Memorial of Sergeant Adjetey - Osu, Accra, Ghana
Located in Osu (Beach road), in remembrance of the three ex-servicemen who were in 1948 shot dead by the colonial police led by Superintendent Imray, while they were marching peacefully to the Osu Castle to present a petition to the then Governor on their gratuities.
Please NOTE: The memorial is in the middle of being rebuild! (as of April 2016) The three ex-servicemen who were shot dead by Superintendant Imray were Sergeant Peter Adjetey, Corporal Otam Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey. Sgt Adjetey was a member of the 81 and 82 division of the West African frontier force which excelled in driving the Japanese forces out of southern Arakan in India and Burma. |
In the coastal belt of Southern Arakan in the difficult mountain terrains the enemy had to be cleared particularly from the Taungup Pass on the road to Prome. Not withstanding a spirited opposition from the Japanese forces and the loss of many lives, the enemy resistance had been overcome and his unit was mentioned in dispatches for exceptional bravery.
It would be recalled that, on Saturday, 28th February 1948, a number of unarmed ex-servicemen were on a peaceful march from Accra to the Christiansborg Castle to present a petition to the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief, Sir Gerald Creasy, on failed promises on their end of service entitlements when they were intercepted at the Christiansborg Crossroad by a contingent of armed policemen, led by a gun ho British Superintendent, Colin Imray. Without provocation,they opened fire at the Ex-servicemen, killing Sergeant Adjetey, Cpl Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, instantly.
The news about the death of the gallant Ex-servicemen spread rapidly, leading to a break down of law and order in Accra and other parts of the country, resulting in what has come to be known and popularly referred to as the 1948 disturbances.
This set the tone for the anti-colonial movements to press the British government to institute a committee to investigate the killings and the consequent general disorder. The committee recommended self- government for the Gold Coast,which hastened the struggle for the attainment of political independence for the country on March 6, 1957.
It would be recalled that, on Saturday, 28th February 1948, a number of unarmed ex-servicemen were on a peaceful march from Accra to the Christiansborg Castle to present a petition to the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief, Sir Gerald Creasy, on failed promises on their end of service entitlements when they were intercepted at the Christiansborg Crossroad by a contingent of armed policemen, led by a gun ho British Superintendent, Colin Imray. Without provocation,they opened fire at the Ex-servicemen, killing Sergeant Adjetey, Cpl Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, instantly.
The news about the death of the gallant Ex-servicemen spread rapidly, leading to a break down of law and order in Accra and other parts of the country, resulting in what has come to be known and popularly referred to as the 1948 disturbances.
This set the tone for the anti-colonial movements to press the British government to institute a committee to investigate the killings and the consequent general disorder. The committee recommended self- government for the Gold Coast,which hastened the struggle for the attainment of political independence for the country on March 6, 1957.
Christianburg shooting remembered / 28.02.2014
It was a solemn moment for those who attended the 66th Anniversary of the 28th February Christiansburg Crossroad Shooting Incidence at the Freedom Monument or Nationalism Park near the Independence Square in Accra on Friday. The anniversary which is celebrated every year is in remembrance of the three ex-servicemen who were in 1948 shot dead by the colonial police led by Superintendent Imray, while they were marching peacefully to the Osu Castle to present a petition to the then Governor on their gratuities. |
Advertisement
|
The three ex-servicemen who were shot dead by Superintendent Imray were Sergeant Peter Adjetey, Corporal Otam Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey.
The programme which began with both Christian and Muslim prayers at 08.40 am, was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, ex-servicemen, security agency officials, school children from Osu and ordinary Ghanaians.
Persons who attended the programme were ushered to their seats by official from the State Protocol while officers from the security officers directed traffic and directing vehicles as to where to park.
The gathering was treated to a display by 150 men and women drawn from the Army, the Navy, Police and the Air force who had their had their at ease stand constantly interrupted by standing attention and saluting arriving officials.
Spectators also had their fair share of the discomfort by constantly standing up on the arrival of dignitaries and the playing of patriotic songs by the Armed Forces Band.
