1899 AD, Prempeh College and the Century (Colonial) Bug !!
By Obiri-Yeboah Mensah, Serwah '83
The best College one can think of in Africa is the King's College of Ghana, our Prempeh College.
It is now fifty years old and our one year celebration is almost over. We hope the high spirits
at Sofoline which give us the courage, vim and the Jordan to always be the best and will
continue to give our school the showers of Blessings. We are the only "Amanfoo" of all Amanfoo
with the highest self confidence and the highest moral temperatude. We are everywhere doing
everything. We must always thank our parents, ralatives and friends who contributed in one way
or the other to make our days at Sofoline the happiest moments in our lives. We thank the KING,
Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II, his nephew and succesor, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, Rev. S. N.
Pearson and many others who, with their vision, have made us what we are today.
Going back to December 1899, there were only three secondary schools in Cape Coast, Fanti. There
was nothing like Prempeh College. This was the time the Ashanti Kings were fighting against the
Europeanisation of their children. Otumfuo Opoku Ware I said, "We are not going to let our
children sit under a tree the whole day and sing Hoi Hoi Hoi!", meaning Holy Holy Holy ....
Merciful and Mercy... God in three Persons Blessed trinity. Yes , he envisaged the brain washing
tactics of the whiteman (the Kwasi Broni). These and other patriotic wishes had already led to
three wars between the Ashantis and the British. The fourth and last Anglo-Ashanti War was just
at the corner, and the 20th. Century (demi semi millenium?) too. The then King of Ashanti, Kwaku
Duah III who later became Prempeh I was stolen (deported?) and sent to far away Seychelles
Islands. A coward and inhuman approach.
A woman, the then Queen Mother of Edwiso, Nanahemaa Yaa Asantewaa, led the Porcupine Warriors to
face the British. With their barbaric weapons, they defeated the Ashantis but the Golden Stool
was well hidden. They burnt Kumasi into ashes. After the new 20th. century Ashanti and other
independent nations were officially colonised to be the Gold Coast, because they could steal
Gold from there. We, the Men owe a big gratitude to our women because of Yaa Asantewaa. Women we
say KUDOS!!
In December 1899, our college was not in existence but the land was. Let us think about the
landscape without the beautiful buildings, the orchards, apian ways, the fields and other
monuments not forgeting the good old gym. Was the land a thick Ashanti forest where antelopes,
elephants, lions and other wild animals were making were having good time? Was it a semi forest
where the then "Asikafoo" (richmen) to be, were having their cocoa plantations? Was the land a
thick forest with the rest becoming the famous school forest? How did the landscape of the
Prempeh College compound look like? I could imagine that there could be a great anthill in the
middle of the Osae Assembly Hall. Seniors, bring your ideas.
King Prempeh II was born in 1913. He became King at age 18 in 1931. Did he have the vision to build his college in 50
years time? Kwame Nkrumah was to be born to Madam Nyaniba in ten years time, Otumfuo Opoku Ware
II, the surveyor of the land was to be born in twenty years time, Dr. James Emmanuel Kwagyir
Aggrey was alive. Did Dr. J. E. K. Aggrey thought of being in his Achimota in 28 years time?
SANKOFA!! Let us go back and think of what the new century was to bring.
How were the names of the people living in what was to be called Gold Coast? Along the coast,
maybe one could meet a Fantiman or Ga lady called Blankson, Johnson, Rawlings, Buckman and Otoo.
Were these people foced to bear such names from overseas? Were and are they happy with such
names? What could be the names of the people who, in 1899 had not been "tamed" by the white man?
Akua Fokuo (Akuokuo), Opanin Nyantakyi, Agya Kwadwo Ntosoo, Yaw Berko Nketia, Koo Fori, Kwabena
Boateng, Oheneaku Kwapong, Yaw Froboo, Kwame Atoapoma Mensah, Akosua Badu, Ama Mansa, Yaw Atta?
What was the new 20th. century to bring in terms of names? Everybody, pronounce your name very
loud, try to hear it and comment on it.
In 1899, in case we knew already that we would be defeated and colonised, what was going to be
out of the offsprings in 100 years. Would the people fight against allienation, throw away their
culture, religion, forms of socialisation? Be proud of the colonial education and even not
produce enough to feed themselves? Producing what they don't consume and consuming what they
don't produce? What were the fears of our forefathers who lived by then? Was there a Century Bug
to be feared? The aircraft, automobile invation, catechism and cocoa plantations?
The new 20th. century brought the translation of our languages into the colonial language of
Eglish. The Bible was the first Book to be translated. Professor J. H. Kwabena Nketiah was to be
one of the first people to assist in translating the Akan language. But there are some names and
words we must translate before they are 200 untranslated years old. Amanfoo, help me to
translate these Akan words into the language we were brought up with, the English language, at
Prempeh College.
