“Random Thoughts on the Political History of British Togoland”

I have reviewed this book, titled “Random Thoughts on the Political History of British Togoland” and as a Political Scientist with over twenty years of experience in Teaching and Research in many areas of politics, including the political history of Ghana, I can say without equivocation that the book has come at the right time.

The author, in demonstrating his erudite grasp over the issues, has succinctly simplified what is normally referred to as the “Togoland Problem”. Information about the “Togoland Problem” is scanty and indeed, many Ghanaians are oblivious of the germane issues in these areas, partly because British Togoland is wrongly referred to as the Trans-Volta/Togoland or Volta Region.

Many Ghanaians do not know that in 1955 the UN General Assembly (UNGA) rejected the UN Visiting Mission to the Togoland’s recommendation for integration and adopted Union. This adoption was incorporated into the UN Resolution 944 (X) that ordered the 1956 Togoland Plebiscite.

Also, many Ghanaians do not know that in 1956 the UNGA passed Resolution 1044 (XI) expressing approval for a Union between British Togoland and independent Gold Coast (Ghana) after the 1956 Togoland Plebiscite.

They do not know that in 1957, Britain sent a Notification Letter to the UN Secretary General that a Union of British Togoland and the Independent State of Ghana took place under the 1957 Ghana Independence Act. Many are not aware that instead of a Union, the 1957 Independence Act was used by the British to rather impose forcible integration on British Togoland, even though the UN Resolution 1044 (XI) was never about integration.

It is clearly articulated in this book that the Ghana Independence Act did not mention anything about the Ghana-British Togoland Union. The consequential effect of non-establishment of a Union was that the so-called Ghana-Togoland Union did not have any political and legal instrument to recognise or back it or define the rights and obligations of the partners in the Union. The book delves much into the use of repression, through legislations such as the Preventive Detention Act (PDA), Avoidance of Discrimination Act (ADA) and the Supreme Military Council Decree (SMCD20) to protect, enforce and prop up the forcible integration imposed on British Togoland by Britain. Author concludes that Britain, the Administering Authority and organiser of the 1956 Togoland Plebiscite, committed a serious legal and political blunder in trying to bring about the Union.

Given the imperative to rectify this blunder to deal with the inaccuracies in our historical narratives about the issues, the author makes a legitimate demand that the British and the UN begin to rethink the necessary steps to install the Union prescribed by UN Resolution 1044 (XI) through dialogue, negotiations, tact and diplomacy.

By so doing the people of British Togoland would have received justice and the Ghana-Togoland Union would have been legally and properly installed.

This is a masterpiece and the author must be hailed for setting the records straight by putting together such an accurate account of our political history, with respect to the “Togoland Problem”.

The book should provide insightful knowledge to political historians, political scientists, students, public officials, the media and all Ghanaians. I will, therefore, recommend it.

Ransford Gyampo, PhD

Professor of Political Science,

Department of Political Science,

University of Ghana

Legon