As if persons who came to watch the programme were warned before it commenced, no phone was heard ringing, which was usually the case during these days. The most solemn moment came when names of the war veterans were called out one after the other. The response of absent sir was heard from the veterans when the name of a departed colleague was mentioned three times.
Wreathes were laid by the Review officer, Mr Mark Woyongo who is the Defence Minister on behalf of Government and the people of Ghana, while Real Admiral Mathew Quarshie who is the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) also laid one on behalf of security services.
Commodore Steve Obimpeh, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Ghana (VAG), also laid one on behalf of the veterans with Nii Kinka Dowouna 111 Osu Mantse also laying the fourth one on behalf of traditional leaders. The last one was laid by family members of Sergeant Peter Adjetey on behalf of the families of the fallen soldiers.
The programme which ended at 0925am came to an end after a national salute and the departure of Mr Woyongo and his entourage.
La Association UK Donates to Sgt Adjetey Monument
Source: La Association UK / Saturday, 13 July 2013 - A recent delegation made up of members of La Kpee UK, led by their Chairperson Mrs Mabel Doku donated a sum of 30 million old cedis to honor a promise made to the committee set up to ensure that a befitting monument is erected to honour the memory of Sgt Adjetey a proud son and hero of La.
Other members of the delegation included Nii Abeka Gogo immediate past Chairman and Dr Eric Boye. At a small but impressive ceremony held at La before the presentation, the Chairman of the committee of the project thanked the delegation for their donation and assured the delegation that the money will help with the ongoing project.
Present to receive the Delegation were Nii La,Traditional leaders, a presiding member of MC and the son and grand children of Sgt Adjetey.
The project is located on the Osu La road at the gateway junction to LA. The monument is dedicated to the honor and everlasting memory of Sgt. Cornelius Frederick Adjetey a patriot of La who saw service in both world wars. It is being constructed by the LA socio-economic Development Association and the La citizens network with strong support of the LA Traditional council in collaboration with GA-DANGME council. The foundation of the monument was unveiled by the LA chief (LA MANTSE) NII KPOBI TETTEY TSURU III on Saturday, March 2, 2002.
Sgt Adjetey was a member of the 81 and 82 division of the West African frontier force which excelled in driving the Japanese forces out of southern Arakan in India and Burma. Inthe coastal belt of Southern Arakan in the difficult mountain terrainsthe enemy had to be cleared particularly from the Taungup Pass on the road to Prome. Not withstanding a spirited opposition from the Japanese forces and the loss of many lives, the enemy resistance had been overcome and his unit was mentioned in dispatches for exceptional bravery.
It would be recalled that, on Saturday, 28th February 1948, a number of unarmed ex-servicemen were on a peaceful march from Accra to the Christiansborg Castle to present a petition to the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief, Sir Gerald Creasy, on failed promises on their end of service entitlements when they were intercepted at the Christiansborg Crossroad by a contingent of armed policemen, led by a gun ho British Superintendent, Colin Imray. Without provocation,they opened fire at the Ex-servicemen, killing Sergeant Adjetey, Cpl Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, instantly.
The news about the death of the gallant Ex-servicemen spread rapidly, leading to a break down of law and order in Accra and other parts of the country, resulting in what has come to be known and popularly referred to as the 1948 disturbances.
This set the tone for the anti-colonial movements to press the British government to institute a committee to investigate the killings and the consequent general disorder. The committee recommended self- government for the Gold Coast,which hastened the struggle for the attainment of political independence for the country on March 6, 1957.
A martyr of the independence struggle and a veteran of both world wars, we the members of La Association UK are proud to contribute in our small way towards the rehabilitation of this great son of La.
Source: La Association UK / Saturday, 13 July 2013 - A recent delegation made up of members of La Kpee UK, led by their Chairperson Mrs Mabel Doku donated a sum of 30 million old cedis to honor a promise made to the committee set up to ensure that a befitting monument is erected to honour the memory of Sgt Adjetey a proud son and hero of La.
