.:ular point of view. Such is the and yet NOT be against )ou. ,)imilarly he may Il.n).' nht..:rcnt in intellcl:wai non·aJignment. not he agamst )ou and yel not be FuR you. Both \ il'tim uf Intellectual Detachment situations a rc logir.:ally possible. But we are apt to exclude these perfectly conceivable alternatives \ r ~'.cnl victim of intellectual detachmenl I::' \nJ by lhis altilude we show our emOtional im· i)", "llf \IL '\lazrui of Ma\.;crere University. His matunt)" Worse. it makes us see saboteurs:. na· (Plle n.:., "oh:l~ in the fact thd.t he regarLis Nk.ru~ tion-\\-r('ckers. subvcrsitionist:, and fifth c01um~ IlllP hllth ;IS ,t ·'hero ot Afri..:a" and a "villain of nist~ in man) an lnnocent and fiacely nationa~ l dl"~r.:l· Ilis article. "Nkrumah. the Lt. . 'ninlst li~ti(" person. Hence we smell of ~abolage where ( JI I J ransition No. 28) evoked viruien(e from there i ~ none I ll.J~llllbh l1f both viev.s on Nklumah Inte· r .... lIngh .;n\,ll1~h ~hosc who regard Nkrumah as ~e,\o Experiment III h III III \friut" are mostly those who know And no wonder People ha. ... e 4uestioned the ,h KI _nl~ ~~ Jesl.:ription T"(l thcs(: people it is possihility oi there e\cr being that freak of na- -r·. n policy alone 1"10 \~hlch Nkrllmah lalls ture descTlJ:-t..:!1...l a~ the neutral person By Impli~ 'I tI, " .lIhi. !'>l) far a-:;. the} are conr..:crncJ, he cation these people deny the eXbtcnce of sucb \~ IS ,dl\' ... I.,' all ~ontemporary African leaders a phenomenon as the mtellcctually detached '-J\. 'I df '1\:ar~cI\. do\:"(, it occur 11.) lhc.,~ ad~ persl..)!l. Ghana is no" on a threshold of a new llUn..:T th.ll there j" such ..I thmg as ~l person's experiment into political tolerance. But if what I, II' polil~. by y,hich more than by his has alread} taken place in the so~called po::,l- htrl'l.c-n polin. hi::' people jud~e him. revolutionary free 3tmospher~ is anything- In go \ .. Mauui write" (Tr::msitinn 3:::!) by lhen there is every substance in the pessjml.~t':. Profe~ Sl'r NI.,) 1 here IS a certain species of Afncan "patriot' 'dew ot stormy events ahead thJt rccards it as ohscenl' that anv L\frican ~lreaJy. there is a perceptible divisil)n tn the h Hild ~bJect to imprisonment \\ itho~t trial. to Ghanaian press and public. On the one s.iJe I:' "fnr(""t..'1..l hero· worship. or h.) the lh. juiJation of the ne,\< aop of supcr~nalionaIi5t.,) and ~uper· hoi.;·c in the Pl1litical !)y~tel1l. To protest against patnots TIley give lhe impressloD that the} only \frican Jictatorship IS to be obscend} hocraJ: sulfered under l'ikrunlah They nnl..e it dear 26 THE LEGON OBSERVER 22 Decem ber 1967 that anybody wbo was not detained by Nkrumah wants to keep his balance, giving praise where or was not in any way forced to ftee from the praise is due and blame where that is necessary. happiness, pleasure, comfort and abundance Pity the man with a bent for intellectual detach- under Nkrumah has no right to open bis mouth. ment. Ghana has no place for him . TIllS is tbe if he should be permitted to breathe some of the reason why some peeple do not place much re- wholesome air pervading liberated Ghana, he liance on the much-vaunted freedom of the Press must use it in singing ONLY the fulsome praises in the country. What is this freedom if one cannot of "our glorious revolution" and of those "gallant soldiers and policemen." The stock phrases of publisb his views because some editor thinks his such journalists are: "Where were you during views will not meet with official approval? What Nkrumah's time"? or "at this late hour of the is this freedom if a journalist can be sacked by day and place .... " The implication is clear: one paper for his views and can't find employment "Coward, you kept quiet under Nkrumah's tyran- with any of the government-owned papers. be- nical rule; shut your big mouth now". These people have their supporters and admirers. But cause he is made a persona non grata in his own fortunately, for Ghana, they are not many. On country? At any rate, it speaks ill for our brand of the other hand, we have pragmatists, the realists. the freedom of the Press when official permission Their hatred of the past regin1e may not be less has to be granted before anybody can publish a total. But they hated it simply because it was corrupt, intolerant of dissent, and highly oppres- magazine in the country. Gains there have been. sive and tyrannical, When such people welcomed But they do not measure up to true freedom of the revolution they did so in the firmest convic- tbe Press. We still have a long way to go. And tion that an end had come to corruption and we shall not reach our destination without casual- bribery, intolerance, oppression and tyranny, ties, if we do not make strenuous efforts to make Thus, their surprise that, in spite of the revolution there can be, and, in fact, still are, traces of some room in our society for that paradoxical entity- of these bad things, if not all of them. Have these tbe intellectually detached person. peeple no right, as free citizens of Ghana, to speak their minds on any of these evils? Perhaps. the more surprising thing is that there are many people now who ha iled the re- volution at first but are quite disenchanted, dis- illusioned and disappointed. SpeCIal News for Need For Third Force Have they no reason to be so? Well, their sal- HEADMASTERS vation may be in the new type of politician and public figure who may not be a slave to tbe cant, PRINCIPALS humbug, and intolerance of tbe past. Tbat is wby there is need for a tbird force in Ghana. Members and are likely to be mainly the youthful educated peeple who wil l resolutely refuse to be cowed by SMALL TRADERS peeple's past achievements. They would not like to live under tbe sbadow of any person. Indeed, they would not like to feel gratitude towards any person or any group of persons for this or for that. You can advertise in the Free they afe determined to remain and think for "LEGON OBSERVER" themselves. Luckily. they are not going to keep quiet, having seen the most likely c0nsequences at a give-away cost, ASK of apathy and lack of interest in national affairs. They would S00ner die or be imprisoned. about our "ONE-INCH" But the struggle will not be easy. Nobody in Advert Rates. Ghana wants intellectual non-alignment. Most people want all Ghanaians to declare their stand this way or that. They scorn the person who 22 December 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER 27 Travelling? ---- , 90 by. .. STATE TRANSPORT CORPORATION Buses ... \l RILleS: • Accr<1-Takoradi * Accra-Cape Coast * Kumasi-Wenchi Acc ra-humas. * Accra-Koforidua • Kumasi-Dunkwa \ccra-Ho * Accra-Aftao • Kumasi-Berekum ccra-Akim Oda • Sekondi-Tarkwa • Tamale-Bolgatanga • humasi-Tamale * Kumasi-Wa • Ho-Keta • Ho-Kpandu • Circular TClmale vi:! Gambaga-Bawku-Navrongo-Tumu-Lawra-Wa. WHEN people talk about hotels they naturally talk about Inter Continental Hotels. . 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