History:First Cape Coast Mayor

Posted on March 29, 2021March 30, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

Robert Kojo Hutchison was born at Anomabo on 28th June 1828 to an English Diplomat father, William Hutchison and a Euro-African (Fante) woman, Adelina Williams. Robert`s father, William Hutchison was the first white British Resident of Kumasi(this was in 1817). Hutchison was mentioned in company with Bowdich and Tedlie as British ambassadors to Ashantee.

As a son of the upper class coastal Gold Coast family, young Kojo Hutchison was sent to England to commence his education. After completion of his education he returned to Gold Coast to reside at Cape Coast Oguaa where he started his working life as an agent of the English firm F & A Swanzy(now Unilever).

Hutchison decided to stay at Cape Coast, because Anomabo had since the defeat of the Fantes on their land by the Asantes in 1806-7, seen all her great sons and daughters moved to Cape Coast to enjoy safety from Asante attacks.

The high presence of the Anomabo intellectual and mercantile class in Cape Coast turned the area to one of the great commercial and elite societies in Africa. Professor Lawrance H. Ofosu-Appiah further adumbrates that “this was the epoch of the African merchant princes, and Hutchison was reputed to be wealthiest of the African merchants.” In a letter to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Molesworth, sent through Governor Henry Connor, dated 10 September 1855, Hutchison claimed that he was worth £60,000. Indeed, he was the jack of all trade on the coast.

In spite of the depression of the 1850s and 1860s, Hutchisons business prospered. In fact, when the oil palm industry slumped and suppliers in the far away Kroboland decided not to sell because they had been heavily fined as a result of a rebellion, Hutchisons firm undertook to pay the fine and to collect the debt in palm oil from the Krobo people. Hutchison, as the sole African agent of the F & A Swanzy, benefitted immensely.

Apart from his uncanny ability in commerce, Hutchison was also a gentleman of martial fervour, he held a commission as an officer of the Gold Coast Volunteers. He fought in the Fante and colonial British army against the Asantes. In 1863, Hutchison with support of his fellow and prosperous Anomabo brothers George Kuntu Blankson, John Sarbah snr(father of John Mensah Sarbah), Samuel Collins Brew and other resourceful coasta Fantes, established the Gold Coast Volunteer Corps. With this force they were able to help defend the coastal region during the Asante invasion of 1863.

Following the establishement of the Accra Municipal Council by Governor Sir Benjamin Chilly Campbell Pine, under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Ordinance of 1858, Hutchison prevailed on the acting governor, Major Henry Bird, to establish a municipal council in Cape Coast in 1859. He stood for the election, and was elected as the first mayor of Cape Coast. Hutchison served from1859 to 1860.

During his tenure of his capitalist oriented administration, he introduced a house tax, varying from one shilling to three pounds, which led to discontent, because the Cape Coast people regarded it as a sort of poll tax.

His office also established court which could impose fines of up to £50 in civil cases, and up to six months imprisonment in criminal cases. This mayor`s court also created serious discontent in Cape Coast with some of the natives calling on him to return back to Anomabo where he belonged.

Indeed, the Ɔmanhen of Cape Coast was the most vocal of Hutchisons critics because he considered the activity of the mayoral court as ursurpation of his traditional function as an overlord of Oguaaman. Hutchison received support from Governor Bird who felt that Oguaa Ɔmanhens opposition was due to the fact that Hutchisons court gave fair judgement and imposed reasonable fine in tandem with the British common law tradition, whilst the Ɔmanhens native customary law court engaged in bribery and imposed heavy fines to fill his treasury.

As a result of the discontent that flowed from the Municipal Corporation Ordinance, it was repealed in 1863 after the death of Hutchison. Despite the discontent, Governor Bird commended the Cape Coast Town Council for its performance, and granted the mayor and his councillors permission to to wear insignia of office- partly in order to stimulate competition at the next elections. The amended ordinance re-emerged in 1924, and was forced to be withdrawn by lawyers Kobina Sekyi and Augustus William Kojo Thompson of the Aborigines Right Protection Society (ARPS) and Ga Mambii Party respectively. The ordinance was re-amended as part of Guggisberg Constitution of 1927 and it was passed into law creating opportunity for Municipal Council elections into the Legislative Council.

