York University in Toronto, Canada overflowed with Ga and Dangme people and friends of GaDangme during an historic conference last spring. The three-day GDI Conference hosted by the GaDangme Association of Toronto brought together representatives of GaDangme organizations across North America, Ghana and the United Kingdom. All told, over 300 youth, men and women-ages 10 to 79 years from all walks of life-attended.
His Excellency, Odoi Sykes-High Commissioner desinated to Canada. The GDI conference began with an informal gathering of delegates from the various organizations on Friday May 27. The main event of the conference, a forum addressing this year's topic, was on Saturday, May 28 from 9:30am until 5PM. Mr. James Aflah Bannor, renowned photographer, displayed his vintage pictures of life in Accra. A dinner dance followed the main event on Saturday evening and a thanksgiving service on Sunday May 29 at the GaDangme Trinity Presbyterian Church in Toronto ended the three-day conference.
Present were Her Highness, Naa Dedei Omadru III, Ga Manye; His Excellency and Mrs. Samuel Nii Odoi Sykes, Ghana's High Commissioner to Canada; Mr. J.Allotey Pappoe, PRO of GaDangme Council (GDC); Dr. Vince Padi, Chairman of the GaDangme Foundation (UK); Mr Alex Amarteifio, Vice Chaiman of GaDangme Foundation (UK); Mrs. Sarah Solomon-Ayeh; Nii Asukru member of Sempe Traditional Council, Ms. Verity Dodoo, President of GaDangme Yei Anoyaa Kpee; Naa Adorkor Odehe Dzamfi Sempe Sowutuom Manye; Asafoaste Ottoto and Asafoanye Odametey Tsotso, founders of the Imhotep Institute of Philadelphia; Wor Nii Bortelabi-Bokete-Laweh XIV Krowor Nungua mantse, a.k.a. Dr. Samuel Boitei Doku retired professor of mathematics, University of Cape Coast.
A number of speakers addressed the conference with tremendous input from the participants. There was active discussion of the plight GaDangme faces and how the GaDangme may unite to achieve their aims.
The keynote speaker, His Excellency, Samuel Odoi Sykes the Ghana High Commissioner in Canada, just as all of the speakers at the conference, addressed the audience in Ga. He noted that since the independence of Ghana over 48 years ago, the GaDangme people of the Greater Accra Region have voiced their concerns to successive governments. These concerns include the compulsory acquisition of GaDangme lands by the state "in the interest of defense, public safety, public order and general national development." In recent times, the concerns of the GaDangme people have highlighted perceived threats to Ga and Dangme languages, culture and traditions, increasing poverty, lack of educational opportunity, marginalization and the possible extinction of the GaDangme ethnic group.
He went on to explain that if the capital of Ghana had not been transferred from Cape Coast to Accra in 1877, the GaDangme people would not today be a minority in their own land. Our lands, languages, and cultures would not have come under constant siege. On the other hand, Accra would not then have enjoyed the benefits of exceptional developments and privileges of a capital city.
The people of GaDangme, he explained, were involved from the beginning in the Ghana independence movement. Two of the famous "Big Six" pioneers were GaDangme citizens: Dr. Ako Adjei and Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey. Of the three Ex-service men who were shot and killed at the Christiansburg Crossroads shooting incidents in 1948, two were GaDangme citizens: Sgt Adjetey and Cpl Odartey Lamptey. It was this event, that kick-started the final struggle for Ghana's independence. The youth and women of Accra bore the brunt of the fight against the colonial administration. Accra was the main battleground for the independence struggle and it is still the cradle of modern national politics.
The development of Accra and Greater Accra as the national capital region for amenities and for economic and social services prompted the compulsory acquisition of GaDangme family and stool lands by successive governments before and after independence. His Excellency believes there was nothing wrong with that arrangement. However, he acknowledged that, there have been long-standing complaints about the transfer or sale of such lands, which were not used for the purposes for which they were acquired, or were retained after the leases of the property had expired. Government officers realize huge profits from the transfers or sales, without compensating the original owners or returning their lands to them. He believes this is the main creditable complaint of the GaDangme people.
