Origin & history of the “Akyem Mafia Sakawa Boys” perfectly explained, why Ewes (Voltarians) overthrew Dr. Kwame Nkrumah…
Hmmm! I am a bit confused as to what to say about this issue of the “Akyem Mafia Sakawa Boys” tag of which one of my Nkrumahist brothers is being blasted for sharing on his page — I mean former President John Dramani Mahama.
Suddenly, it seems like a cord has been struck and that cord is an important one to those who are directly affected.
I don’t know why all of a sudden, just ‘Six Akyem Boys’ have become the entire Akyem tribe.
Now people from left, right, and centre are being called upon to speak. Speak about what?
That some few group of persons being referred to as *Akyem Mafia* or *Akyem Abuakwa Sakawa boys* have suddenly become the entire Akyem Tribe or State in Ghana?
Why the Ewes (Anlos or Voltarians) once voted for NPP in time past
Let’s go back a bit. During the plebiscite of 1956, many people of the Anlo area had wanted to join their brothers and sisters in the French Togoland of Lome to form one country in spite of the fact that the Anlo area was already part of the colony of Britain.
The late Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, being a smart politician during the plebiscite, used the Akans of today in the current Oti Region to pad the elections in favour of the British Togoland to merge with the Gold Coast to gain independence.
Many Anlos never forgave Nkrumah for that act — as the main reason for that was to have the entirety of the Volta River to the new nation called, Ghana.
Kwame Nkrumah had to suffer for this in later years and that was the main reason why the Anlos in time past used to vote for the Danquah-Busia-Dombo group (which has metamorphosed into New Patriotic Party (NPP)) until the late Victor Owusu, in the 2nd Republican Parliament, referred to the Anlos and for that matter Ewes as inward looking people.
Victor Owusu was also punished in the 1979 general elections.
Why Dr Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown by Ewes (Anlos or Voltarians) in the 1966 coup d’etat
The Anlos became a torn in the flesh of Dr Kwame Nkrumah which led to the formation of the Anlo Youth Organisation (AYO).
History taught us the role this youth organisation played in our politics during the period of Kwame Nkrumah.
It was as a result of this pain and anger towards Dr Kwame Nkrumah that when the opportunity for a coup d’etat came, it was an Anlo, Col . E . K . Kotoka and his batman, Major A A Afrifa, who led the execution of that unfortunate act — an act that some of us believe sent Ghana 100 years backwards.
Then came the 1972 coup d’etat — another unfortunate act.
The cause of the 1972 coup d’etat in Ghana
Upon the assumption of office by Busia (Best University Student In Africa), and with the 1966 coup d’etat at the back of his mind even though he was a big time beneficiary — he became suspicious of the Ewe or Anlo military officers in the Ghana Army at the time.
So Brigadier General Katah — an anlo who was supposed to become the “Chief of the Defence Staff” (CDS) at the time — was hurriedly asked to go for further studies outside Ghana.
Then in his place, an Akan and a junior officer was put there. On his return, he was made a military attaché to India.
Not long did he get there that he was accused of theft at the Embassy. As a result, he was arrested and brought back to face charges in Ghana.
Unfortunately, instead of being court martialed as a serving officer, he was rather tried in an open court.
Don’t forget that doing this to a military officer in an open court gave the media the privilege to publish the court proceedings which was a huge embarrassment or disgrace not only to General Kattah, but the entire military set up in Ghana.
Not only that, it had also become clear at the time that the military was being purged of all Ewe or Anlo military officers in Ghana.
So the Ewe officers quickly mobilized themselves to stage the 1972 coup d’etat.
Persons like the Sowu brothers (Ken & Joel), Von Bakustein, Gen Kattah, among others were involved in the coup.
However, being afraid of the backlash that awaited Ewes or Anlos from Ghanaians,(don’t forget , 66 was also led by an Ewe man), they had to invite Col. I K Acheampong, who was himself a beneficiary of Busia’s policy, to become the leader of the coup.
The June 4th Uprising led by Jerry John Rawlings, the “Dzelukope Mafia” & “Fante Confederation”
Fast-forward to 1979, another coup occurred. First, the May 15 uprising which was foiled and then later the June 4th, in which the Ewes or Anlos again were prominent.
The 31st December, 1981 coup involving Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings also came, and there again, the Ewes (Anlos) were prominent.
As a result of these happenings, the term “Dzelukope Mafia” came about as a result of the fact that many of these coup makers were from the Dzelukope area of the Anloland and it has even found its way in the lecture theatres of some of our Universities: eg. the Political Science Dept of University of Ghana.
But the people of Dzelukope never cried foul over this because it never referred to all people from Dzelukope and for that matter the Anlos in general.
Again, in this country , Ursula Owusu referred to a sitting president, John Attah Mills as an “armed robber” and nothing happened.
This is someone who also comes from a tribe – Fante in the Central Region of Ghana.
Did the late Atta Mills’ tribe make any ugly noise as we are witnessing now because somebody said “Akyem Mafia Sakawa Boys”???
A former NPP National Women’s organizer referred to John Dramani Mahama as a criminal. Did anybody or her party ask her to apologize to him (John Mahama)?
Not long ago, those who are making the ugliest noise today, were referring to a group of people in the NDC as a “Fante Confederation”.
We all know that this description or name was not to praise these people. It was derogatory! But did Fantes in general ask anyone to apologize to them?
Ursula Owusu again, not long ago referred to all the people from the North as “hewers of wood and drawers of water “.
Did the people of the North ask her to come and apologize to them or did her political party or any other group ask her to apologize to the people of the north?
President Akuffo Addo himself referred to a sitting President (John Evans Atta-Mills) of this country who was a Fante as “Simpa Panyi”. What did he mean when he said that?
Did the people of Simpa take offence at the mention of that name (description)?
Is he also ready to apologize to the people of Simpa?
Why suddenly has the tag “Akyem Mafia or Akyem Abuakwa Sakawa Boys” become a sin in our political discourse and that it is an attack on all Akyems?
If in the past, the descriptions: “Dzelukope Mafia” and “Fante Confederation” were not an attack on Ewes and Fantes respectively, then I do not see how “Akyem Mafia” or “Akyem Abuakwa Sakawa Boys” can become an attack on all Akyems!!!
*God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong*.
Author: Yet to identified
Edited By: George Awiadem Maclean, BieGyaNation.Com
Copied from: Brilliance Kpormorne Kuivi / facebook.com
Source: George Awiadem Maclean | BieGyaNation.Com