In 1861, Hutchison well-known for his impeccable dressing and eloquence in the Queens tongue and his native Fante language was appointed to the Legislative Council as the third unofficial African member until his death in 1863. He participated actively in the councils proceedings, was highly respected by the European members and used his position to help safeguard the interest of the Africans.

In civic affairs, Hutchison, as an Euro-African of Fante extraction, unapologetically encouraged the educated Gold Coasters to wear European clothes and to imitate the European way of life. However, when he was disallowed from joining the all-white English freemasonry, Hutchison joined forces with Charles Bartels brothers, Bannerman brothers (Edmund aka “Boss of Tarque” and Charles, the pioneer newspaper man) to introduce freemasonry to Gold Coast elite African society, establishing the Gold Coast Lodge No. 733 in April 1859. The fraternity was introduced in Gold Coast in 1737 following the appointment of Dr David Creighton as the Provincial Grand Master of the Cape Coast Castle by the Earl of Loudoun. The first Lodge in the Castle, followed by the Torridzonian Lodge No. 621 founded in 1810 in the Castle and Cape Coast Lodge No. 599 founded in 1833 were exclusively for whites. Hutchison`s Lodge in 1859 was the first for the Africans. The Gold Coast Lodge No. 773 is the mother lodge in West Africa. He was also a philanthropist who assisted in the building of the the beautiful Anglican Chapel at Cape Coast. There is a tablet in this church in commemoration of his good name.

In 1863, whilst in the Fante war camp at Assin Manso with his Gold Coast Volunteer Corps to stop the Ashantis from invading the coast, Hutchison contracted malaria/dysentery and was brought home (cape Coast) and died on 13 June 1863. His tomb is in the old cemetery in Royal Lane, Cape Coast. He was cited as one of the great Gold Coasters whose idea of the formation of Gold Coast Volunteer Corps paved the way for the British to introduce Police service. He is still remembered in the Lodges of Ghana, and in the coming months as the freemasons celebrate their 300 years anniversary, Robert Kojo Hutchison shall be celebrated by the legacy he left behind.

Credit :Cape Coast Oguaa/ Kweku Darko Ankrah

General News

UCC supports 337 Needy Students

Posted on March 29, 2021March 29, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

The University of Cape Coast’s students Financial office has today supported 377 brilliant but needy students in order to alleviate the financial difficulties or challenges faced by these students, and which hinder their academic pursuit.

The assistance comes in varioua forms such as full and partial scholarship, provision of accomodation, fee arrangements and on-campus work-study or part time job for students to help the students climb their educational ladder.

In an interview with Kingdom fm’s news reporter Anaafi Kokooto, the Pro Vice Chancellor for the University Prof. Dora Edu Buandoh revealed that, some of the students hustle before they get money to pay their school fees which sometimes affect their academic performance hence the gesture to offload their educational hustles

She then advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the support since to whom much is given, much is expected from him or her.

The paramount Chief of Oguaa Traditional Council, Osaberima Kwesi Attah ll commended the School for such an important program.

Nana then shared a sad story of two University students who went to him for financial support to pay their fees which nearly got everybody crying under the program and after urged the students not to joke with their studies since they are now free from their burdens.

The student beneficiaries also expressed their sincere gratitude for such an important award and also promised to learn hard in order to make the support useful to their lives and to the University as a whole

Filed by Anaafi Kokooto, Kingdom Fm Cape Coast.

Source:Gnews.com

History

History:The History of Dreadlocks!

Posted on March 29, 2021March 30, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

The history of dreadlocks is varied and differs depending on who you ask. This, then, is a summary and compilation of all the different accounts that has been able to locate.

