The late Akoto Ampaw
Kwasi Adu’s first sight of Sheeysheey was in 1975 across the then basketball court adjacent to Akuafo Hall, University of Ghana, Legon, where he regularly played basketball with others like Ben Brako.
As time went on we became more familiar with him during the evening political debates in the main lecture hall of the Political Science Department and the halls. This was someone they described as a student and yet could challenge the views of then Political Science and Economics stalwarts such as Professor B. D. G. Folson, and Dr. Jones Ofori-Atta, among other lecturers and tear them apart with cogent analysis.
In 1979, when we formed the June Four Movement (JFM), Sheeysheey and his colleagues (Yao Graham, Tsatsu Tsikata, Fui Tsikata, Takyiwaa Menuh among others) formed the New Democratic Movement (NDM) with its mouthpiece "Direction".
In 1980, Sheeshey, as a leading member of the New Democratic Movement, used to engage those of us in the June Four Movement (JFM) in informal debates, pointing out what he considered to be some of the "amateurish" political activities of the JFM. We didn't use to take them kindly. But, he would meet us the next day with a smile, raise his hand with a slapping handshake with his ubiquitous "Charlie, how?".
When the June Four Movement (JFM) wholeheartedly embraced the December 31 1981 PNDC coup, the NDM, with Sheeysheey, only offered what they described as "critical support", (meaning support from a distance).
Later, in March 1982 when some members of the NDM such as Tsatsu Tsikata and Kwesi Botchwey began working closely with the PNDC, Sheeysheey and others suspended some of them from the NDM.
Later, while we were in exile, Napoleon used to meet Sheeysheey in Moscow and the debates of the 1980s continued. As secretary general of the All African Students Union (AASU), Sheeysheey took time to brief African students in Moscow whenever he was visiting. He was quite critical of the PNDC’s IMF policy.
We were not surprised to hear from Kwesi Pratt Jnr that Sheeysheey and some NDM members were part of the broad alliance organising the anti-NPDC campaign for the return to constitutional rule. We were happy and worked together in the broad alliance that led to the defeat of the NDC government in the 2000 elections. Sheeysheey was instrumental in the Kume Preko demonstration of 1995. He was detained several times by the PNDC/NDC governments. In London, it was always a pleasure when the postman delivered Sheeysheey’s letters. It was read, photocopied, and faxed to persons such as Uncle JH Mensah, KB Mensah, Alhaji Bashiru Kwaw-Swanzy (all refugees in London), and the URF/DAG / New Nigeria/ ARIB groups.
Sheeysheey was true to his convictions. Although he and others invited Professor Adu Boahen in 1990 to lead the opposition Movement for Freedom and Justice (MFJ), he never sold his political beliefs. A lifelong Marxist scholar. Pan-Africanist. A mercurial intellect.
From 1993 Sheesheey eventually worked in the Nana Akufo-Addo Chambers, as a lawyer. He was misunderstood by both the NDC and the NPP. While NPP people thought that he was one of them, the NDC that imprisoned him several times, equally thought that he was NPP. They were both so wrong! Sheeysheey continued to fight for causes that were neither NDC nor NPP but for those whose social and human rights were being abused by the neocolonial system.
Among the philanthropic causes he took up was in 1995, when he provided legal support on a pro bono basis to Napoleon’s sister-in-law, after the death of her husband. He won the case. About 4 years ago, we encountered Sheesheey again when he had just won a court case for a friend without charging a pesewa. Sheeysheey did more pro bono cases than can be listed here. When a PNDC/NDC minister sold a fake franchise to Napoleon in Monrovia, Liberia and he lost a fortune it was Sheesheey who came to Napoleon’s rescue. It was Napoleon's hope that finally, he would be able to show Sheeysheey some gratitude after the case. Unfortunately, Sheesheey, a wise, intelligent, devoted human rights campaigner, and courageous freedom fighter did not see the end of this case.
The likes of Sheeysheey are fast dwindling from this earth. He led his life, remaining true to his convictions to the end. Let’s establish scholarship in the name of this great pan-Africanist. Our deepest condolences to the Ampaw family in Accra and Lolobi.
