Where Is Accra?

How does it make sense when you learn that Achimota is not part of Accra, Legon is not in Accra and Labadi is actually an outskirt of Accra? Absurd. Truth is, that was the case not too long ago. It definitely is the capital of our dear Ghana but in terms of definition Accra is far from being definite.

Imagine the frustrations of a village guy whose dream to see Accra eventually comes to pass when he is invited over by a relative. Then just as he is settling in, his host, the Accra Man tells him ‘‘Brother, feel at home, erm… I am going to Accra to come’’ Accra again? How confusing.

If Accra can inflict such emotional turmoil on the Ghanaian, one can imagine what the foreign visitor has to secretly endure. All over the world, cities expand and overrun their original boundaries. There are cases where some cities actually stop to grow. But this is rare.

The norm is that cities usually grow and to reflect this, qualifications such as Lower, Inner, Greater, and New are introduced. These prefixes show how the new parts or other sections of the city relate. For example, Lower Manhattan, Greater London and New Mexico.

Accra too has grown and is growing. But Accra’s point of departure comes when the same name is used for practically different places. In other words, the term ‘‘Accra’’ has been used vaguely if not arbitrarily. The result is that half the time the Accra being meant can only be determined within context. Though the confusion surrounding Accra’s place name may not lead to territorial battle it does create tensions of identity. Again unlike other cities, Accra’s identity problems started right from the womb. Not too long after its administrative birth the colonial settlers christened parts of the same baby as it suited them. First of all, there is Danish Accra where the Danes were based. Danish Accra is specifically the Osu area with the headquarters being Christianborg Castle (1661) which stands today as the seat of Government. Then there is Dutch Accra ‘‘discovered’’ by the Dutch who built the Usher Fort (1642). Dutch Accra stretches from the fort and includes the Gbese area. Finally, and quite predictably, there is British Accra. The Brits built James Fort (1673) so they adopted James Town, named after King James 1 of England. The entire neighbourhood also became known as British Accra. There is little doubt that today’s Accra might have started from Danish Accra, Dutch Accra or British Accra. The litmus test question is which among these three is the original cradle of our much cherished city? If you think the story is turning into a riddle wait until we wade into the larger world of the other entities also, respectively known as Accra. But before then let us warm up with one baffling fact about municipal Accra of colonial times. At one point in time, Accra was defined as follows: starting from the coast where the Ring Road joins the La - Nungua road, winding through Osu, the High Street, James Town and then bending off at the Korlebu Junction. The demarcation is then completed from the Korle Bu - Obetsebi Lamptey road stretching through Ring Road West, Nkrumah Circle, Danquah Circle and then back to the Labadi end of Ring Road East. To simplify, the then Municipal Accra constituted the area found between the whole stretch of the High Street including its extensions and the whole stretch of the Ring Road including its extensions. In fact, Ring Road was not named so for nothing. It actually ringed off Accra. Based on this, when on the Ring Road with face towards La and back to Korle bu, all the suburbs on your left were effectively outside Municipal Accra. The city laws of Accra were therefore, only applicable to the areas on your right towards the coast. One land post marking the end of Accra used to be found at Afrikiko near the TV 3 Junction at Kanda. Of course, in these modern times the story of Accra presents a completely different scenario. At the time of writing, there are three different locations that are referred to as ‘‘Accra.’’ The home truth is that there could be more. The first Accra is arguably the central part of the Accra which is the capital of the Accra also known as Greater Accra. This area ropes in the Central Business District; it also includes the Dutch, British and Danish Accra. Or does it really? The second Accra is the provincial Accra. This Accra is Greater Accra which capital is Accra. It is one of ten administrative regions which make up territorial Ghana. This Accra has Tema as the twin of its capital. As a region, Accra the Greater, shares borders with the Volta, Eastern and Central Regions. One may think that at least this demarcation is problem free. But not when you are dealing with a character such as Accra. What the city has done to Kasoa, to use just one example, is to subtly constrict it like a boa does to its prey. Today, Kasoa’s status as a Central Region town is simply a puzzle. Then there is the third Accra. This is Accra the capital of the Greater Accra region. For the sake of clarity, this is the Accra which is the chief city of Nkrumah’s Ghana. This is also the Accra which is the political centre of the country currently hyped as the centre of the earth.

Accra, I mean the headache one, now extends to… well, nobody knows where. This Accra is at times made to contain Tema. But when it becomes convenient this same Accra is divorced from the harbour city. If cities are said to have their own personalities does this makes Accra of a slippery character?

Accra, still the headache one, has done very well in its expansion. The only direction the city has not yet expanded to is the sea. Not too long ago, a place such as Farm Vivian, Lashibi was an out-of-town trekking destination. Reaching Christian Village required a jungle excursion, while journeying to Adenta was an adventure. As for Taifa’s Burkina, it was figuratively as distant as the Sahelian country itself.

Another curious thing about Accra’s identity crises is that Accra is not Accra in every Ghanaian language. Oh yes, not everybody in Ghana says Accra. The Ga people, who are native to the place call Accra 'Gah'. To Nzema people, Accra is ‘Nkanen.’ Ewes refer to this same place as 'Egey' and Akans know it as ' Nkrae'. As for the communities that use Northern dialects, Accra is (hold your breath), 'Ankara'. Can any city be more elusive than this?