It is very distressful to see innocent citizens of Western Togoland who by natural phenomenon, championing the course of their freedom are being chased and arrested by Ghanaian authorities who were supposed to give prudent thought to this natural flow of self-determination and know better.
The truth hurts, but it must be told. Western Togolanders have remained historically oppressed since 1957 when Ghana annexed their land till today and the civilized world sees nothing wrong with that. The wailing and the suffering of children and women of Western Togoland is not of concern to them, rather a nuisances to hegemonic Ghana who was once a slave boy but today, a slave owner and have taken the shield of her former slave master.
Western Togoland was a trust territory given to Britain to administer to independence by United Nations (UN). Britain executed the mandate given to her for a period of time till Britain was no longer in position to continue. Britain at this juncture was expected to return the mandate to the UN just as she did in similar situation in 1948 when she had to relinquish her mandate over Palestinians to the UN which eventually made Palestinians free to determine their future.
In the case of Western Togoland, she requested to join Western Togoland and her colony Gold Coast (Now Ghana) in a union of an equal basis and it was granted by the UN. But I need to remind you that, when all these were happening, Gold Coast was a slave in captivity and by law, it had no rights to join any country or trust territory in Union.
Dehumanized plebiscite was organized in 1956 for only Western Togolanders to decide between two undefined and deceptive questions. Whether Union with Ghana as independence state or remained a trust territory until such time as their future is determined. It is on record that the vague majority of Western Togolanders who voted yes for union with the independent Ghana, did so for only that purpose, UNION, a partnership on equal basis and not for integration.
The Plebiscite result was, 93,095 for union, representing 57.9% and 67,492 for separation, representing 42.028%.
It is important to know that, the plebiscite itself, does not make a union. It only serves as the manifestation of the intention or desire of the good people of Western Togoland. And that is why it is also important for us to know if that intention was the free consent will of the people. The answer is NO but that cannot be discussed here.
The plebiscite result was reported to the United Nations but did not serve its purpose. It remained useless and waste of time, not to mention 2 billion Pounds of Western Togolanders reserve money that was used in organizing it. Below are the reasons the plebiscite was useless.
- The plebiscite was not ratified.
- The yes vote for union with Ghana was only 57.9%, therefore it is insignificant to determine a union.
- Gold Cost and Western Togoland have never met to agree on terms and conditions of the union.
- There was no constitutional conference among the two unionized states.
- No union constitution was drawn to back the Union.
- There was no government in place to speak on behalf of Western Togoland.
Based on the above, the 1956 plebiscite and its claims on our homeland, Western Togoland, are null and void. Ghana’s rule over Western Togoland is therefore an injustice, a trespass, a tyranny, worse than colonialism.
Union was just a convenient word, used to annex our homeland as Ghana herself from onset do not have any interest of joining hands with our homeland in union. This was publicly exhibited when Gold Coast on July 12, 1956, went into referendum and voted against the union, barely two month after the plebiscite, by choosing unitary system of governance, and we are not allowed to complain?
Our request is to regularize the informal union between our homeland and Ghana on equal ground and respect. Is this too much to ask?
On that note, I remember the words of Thomas Jefferson, “We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Decolonization is one of the core principle on which United Nations was born and seems to be championing that discourse. But in the face of UN that annexation of Western Togoland by Ghana for the purposes of expansionism or preponderance have been allowed, questioned the sacredness of the UN trust. I caution here for us not to mistake UN for Trusteeship Council.
For the principles and the purposes of the trusteeship council in which Western Togoland was part off, stand for absolute independence for all trust territories at the termination of their trusteeship agreement. Bearing that in mind, the UN General Assembly did not ask for integration of Western Togoland.
It is undeniable fact that the UN General Assembly asked for constitutional union with Ghana that would preserve the geographical entity, identity, freedom and sovereignty of Western Togoland as a truly independent state. And that been the case, who have the power to integrate our Homeland, Western Togoland? And again, where is our geographical entity, identity freedom and sovereignty as envisage by Trusteeship Council and United Nations as a whole?
The world is aware to the fact that Togoland was a divided territory and to allow part of the territory (Western Togoland) to merge or integrate in to Gold Coast is a deliberate call for future trouble.
Even if you are not expose to the facts, the little account I have rendered here, should be enough to inform you that Western Togoland was wrongfully occupied by Ghana.
What the world is witnessing today about the Western Togoland restoration is a natural evolution and no one can stop it.
I am proud that we have risen to the challenges confronting our homeland and we have chosen the path of nonviolence and civility in our discourse.
I therefore see no wisdom in Ghana’s intimidating tactics of arresting innocent and nonviolence citizens of the homeland, Western Togoland.
I want the world to know that we have been in this noble struggle for a considerable time before reaching where we are today, and it is absolutely impossible for us to retreat or surrender.
To the meticulously chosen Kings and Queens of the homeland, Western Togoland, youth and fellow comrades, I thank you for your commitment and resilient effort to rescue our homeland. I besiege you to continue holding Western Togoland stewardship in high esteem with the courage of peace and courtesy. I assured you that it won’t be long, our homeland would returned to its original state. We are not fighting Ghana, rather, we are fighting for Western Togoland restoration.
I am exceedingly humble to thank the People’s Liberation Council (PLC) of Western Togoland for their role in guiding the people within the democratic principles and international laws towards the restoration of our homeland. It is so much joy to have learn that the PLC have taken the mater to international level for the sake of peace and avoidance of unnecessary loss of human lives. And also poised to carry out the mandate Britain and UN left behind. May the PLC remained the pale thin thread that binds and lead the aspirations of our homeland.
I also want to assured our innocent Citizens who have been arrested by Ghana government to know that we share their pains and the world is with them. We stand by you and your pain will not be in vain. Injustice to one is an injustice to all. With our hands at our back, we will resist oppressors rule. We shall overcome.
Thank you.
By Seth Mifetu
November 23, 2019
PRESS RELEASE:
TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES.