He concluded that GaDangme people have failed to achieve their best in national affairs generally because they are not united. Unity he said holds the key to progress and development of the Ga and Dangme people in the 21st Century.
Mr Joseph Allotey Papoe, PRO of the GaDangme Council (GDC) in Ghana, gave an overview of the GDC's Aims and Objectives. They included foster consciousness among GaDangme people of their common ancestry; Be the standard-bearers of GaDangme unity as well as an integral part of national unity; Advise, assist and collaborate with GaDangme Chiefs in promoting GaDangme heritage as an integral part of Ghanaian culture; Initiate, assist and participate in projects and developments beneficiary to GaDangme. The GaDangme Council, he added, was formed 12 years ago and was incorporated in 2004. Mr. K. B. Asante is the acknowledged leader of the organization.
Ms. Verity Dodoo, President of GaDangme Yei Anoyaa Kpee, Ghana introduced Yei Anoyaa Kpee as an organization that seeks to rehabilitate young, wayward GaDangme women so they can live productively. She expressed her concern about young GaDangme women who are settling for less which can be demeaning. They sell themselves short of their potentials. A number of them are single mothers who are not able to provide for their children's education. The Gadangme Yei Anoyaa Kpee is setting up trade schools and giving out loans to these women to start small-scale businesses to help maintain their dignity and help them take better care of themselves and their children. The organization's other projects include setting up a kenkey production business that will give employment to women and a counseling service for women. They also sponsor children for better education, for which the GaDangme Yei Anoyaa Kpee has received 800 Pounds from donors in the U.K. She praised Mr. Oko Tetteh for his invaluable service to the Kpee. She pleaded for help from the Diaspora.
Dr. Samuel Boitei Doku, a former professor of Mathematics at the University of Cape Coast, exhorted GaDangme people to uphold Ga and Dangme languages and to encourage their children to speak them at home. He informed the conference of a Ga literacy project he is working on. It concerns Ga language books including a Ga dictionary that can be used in schools. In the future, he hopes to develop an encyclopedia of the language. Dr. Doku mourns the sale of land. "[Gadangme] land must never be sold, it must only be leased," he emphasized. He urged that GaDangme citizens should not only make noise in Ghana but should be loud and clear around the world, proclaiming "our determination to fight for what is ours." He encouraged that with a united front GaDangme will prevail; "our language and our culture will not be lost."
Dr. Naa Ama Kuma Barnor, Pediatrician, spoke about proper GaDangme child rearing in the Diaspora. She encouraged the contribution of funds toward Youth education in Ghana and toward the establishment of Youth centers in the Diaspora where GaDangme children may learn about their heritage and culture. The youth and children present at the conference introduced themselves at this point.
Dr. Vince Padi, chairman of the GaDangme Foundation (UK) in a PowerPoint presentation, explained the structure and function of the GaDangme Foundation. He proposed a three-way collaboration of GaDangme Foundation (GDF), UK, GaDangme Council (GDC), Ghana and GaDangme International Inc (GDI) US. He explained that such collaboration would facilitate working with GaDangme organizations in the Diaspora to achieve the GaDangme renaissance.
Mr. Alexander Sowah Kuma-member of the board of Trustees of GDI chaired the festivities of the dinner dance. He reiterated the call for rebuilding the GaDangme heritage and the need to prepare to meet the challenges ahead. He thanked all who had assembled and the member organizations of GDI for their efforts in making GDI strong and viable.
The recurring theme at the conference was the need of GaDangme people to unite and take responsibility for rebuilding their state by reclaiming their land, practicing their traditions, educating their children, and maintaining their culture through language. The conference created a deep awareness of the issues facing GaDangme; all agreed that our survival as a people is at stake. Everyone at the conference agreed that whatever can be achieved will require unity and effort from all GaDangme people. Everyone felt a deep sense of responsibility for the rebuilding of GaDangme and left the conference energized by the spirit of GaDangme to face the task ahead while looking forward to the next conference in Minnesota.
The Minnesota GaDangme Foundation will host The 7th annual GDI Conference in St Paul, Minnesota
