*By Akadu Ntiriwa Mensema, Ph. D.

“The controversy surrounding the reversal of the Ohene Djan Stadium to its
former name the Accra Sports Stadium by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA)
has been re-ignited. This time round, it is the chiefs and people of the Aburi
Traditional Council who have expressed their displeasure at the AMA for the
decision. The Aburihene, Otubour Gyan Kwasi II who spoke to Asempa News on
behalf of the Aburi Traditional Council said the action of the AMA was not only
embarrassing but painful blow to the people of Aburi and Akwapim in general”
(Ghanaweb, October 12, 2010)

Aburihene Nana Gyan Kwasi II
Mo ne kasa
Nana kasa preko
Ask JJ to bring back BB Bismark
Royal body of Aburihene BB Bismark
BB Bismark known as Nana Osae Ntifu
Aburihene Osae Ntifu [BB. Bismark]
Bring him back for royal burial
JJ’ death squads abducted BB
Abducted BB like many others
And BB disappeared like others

Oh! Peaceful Akuapem
Nonviolent Akuapem
Multicultural Akuapem
Disemboweled by Rawlings
JJ’s divisive politics
Divide and rule
Looking for votes
Pitched Guans against Akans
Pitched Larteh against Adukrom
Pitched Amonokrom against Akropong
Pitched Mamfe against Mampong
Pitched Aburi against Tutu
That is what JJ did to Akuapems
Nineteen-year mayhem in Akuapem

NPP’s eight years restored peace
Peace to the cradle of peace
NPP gave Akuapem a highway
The second best road in Ghana
Restored Aburi’s cottage industry
An industry killed by the P/NDC

Akuapem the peaceful
The pivot of “civilization”
The cradle of social change
ANIBUE
OBRA PA
NYANSA PA
Cocoa, coffee, oil-palm
Sublime Akuapem on hills
Uplifting hills
Poised on a mountain
Tranquil in its rocks
Unruffled by winds
Untamed winds
From its neighbors

Some Akuapem chiefs
Like Northern Chiefs
Have danced with the NDC
Leaders who see nothing wrong
Wrong with P/NDC atrocities
JJ’s campfire of atrocities
Bastards on chiefly stools
Corrupt chiefs used by the NDC
Chiefs who have sold their stools
Sold their stools to Rawlings
The seer of divisiveness
For pittance of fame
Episodic flaming of fame
As long as NDC rules

Some Akuapem chiefs
Have sold their conscience
Chasing after P/NDC money
Thumping their chests
Striding with corruption
Have put respect away
Chasing after bloody money

Some chiefs who follow P/NDC
Have become rich & powerful
Hollow men on stools
Following JJ’s tradition
Today strut on P/NDC’s stage
To disempower their people
Showcasing rags-to-riches
As a signifier of legitimacy

Peaceful Akuapem
Nonviolent Akuapem
Multicultural Akuapem
Disemboweled by Rawlings
It is time to be heard
It is time to blow the horn
Blow the atentenben (horn)

*Akadu N. Mensema, Ph. D., is a nationalist Denkyira beauty. She is a trained
oral historian cum sociologist and Professor in the USA. She lives in
Pennsylvania with her great mentor and teaches Africa-area studies at a college
in Maryland. In her pastime, she writes what critics have called “populist
hyperbolic, satirical” poetry. She can be reached at akadumensema@yahoo.com