In a recent impasse between HRH Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Dormahene Osedeoyo Nana Agyeman Badu, the former had commented that Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah never liked the Ashantis.
This statement is not particularly correct and it’s important to put issues into perspective so as not to distort our history and seek to paint a picture which is not.
The first ever political elections in Ghana was primarily between the UGCC and the CPP in 1951 for the Legislative Assembly for the Gold Coast. The UGCC led by JB Danquah lost the elections woefully to the Nkrumah led CPP. The party was later dissolved in 1952.
JB Danquah then went ahead to persuade the Manhyia and sought their political support against Nkrumah and the CPP. Thé then linguist of Otumfuo the Asantehene Baffour Osei Okoto (father of current Agric Minister) together with JB Danquah formed the National Liberation Movement in 1954 to contest the Nkrumah led CPP in the next election which they lost again in 1956. The CPP had 71 seats, the Northern People’s Party had 15 seats and the NLM having only 12 seats.
It is therefore important to note that it was the Manhyia Palace that rather instigated political rivalry with Nkrumah and the CPP.
Even so Nkrumah and the CPP had many influential Ashantis in the leadership of the Party. Some of these included the Jantuah Brothers and Krobo Edusei.
Again after the 1956 elections, when Nkrumah tabled the motion for independence at the Legislative Assembly the NLM members who where predominantly led by the Ashantis and influenced by JB Danquah boycotted the motion and staged a ‘« Walk Out « . The Ashanti Youth Association (AYA) had also been instigated to vehemently oppose the idea of independence.
In 1959 after independence, the government redemarcated Ghana into new administrative regions and the creation of the Bono Ahafo Region from the Ashanti Territory. Same was done to the Northern Territory. The Gold Coast colony was divided into Western and Eastern regions. The current Greater Accra Region was part of the eastern. These was administrative regions and was without any prejudice.
Currently the CPP has a strong presence in the Ashanti region, with our current General Secretary Nana Yaa Jantuah hailing from the region. Our Regional Chairman Comrade Emmanuel Gallo being a key member of the Ejisu-Juabeng Municipal Assembly.
Most CPP members reveres HRH Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, it is so that we would appreciate that Manhyia continue to remain a neutral political haven especially under the 4th republican dispensation for all Ghanaians including the Founder and members of the CPP. Nkrumah Never Dies.