The State Of Ghana Politics Before Nkrumah’s Return To Gold Coast From U.K. In December 1947
“Gold Coast Legislative Council by Martin Wight Published under the auspices of Nuffield College by Faber and Faber Limited –
Studies in Colonial Legislatures Edited by Margery’ Perham
“This book is the first study ever made for a colonial Legislative Council in action, written primarily from the Council’s official Hansard, and containing copious and vivid quotations from debates and speeches. A Legislative Council, composed partly of British officials and partly of the inhabitants or the colony, in a parliament in embryo: besides being the centre of the local administration, it is the great training· ground for the colonial people in parliamentary democracy. This is a political as well as a constitutional study. The Legislative Council is set in its place against the background of the life and society of what is perhaps the most progressive of the British dependencies in Africa.
The debates of the Council illustrate the clash of personalities, interests and principles in a colony which is striding towards self-government. We see a primitive society under the impact of economic development and administrative unification; tribal government evolving into parliamentary government; the interplay of the chiefs representing the rural masses, the rising professional and educated class in the towns, and the British officials who still control the administrative machine. It is a scene of vigorous promise and expanding life that has similarities ·to eighteenth-century England.
EDITOR’S PREFACE
‘In the presence of many African chiefs in their bright robes Sir Alan Burns, Governor of the Gold Coast, to-day opened the colony’s new Legislative Council, which has an African majority for the first time in the history of colonial Africa.’ · The Governor, after reading a message from the King, pronounced the new constitution to be ‘a landmark in the history of British tropical Africa’. It is indeed a most interesting commentary upon both African competence and British policy that among the eleven British dependencies of the continent, this purely African territory should be the first to achieve representative government through an unofficial and an African majority. How this has been possible, and what are the political, conditions and prospects of the peoples of the Gold Coast, are questions to which it is hoped this book will provide the answers.
(Nuffield College, Oxford. 24th July 1946. – — ARGERY PERHAM)
TABLE OF AFRICAN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE 1926-45 PROVINCIAL MEMBERS OF GHANA’S LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (PARLIAMENT):
Ga-Adangme Section of the Eastern Province:
Nene Sir Emmanuel Mate Kole (Konor of Manya Krobo)
Nene Marty Abordi Awah Ii (Mantse of Shai)
Nene Nuer Ologo V (Konor o~Yilo Krobo)
Ewe Section of the Eastern Province:
Togbri Sri II (Awame Fia of Awuna)
Nana Nyarko VII (Nifahene of Peki State)
Akan Section of the Eastern Province:
Nana Kwesi Akuffo (Omanhene of Akwapim)
Nana Sir Ofori ·Atta (Omanhene of Akim Abuakwa)
Nana Kwadade II (Omanhene of Akwapim)
Nana Kwame Fori II (Omanhene of Akwapim)
Central Province, 1:
Nana Otu Ababio II (Omanhene of Abura)
Nana Aduku III (Omanhene of Mankesim)
Nana Tsibu Darku. IX (Omanhene of Asin Atandasu)
Central Province, 2:
Nana Ayirebi Acquah III (Omanhene of Winneba)
Nana Amanfi. III (Omanhene of Asebu)
Western Province:
Nana Annor Adjaye (Omanhene of Western Nzima)
Nana Hima Dekyi XII (Omanhene of Upper Dixcove)
Nana Blay VI (Omanhene of Eastern Nzima)
Nana Annor Adjaye II (Omanhene of Western Nzima)
MUNICIPAL MEMBERS:
Accra:
(None) 1926-1927
Mr. J. Glover-Addo 1927-1931
Dr. F. V. Nanka-Bruce 1931-1935
Mr. A. W. Kojo Thompson 1936-1944
Mr. Akilagpa Sawyer 1944: –
Cape Coast:
(None) 1928-1940
Mr. K. Arku Korsah 1928-1940
Mr. G. E. Moore 1941-
Sekondi:
Mr. J. E. Casely Hayford 1927-1930
Mr. G. J. Christian 1930-1940
Mr. R. S. Blay 1940-1944***
Mr. C. W. Tachie-Menson 1944-
CLEARLY, SO MUCH WENT ON IN THE GOLD COAST FROM 1901 TO 1947…AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOT OF RESISTANCE TO FOREIGN RULE BY LOCAL CHAMPIONS BEFORE THIS PERIOD STATED…TEACH OUR CHILDREN TRUE HISTORY OF GHANA THAN ‘IDEOLOGICALLY INSPIRED HISTORY OF GOLD COAST, GHANA.
