There comes a time when history becomes an essential tool to understand and contextualize current happenings.

The resurrection of the Western Togoland topic has led to various historical accounts being given to validate or invalidate the demands of the secessionist group.

Readers of this website might have come across the story of the retired army captain who blamed Germany for the security situation which has arisen due to some disgruntled persons pushing for a breakaway of the Volta Region from Ghana.

Captain (retired) Nkrabea Effah-Dartey, an ex-military officer, lawyer and politician has offered an insight into how that part of the country and the now known state of Togo got the name Togoland.

He narrates that a German army captain who governed the area had his name slapped on that part of West Africa.

He said that it initially used be a German territory under the control of General Togo but after the First World War, it was partitioned by the British and French.

“During the Berlin Conference of 1884, they decided to share Africa for themselves. The Germans took a part of West Africa. The part called West Africa was named after their army general called General Togo so we had the name Togoland. General Togo’s controlled a mixture of people which include Mamprusis, Ewes and Ashantis”.

“After the First World War, Britain and France shared all of the Germany colonies in Africa. The British part of Togo became Western Togo and Eastern Togo went to France. Britain took care of them until Ghana had independence under Kwame Nkrumah. Nkrumah and the CPP government decided to do something called plebiscite or referendum and 58% voted to be part of the new Ghana”.

“From Bawku in the Upper East, running down through Yendi, Dambai coming down through Hohoe which was the German capital through down to Ho to Keta, they were all part of those who took part in that decision. 58% of them voted to be part of the country and for more than 50% we have lived as one nation”, he said on Okay FM.

Touching on the current situation, Captain (retired) Effah-Darteh urged the secessionist to call for a referendum instead of violence.

He advised the government to ‘stamp it out before it is too late’.