Few minutes after I left home for my morning walk on 24th February 2023, I saw two chickens fighting around a nearby pre-school compound. He reminded me of a similar cock-fight near my home in Kampala, Uganda in 2009, when I went for my walk.
To the world, 24 February 2022 will be remembered as the day Russia launched its “special military operation” when it invaded Ukraine. February 24, 2023 is therefore the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With Russia expected to launch a swift surgical strike against Ukraine within weeks, the war has seen its first anniversary, with tens of thousands of casualties on both sides, no end in sight. Other countries have been absorbed to varying degrees, including the West (NATO), China, India and South Africa. The rest of the world has been badly affected as exports of wheat, oil, machinery etc. from Russia and Ukraine have fallen sharply due to the war.
For us in Ghana, 24th February 1966 will always be remembered in our history as the day when Osagyefo Da Kwame Nkrumah’s quick-march of confidence and optimism in the future as a beacon of Africa was halted by the overthrow of Osagyefo Da Kwame Nkrumah’s first republic.
Ugandan cock-fighting
As I left my gated-community in Ntinda, a suburb of Kampala, for my walk on the morning of 24th February 2009, I saw two roosters engaged in what I assumed was a makeshift duel. So I continued my walk thinking that I had put an end to their quarrel by throwing some stones at them. When I returned an hour later, I was surprised to find them still fighting and bleeding from their wounds. Again, I separated them by throwing stones at them. When I left for my office around 8 am, I saw them still fighting. This time I drove them. As expected, my peace keeping work was over and I left for office.
To my surprise when I returned home that evening, the two chickens were still fighting. This time, as two heavyweight boxers in the twelfth round of a world title fight. Both were exhausted and bleeding profusely, but continued to fight with what little energy they had left. “The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak!” This was a clear example of that. The next morning, when I arrived at the matadorial arena, they had transformed the school’s football field, with both chickens lying dead on top of each other!
I asked myself, what would the roosters, the final destination of the soup-pot, be angry about, fighting bitterly to the death?
Ghana -24 February 1966
On the morning of 24 February 1966, in year two of our first year in secondary school, our teacher broke the news to us that there had been a “coup” in Ghana (Accra). Although insurgencies have not been a common phenomenon in Africa since then, the bloody Nigerian coup of January 15, 1966, just a month earlier, taught us that insurgencies are violent and deadly.
The 1966 Nigerian coup occurred on January 15, 1966, when rebel soldiers led by Major Chukwuma Njiogwu killed 22 people, including the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Alhaji Sir Tafawa Balewa, the Sardauna of Sokodu Bello of Northern Region, and Sir Ahma. Western Region Prime Minister Akintola. Many senior politicians, and senior military officers and their wives and their guards were also killed. This rebellion provided the spark for the Biafran War in 1967.
Before this, the first rebellion in West Africa took place in Togo. On 13 January 1963, President Silvanus Olympio was deposed by Sergeant Iadema, who led a group of old Togolese soldiers mobilized by France after serving in French Indo-China in World War 2. Iadema subsequently became President of Togo and ruled until his death in 2005. He was succeeded by his son Furey Gnassingbe.
On February 24, 1966, Ghana experienced its first coup. Led by then Colonel EK Kotoka, Commander 2 Infantry Brigade Group and his Brigade Major, Major AA Afrifa, Commissioners of Police JWK Harley and AK Deku were the chief local architects. Declassified documents showed the involvement of foreign powers in masterminding Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s Pan-Africanist stance to overthrow him. He was on his way to Hanoi, North Vietnam to mediate the Vietnam War between Vietnam and the US.
The insurgents are said to have killed the army commander Major General Charles Mohammed Barwah in cold blood for not cooperating with them. Nine soldiers guarding the general at his house in the Burma camp were also killed. Notably, in a counter-coup on 17 April 1967, General Kotoka was also killed.
Trapped outside Ghana, President Nkrumah was granted asylum in Guinea by his friend President Sekou Toure. President Touré made Osagyefo Co-President of Guinea until his death in Romania on 27th April 1972 at the age of 62.
The military government that replaced Osagyefo’s government, the National Liberation Council, then appointed Lt. Gen. JA Ankrah (Rtd) as Head of State.
discussion
Some dates like 13th January and 24th February have some significant events in recent history. Sergeant Iadema’s coup in Togo took place on 13 January 1963, while General Acheampang’s coup in Ghana took place on 13 January 1972.
The first fight I saw between two roosters was on 24 February 2009 in Uganda. So, on 24 February 2023 I saw two roosters fighting, I couldn’t stop laughing at the coincidence!
Again, while Ghana’s first coup occurred on 24 February 1966, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022.
An observation, as discussed above, is that except perhaps General Acheampong’s 13th January 1972 coup, all others have been bloody. Sergeant Iadema, Maj Njiogwu, Colonel Kotoka were all killed in their coup after accusing the governments they overthrew as corrupt. Perhaps bloodiest was the June 4, 1979 coup in Ghana when generals were hanged for corruptly taking loans from banks servicing three bedroom houses!
On June 30, 1982, three High Court judges, a nursing mother and a retired army major were murdered and found half-burnt in a military compound thirty kilometers east of Accra.
To the younger generation who think violence will solve the problem, please remember, some of your parents shouted loudly “Let the blood flow” in 1979 and 1982. Ask them how clean they are and how well they sleep at night! But, didn’t my generation cause despair for the youth by our actions, inaction and disrespect?
Let’s not add more to dates like 13th January, 24th February and 4th June! Perhaps, without them, Ghana would have been a developed country given our human and material endowment! Let us treat each other with respect and not act like two Ugandan roosters.
Remember Shakespeare’s quote, “The evil that men do lives after them; The good are often buried with their bones!
Leadership, leadership!
Wake up fellow Ghanaians!
Brig General Dan Frimpong (RTD)
Former CEO, Association of African Peace Support Trainers
Nairobi, Kenya
President of the Council
University College of Family Health
Accra
[email protected]
Source: Brig General Don Frimpong (Rtd) Former CEO, Association of African Peace Support Trainers Nairobi, Kenya
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