AROUND 3600 BC…
One account claims that dreadlocks originated in India (unlike most who cite Egypt as their birth place) with the dreadlocked diety Shiva and his followers. It is likely that this is the spirituality origin of dreadlocks in Indian culture.

In 1500 BC…
However, the first archaeological proof of people wearing dreadlocks came from Egypt where mummies have been recovered with their dreadlocks still in tact.

Regardless of their origin, dreadlocks have been worn by nearly every culture at some point in time or another.
Roman accounts stated that the Celts wore their hair ‘like snakes’. The Germanic tribes and Vikings were also known to wear their hair in dreadlocks.

Dreadlocks have been worn by the monks of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Nazarites of Judiasm, Qalandri’s Sufi’s, the Sadhu’s of Hinduism, and the Dervishes of Islam, and many more!
There are even strong suggestions that many early Christians wore dreadlocks; most notably Sampson who was said to have seven locks of hair which gave him his inhuman strength.

The belief that dreadlocks gave a person power is not unique to this Bible story. Many believed that energy (presumably life force energy, chi, prana, ki, etc.) exits the body through the top of the head and that having knotted hair prevents or retards the escape of energy making one stronger and even potentially imbuing a person with supernatural mental and physical abilities. In many cultures it was and is common for shamans in particular to wear dreadlocks.

Dreadlocks have also symbolized the recognition and demonstration that our physical appearances and vanity are unimportant. Another, similar practice is having a shaved head with no hair at all. Others still believe that dreadlocks are the most natural and healthy style of hair to have as hair will dread if left to its own devices.

At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution The Rastafari Movement began gaining popularity among the Black Jamaican population. The Rastafari draws their beliefs from three main sources; the Old Testament, African tribal culture, and Hindu tribal culture. Before it got the name ‘Rastafari’ its followers called themselves ‘dreads’, signifying their ‘dread’ and respect for God.

In an attempt to emulate the Nazarites and Hindu holymen their beliefs were modeled after, they began to wear their hair in matted styles and this is when the term ‘dreadlocks’ came into common use. The Rastafari Movement began to draw attention when in the 1930’s Ras Tafari was crowned the emperor of Ethiopia. He was forced into exile and many vowed not to cut their hair until he was released.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Entertainment

Diana Antwi Hamilton: Adom (Grace)Lyrics

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

I don’t look like what I have been through
You turned my pit into a well
So the essence of my praise
Is centred on Your Grace
Adom, Adom, W’adom
(Grace, Grace, Your Grace)

I’ve been through a lot but Grace sustained me
My test is now a testimony
So the essence of my praise
Is centred on your Grace
Adom, Adom, W’adom
(Grace, Grace, Your Grace)

It was you my lawyer in that courtroom
It was you my soldier on that battlefield
So the essence of my praise
Is centred on your Grace
Adom, Adom, W’adom
(Grace, Grace, Your Grace)

Eei, Adom O Nyame, Adom O Adom
(Grace O Lord, Grace O Grace)
Adom nti na me tease
(I’m alive because of Grace)
3y3 W’Adom nti na me wo ho
(I’m here because of Your grace)
Lord the essence of my praise
Is centred on your Grace
Adom, Adom, W’adom
(Grace, Grace, Your Grace)

Eei, Adom O Nyame, Adom O Adom
(Grace O Lord, Grace O Grace)
Adom nti na me tease
(I’m alive because of Grace)
Ay3 W’Adom nti na me wo ho
(I’m here because of Your grace)
Lord the essence of my praise
Is centred on your Grace
Adom, Adom, W’adom

Who has changed my story?
Who has given me a song?
Turned my mourning into dancing
It is you and just your grace
You have changed my story
Protocol breaker you made a way
You turned my mourning into dancing
It is You and just Your grace

Could not have made it without You
Could not have sailed through without You
Your Loving kindness, grace and mercy
Brought me through
So the essence of my praise, is centred on Your grace
Adom Adom, W’adom
(Grace, Grace, Your Grace)

Could not have made it without You
Could not have sailed through without You
Papa, Your Loving kindness, grace and mercies
Brought me through
So the essence of my praise, is all centred on Your grace
Adom Adom, W’adom
(Grace, Grace, Your Grace)

AdomGrace

General News

Five (5) reasons why Ashanti’s are the richest people in Ghana.

