Manhyia in Akan means 'state meeting' or 'meeting of the state/s'. Manhyia also is the name of many towns and suburbs in the Akan areas of Ghana. The most popular of all the Manhyias, however, is that of Ahenboboano of Kumasi, which also means 'gathering of the chiefs'. The major reference of this most popular Manhyia is the Manhyia Palace, seat of the world famous golden stool. It is therefore, naturally a suburb of great culture.
Politically, Manhyia is the name borrowed by the Electoral Commission of Ghana for the constituency around the Manhyia Palace. It has since the 2012 general elections of Ghana been split into two, Manhyia South and North Constituencies. The major demarcation of the split is the dual carriage road from Opoku Ware Roundabout (Suame Roundabout) to the Airport Roundabout. Manhyia South Constituency borders from the Opoku Ware Roundabout down through Kumasi Zoo, Kejetia and Kumasi Central Market. It detours southwards to cover Allah Bar, a predominantly Northern and Moslem community, through Dichemso, ending at Kumasi Airport Roundabout. It is therefore very much inclusive of the Manhyia Palace, Ashanti New Town (Ashtown), Mbrom and the Abbeys Park enclave.
Manhyia is both a cultural and political grid. It is very much reflective of Ghana. It is the vibrational nerve of African culture and politics. This is accounted for by its congregate dynamics, multi ethnic, cultural and religious. It is politically plural. The convergence of culture and politics is what necessitates CPP into the partnership equation with Manhyia. CPP is our culture transposed politically. Civilization and world politics is simply competition of cultures. Otherwise, we would not have distinct democracies for America, India, Brazil, China etc for example.
The unparalleled erstwhile civilization of Kemet (current geographical Egypt) was greatly a projection of African Culture. Washington, Moscow and Rome power politics is simply a projection of the Western or Caucasian culture. Chinese and Indian emergence on the world development platform is a cultural projection also. This projection of cultures in the global competition of development needs a political vehicle. This vehicle for the projection of African Culture is what is politically crafted into the CPP. Pan Africanism. Socialism. Self Reliance. Green Flag. That is why Africa, Ghana, and CPP have a common heartbeat.
These three entities rise or fall together. The 50's and 60's was a great period of rise for these triplets, CPP, Ghana and Africa. The chaotic interruption since then, through the political vehicles of NPP and NDC have brought a common fall to the connected heartbeats of CPPP, Ghana and Africa. Time has once again come for the great rise of the Ghanaian and African Culture, and therefore its vehicle of projection, CPP.
The Golden Stool and its famous twin, the immovable Okomfo Anokye sword are very much great symbols of Africa. Their operational headquarters is the Manhyia Palace. The operational headquarters of the New Nation Ghana, first born son of Africa, will be from the Stool of the Flagstaff House, Accra. The foundation stone of the new Stool of Flagstaff House was laid by Presdent J.A. Kufuor. President Kufuor is indisputably the most successful politician, particularly of the NPP/UP/NLM lineage, to come from Manhyia so far. The horn monument that received the foundation stone was sculpted by Yaw Nkunim, also from Manhyia, but politically rooted in the CPP. Could this be a premonition for a shifted Manhyia Partnership with NPP to CPP? Or could it also be a simple return of the 'CPP Stone' stolen through the retrogressive coup of 1966? Truth of the time will prevail.
These two great stools, the old one of Ashanti and the new one of Ghana vividly have a strong connection. The new Stool of Flagstaff House is also literally a golden stool. Ghana is the name of the state of decolonized Gold Coast. Ghana also derives its name from the great ancient empire of Ghana-Mali Songhay. Ghana means gold in Arabic. The Arabs who traded with this great empire, from where modern Ghana migrated named it Ghana, meaning gold.
The people of Ghana-Mali-Songhay empire, together but separately with all of the Black Nation migrated from the greatest civilization of Kemet, Kush and Nubia ( modern geographical Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan) . Intersetingly, Ethiopia is the only African country that was never colonized, though occupied for six years. Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, is home to the African Union Headquarters. Ethiopians are great lovely people, very spiritual, great food, beautiful women and very well cultured. Their greatest leader in modern history is Emperor Haile Selasie, a great friend of Kwame Nkrumah.
Selasie is believed by many,especially Rastafarians, to be a descendant of biblical Solomon. He is a major spiritual figure in Rastafarianism. Haile Selasie teamed up with Nkrumah and other great leaders of Africa to form the Organisation of African Unity, OAU, now African Union, AU. The CPP ideology of Pan Africanism and subsequent policy of African Unity is therefore not a forced nor false projection. It is a natural and imperative economic option and as a course of reconnection to the great African civilization of Kemet, interrupted six thousand years ago.