Posted on March 28, 2021March 28, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

THE COLOR IS YELLOW, BLACK AND GREEN.

This research was done by non Asantes and Jumia Travel henceforth, I did not temper the story or the history whatever you want to call it.
I’ve seen and read these stories from different sources but I decided to put this one on the platform so that you might not think that, the search was done by Asantes No.

Sika or ^Jw3t33’’ are very popular terms used to caption money or riches in many Ashanti or Akan parts of Ghana. A rich person, known as ‘’sikanyin’’ in Twi represents someone who has amassed so much wealth that he/she stands out in the community or the society. Some have even reached national and international status.

One overwhelming fact about these individuals is the fact that a greater chunk of them are Akans, more specifically Ashanti’s. Then this question pops up. Why are the Ashanti’s the richest group of Ghanaians? Jumia Travel, Africa’s leading online travel agency attempts to examine possible reasons for this popular assumption(why the Ashantis are the richest people in Ghana).

LAND OF GOLD

Historically, we can confidently say the Ashanti’s are by far the richest sect of Ghanaians by birth. Born into riches, they are destined for wealth by inheritance. Many Ashanti’s acquire their starting capital from their fathers and forefathers. They have something to build on from the start. The Ashanti Kingdom is also popular called ‘’the land of gold’’ because it houses the biggest mines in the country. The Obuasi gold mine has for many decades been a hub for Ghana’s gold mining activities elevating the country to a very good standing as one of Africa’s leading gold producing countries. Have you ever watched an Ashanti ceremony? The full regalia worn by the chiefs and kinsmen will dazzle you. Expensive Kente with very beautiful gold ornaments clearly depicts how rich these group of people are. Other rich minerals are also mined here. A look at the top richest men in Ghana clearly shows us also that most of the rich folk are Ashanti’s.

HARD WORK ~~~~~~~~~

Another reason that may be attributed to Ashanti’s being the richest Ghanaians is hard work. Indisputably, the Ashanti’s who are spread all over the country are much more involved in businesses and work extremely hard for their money. You will hardly find an Ashanti without a job. Either self-employed or working with a firm. Many of them also learn a trade. No wonder the biggest open market in Ghana can be found there. They are naturally born traders and are very good at what they do. Give an Ashanti anything and expect them to sell it at a very good price. They don’t relent until the work is done and they have their monies worth for the product or service rendered. They work very hard and hence it comes as no surprise that most of them are successful and rich.

RISK TAKERS ~~~~~~~~~

Fearless, aggressive, and smart are some words that can be used to describe the Ashanti’s way of doing business. However, the most appropriate thing to say may be that they are risk takers. They dive in when they see a business opportunity. This may occasionally be detrimental and they may be on the losing end but trust them to come out on tops on most occasions. Most successful businessmen and women are the ones who take risks and venture into the unknown, work hard and make a way even when the path to success looks gloomy. If there are any group of people in Ghana who will readily explore an opportunity, then it’s the Ashanti’s.

SUPPORT FOR EACH OTHER

~~~~~
Nana Kofi goes to the USA to work. After 10 years he makes it and settles down. Then he comes back home to take Afia Kobi who is his niece along with him. She too works hard and after a while comes back to Ghana to take her nephew Kwabena Yeboah out of Ghana to work and make some money.

The cycle continues till every member of the family is in a comfortable position. This trait is very common with the Ashanti’s who are always there to support and enrich each other. Due to this special and generous attitude, we find many more rich people being Ashanti’s than any other tribe in Ghana.

Another thing that makes more of them rich is the level of generosity. An Ashanti man can give out his asset or business to his family member or kinsman to manage and make more money whiles he concentrates on other businesses with the assurance that the business still goes on and they both benefit. They hardly let each other down. This is why they keep getting rich.

BIG SPENDERS
~~
To catch a whale, you need to throw in a herring or smaller fish. This is a strategy that hardly fails and the Ashanti’s are by far the biggest users of this phenomenon. They spend big, invest big and almost always reap bountifully. The trick here is, the money hardly gets out of their own circles.

During a festival, a group of rich Ashanti friends will go back home, book a hotel owned by an Ashanti, eat from a restaurant or ‘’chop bar’’ managed by an Ashanti and even drink at a bar owned by their kinsmen. At all these places, they spend heavily and patronise from their own people hence the money stays in their own circle.

The above-mentioned points are not to say that other tribes in Ghana are not rich or do not practice any of these things. However, the group that stands out as those who do it more and better are the Ashanti’s. Maybe, in some time to come, this will change but until then, the children of Gold lead the way.

General News

NLA Suspends Questionable Contracts Pending Composition of a New Board

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

In accordance with the National Lotto Act 722 and Lottery Regulations L. I. 1948, the National Lottery Authority (NLA) has suspended all collaboration agreements which do not seem to have received the appropriate Board Approval.

This became necessary after the Management of the Authority conducted internal investigations into some of these contracts.

The Management of the NLA wants to place on record that after its internal investigations, it has been established that only four (4) companies operating in partnership with NLA had received Board Approval from the previous Board.

However, any Lottery Company which has been affected by this management decision has every right in the absence of the Board and substantive Director-General to appeal to the Ministry of Finance (supervising Ministry of NLA) or the Office of the President( the appointing authority)for review.

We would also like to urge everyone or any institution which has a contract with NLA to kindly submit a copy of such contract to the Office of the Acting Director-General for review.

Issued by: Public Relations Unit of NLA

General News

Shocking Auditor General’s report shows GH¢20 billion stolen from 2017-2019

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

The latest Auditor Generals report shows a whopping GHS 20 billion cedis stolen or misappropriated by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies between 2017 and 2019.

The report that covers three years establishes that there were cash irregularities in Ministries such as Education, Roads and Highways, Employment and Labour Relations, Health and other government agencies.

For instance, at the Ministry of Education, cash irregularities amounted to GHS 40 million whilst Procurement irregularities was about GHS 10 million. Contract irregularities was captured as GHS 86 milion.

At the Ministry of Youth and Sports, cash irregularities was GHS 3.8 million and payroll iregularities was about GHS 20 million.

At the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations cash irregularities were found to be 89 million. The report stated that cash irregularities at the Trades and Industry Ministry was GHS 83 million.

Source:Teacher Kofi Media

General News

A/R: IBM&J SRC donates to Ashan Children’s Home

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the Institute of Business Management & Journalism (IBM&J) in Kumasi has on Thursday donated items worth GH¢ 1,150 to the Ashan Children’s Home at Denase as part of its annual week celebration.

The items included bags of rice, nose masks, detergents, toilet rolls, soap, cooking oil, clothes among others.

The SRC President of the institution Mr. Bayaga Amidu Fatawu who presented the items on behalf of his colleagues said the support was done to put a smile on the faces of the children.

He added that it was also done in relation with the Quranic and Biblical principles which encouraged Muslims and Christians to show love and support to the poor and needy in society.

“We have come to show love and support to our brothers and sisters in order to put a smile on their faces, anytime there’s the need we will also in our own way come to help your outfit, as it is also encouraged by our religions,” he noted.

The President appreciated John Alexander Addai the former SRC President, former executives and the student body of the Institute for their kind contributions towards the donation.