Back to the chess of the great stools, are two more stools of great significance. One of these interesting stools is at Saqqara, an ancient town on the western side of the River Nile in current geographical Egypt. This stool has a sixty feet gap between its pillars and crescent. Artists, symbolist, historians and Egyptologists conclude that our fore fathers left it as a symbol of the six thousand year interruption of the African civilization. Indeed, Nefertiti, a great queen of the ancient era, predicted that the chaos that has come upon the land will cease in six thousand years time, when the ' Mother of Nubia (Mother of the Black Nation) returns from the South.
This Nubian Mother carries the spirit of restoration and rebirth. It is this African Woman whose reconnection with the Son will effect the realization of the great promise of peace, justice, prosperity and triumph of Africa. Kwame Nkrumah succinctly and politically put it 'the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African Continent'.
The other stool, the fourth is that which Nkrumah himself left us. It is the political code of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. As a greeting edifice of KNUST is the imposing stool at the beautifully landscaped entrance. Immediately upon entrance, just some forty meters, is the roundabout with a sophisticated sculpture monument. It is a concrete combination of a pot, an eagle, a star and a rope. Appropriately titled beneath the sculpture is 'nyansapo, ye sani no badwenba mu'. Literal English transposition is 'wise knot is untied in great thoughtfulness'. This is also the motto of Technology Secondary School.
At the topographical peak and geographical center of campus KNUST is the great Republic Hall. Its color is green. In front of Republic Hall, at the center of its car park, is erected a giant sculpture monument of a cockerel. Republic Hall is indeed the grid of this great university. It is the venue of most student social activities, including hosting the offices of the Student Representative Council, SRC. The glaring coded message here is 'at the universal time of the great promise, the Republic will be enstooled the central grid of the new world from its base of geographical center of the earth. The green flag will soar like the eagle among the stars. CPP, represented by the cockerel, will be the political vehicle to project this masterpiece of African Personality to the center of the world'.
The Republic Bar and Grill at Osu, Accra is a grid in its own right and industry. Also opened on 1st July, just as Republic of Ghana and Republic Hall, is a social grid center of a bar for decent international clientele. With its stars of international DJs, world music at the Republic Bar is delightfully of great international mix. The live shows host cream of the likes of Ambulley, Ebo Taylor, Reggie Rockstone and many more greats. The kitchen dishes out great Ghanaian chops with international flavor. Its star treat is the master craftsmanship of cocktails brewed locally with global sophistry. Leading these beautifully assorted Republic brands of cocktail is the artistically rich and ecstatic Kokroko Jug. The Republic Bar and Grill is simply the Ghanaian brand center for the international social beast. Its products and ambiance is uniquely Republic, the golden grid of the industry. The Republic interestingly has a vintage portrait of Kwame Nkrumah at its welcoming bar.
The last of the stools is the uncompleted marble piece imposed on the tomb of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, founder of the CPP .This stool simply has the pillars of the stool without the crescent. It simply represents the abrupt interruption of the CPP Independence Revolution. Whether Nkrumah and CPP peaked ahead of the time of 'great promise' or greedy elements simply interrupted the great mission, only time can tell. What is indisputably definite now is the new Golden Stool for the great African World is ready. CPP is rolling up its sleeves. Its golden watch is rightly strapped on its left hand.
President Obama has brought the spirit. Usain Bolt is energetically sprinting the globe with the golden green flag in a record of times. Reggie Rockstone has opened the outlet for the youthful energies, which could otherwise have been explosive. The patriotic song of Ephraim Amu is bellowing with inspiration. Mugabe is strongly heading the African Union. Mandela is dancing at the Mandela square in the South. The sixty meter Renaissance Monument is giantly mounted in Dakar in the West. The pyramids are proudly motivating us from the original land in the North. Kilimanjaro is forever rooted in the Eastern Landscape. Cardinal Turkson will confirm the time from the scriptures.
Operation feed yourself will restore our food sufficiency. Dangortey is showing us the financial keys. Azumah Nelson is inspiring many more world champions. Stephen Appiah has forever booked a slot for the Black Stars in the world cup. Kofi Annan has shown us the intricacies of diplomacy. President Mills' vision of rejuvenated CPP is materializing by the day. The NDC has elapsed its time and purpose. The Blue Capitalist spirit of NPP has returned the CPP Stone. Nkrumah is supporting us from the other side with keys to the Green Revolt.
Our foundation is unshakable. It is time for African Culture and Politics. The Golden Stools have perfectly synchronized. The theme for the new era is cast in solid iron. It is Pan Africanism. The CPP vehicle is impeccably serviced and ready to project Africa to the center of the new world. The African Personality is greatly awakened. It is time for the Great Partnership of CPP and Manhyia. Forward ever! Nkunim woho mayen!! God bless Africa!!!
AUTHOR: YAW NKUNIM
SCULPTOR, WRITER,
CONCEPT DEVELOPER &
CPP MEMBER
yawnkunim@ymail.com