The CEO and Founder of the Ashan Children’s Home Nana Boafo Konadu Yiadom thanked the Student leaders after receiving the gesture.

He urged other institutions to emulate in showing compassion to the children.

Mr. Konadu Yiadom pointed out that despite the numerous successes chalked by the home over the last 22 years, there are some challenges including inadequate funds, how to mobilize the homeless children among others.

He, therefore, appealed to government, Philanthropists and other benevolent organizations to help address the challenges in order to render quality care for the children.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Business Management and Journalism was founded in 1990 as a commercial tertiary institution.

It was accredited by the Ghana National Accreditation Board in 2005 to run tertiary courses.

IBM&J is a well-known institute with good academic staff carefully selected for their experience and expertise in their chosen fields, including Journalism, Communication, Public Relations and Marketing.

General News

Rastafarian boy and siblings refused admission to some SHSs get 6 scholarships

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

Half a dozen schools including international institutions have queued up to offer unconditional admission, including full scholarships plus meals to Rastafarian triplets who have been denied admission to some Senior High Schools (SHS) due to their dreadlocks.

This is coming at a time where sisters of one of the boys, who were admitted by St. John’s Grammar School were also asked to cut down their hair at the height of the controversy about whether to be admitted or not.

Tyrone Marguay has been denied admission to the Achimota School over his failure to trim his dreadlocks.

The two girls, Nikita and Amrita Marhguy, make up triplets with Tyrone Marguay.

At the height of the controversy, six schools have offered to admit the students unconditionally, with some offering full scholarships plus meals to them.

Explaining the motive behind the gesture, school authorities of one of the schools (name withheld) said, “We do believe that no student should be denied education. We also believe that, yes, students need to learn to obey rules but those rules in any way should not deny students the opportunity to education, which is a basic right for kids.

“So our own rules allow us to admit students that are Rastafarians, perhaps who have dreadlocks [and] we felt that, why not give them the opportunity?

Nonetheless, “we also had to discuss the cost [of Education] because we are very much aware that for students that are enrolled in the free SHS, they may not be able to afford International Education.

He also noted, “it was not just a matter of giving them an alternative, but you also need to look at supporting them cost wise that’s why we’re reaching out so that we can give them offer so that their education won’t be curtailed at that age.”

General News

Police Officer Jailed 10years for Extortion

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

Sgt Augustine Owusu Ansah stationed at Assin Fosu was seen in a video at a drinking spot taking money from civilians in a narcotics case. The video went viral and he was interdicted and he was charged for Extortion under sec 151(1) of act 29/60.

The trial has lasted for two years and has been convicted and sentence to TEN YEARS with hard labor by the Cape coast high court.

Crime

19-year-old SHS 2 student defiles 18-month-old twin girls at Assin Nsuta

Posted on March 25, 2021March 25, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

A 19-year-old SHS 2 student, Patrick Nyarkoh, has been arrested by the Assin Fosu Police Command for defiling 18 month-old twin-girls at Assin Nsuta in the Assin South District of the Central region.

According to a reports reaching Gnews.com,after several hours of searching but to no avail, the victims’ mother forcefully broke into the suspect’s room because,he is a co-tenant and found her daughters lying down prostate and unconscious with Nyarkoh also naked beside them on the bed.

After reporting the unfortunate incident to her husband, Francis Nkum Junior,the girls were immediately rushed to the Francis Xavier Hospital in Assin Fosu and the doctors confirmed that they had been defiled.

Fluids suspected to be sperms were found on the twins and an official complaint was subsequently made to the police.

Meanwhile,during interrogation,Patrick confessed to committing the abominable act and claimed that he was under the influence of an evil spirit. He, however, pleaded for forgiveness.

Source: Gnews.com

Crime, General News

Suspected Woman Grabbed For Stealing A 2year Old Boy

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Kofi Tutu

A woman believed to be in her early 30s was yesterday, March 23, 2021, grabbed in Mankessim in the Mfantseman Municipality of Central Region for allegedly stealing a 2-year old boy.

According to sources, a pure water seller spotted the woman with the boy called Nana Yaw with plantain chips at Accra-Kumasi station in Mankessim.

The pure water seller who suspected the woman to be a Kidnapper, immediately informed the boy’s mother about the development after she found out that the mother of the child was searching for her baby boy.

The mother of the child to her surprise saw exactly what was reported to her by the young pure water seller. The suspected woman told the crowd when arrested that the child was given by her sister.

Source:Gnews.com