Other members of the delegation included Nii Abeka Gogo immediate past Chairman and Dr Eric Boye. At a small but impressive ceremony held at La before the presentation, the Chairman of the committee of the project thanked the delegation for their donation and assured the delegation that the money will help with the ongoing project.
Present to receive the Delegation were Nii La,Traditional leaders, a presiding member of MC and the son and grand children of Sgt Adjetey.
The project is located on the Osu La road at the gateway junction to LA. The monument is dedicated to the honor and everlasting memory of Sgt. Cornelius Frederick Adjetey a patriot of La who saw service in both world wars. It is being constructed by the LA socio-economic Development Association and the La citizens network with strong support of the LA Traditional council in collaboration with GA-DANGME council. The foundation of the monument was unveiled by the LA chief (LA MANTSE) NII KPOBI TETTEY TSURU III on Saturday, March 2, 2002.
Sgt Adjetey was a member of the 81 and 82 division of the West African frontier force which excelled in driving the Japanese forces out of southern Arakan in India and Burma. Inthe coastal belt of Southern Arakan in the difficult mountain terrainsthe enemy had to be cleared particularly from the Taungup Pass on the road to Prome. Not withstanding a spirited opposition from the Japanese forces and the loss of many lives, the enemy resistance had been overcome and his unit was mentioned in dispatches for exceptional bravery.
It would be recalled that, on Saturday, 28th February 1948, a number of unarmed ex-servicemen were on a peaceful march from Accra to the Christiansborg Castle to present a petition to the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief, Sir Gerald Creasy, on failed promises on their end of service entitlements when they were intercepted at the Christiansborg Crossroad by a contingent of armed policemen, led by a gun ho British Superintendent, Colin Imray. Without provocation,they opened fire at the Ex-servicemen, killing Sergeant Adjetey, Cpl Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, instantly.
The news about the death of the gallant Ex-servicemen spread rapidly, leading to a break down of law and order in Accra and other parts of the country, resulting in what has come to be known and popularly referred to as the 1948 disturbances.
This set the tone for the anti-colonial movements to press the British government to institute a committee to investigate the killings and the consequent general disorder. The committee recommended self- government for the Gold Coast,which hastened the struggle for the attainment of political independence for the country on March 6, 1957.
A martyr of the independence struggle and a veteran of both world wars, we the members of La Association UK are proud to contribute in our small way towards the rehabilitation of this great son of La.
Sgt Adjetey's grave lies in ruins
Sixty five years after the death of Sergeant Cornelius Frederick Adjetey, one of the three icons in Ghana’s independence struggle, his burial place lies in ruins.
Source: Daily Graphic Ghana / February 2013 - His grave is now engulfed in filth at an abandoned cemetery, part of which has been turned into a football field by schoolchildren.
Fifty metres away from the grave is a refuse dumping site.
The cemetery houses about 70 old and broken graves, among them that of the once gallant soldier who was killed during the Christianborg Crossroad Shooting incident on February 28, 1948.
His grave has the inscription: “The late hero ex-Sgt. C. F. Adjetey. Born 2nd February, 1894. He was shot at the Christianborg Rd. He served in the 1914-1939 World wars. Aged 54.”
The grave of the veteran of the First and Second World wars is located on the compound of a cluster of schools at La in Accra.
Surprisingly, over the years, the state has been celebrating the sacrifices he and Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey-Lamptey, his comrades who were members of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), made in the Christianborg Crossroads Shooting incident on February 28, 1948.
Prior to the 65th anniversary of the shooting incident, Daily Graphic visited the site on Monday, February 25, and discovered that nothing had been done to improve Sgt Adjetey’s resting place after it published a front page story on March 1, 2013 on the neglect of the grave
A part of the two pillars supporting the tomb was found broken. According to some residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic, that pillar had been broken for months.
Since the shooting incident 65 years ago, the incident which sped up the country’s independence struggle, a symbolic wreath-laying and flag-raising ceremony is organised every year to commemorate the anniversary of the death of the three ex-servicemen.
The Country Coordinator of the La Citizen Network, Nii Yemo Yemofio, told Gaily Graphic that the network had been working feverishly to ensure that the veteran soldier was given a fitting resting place by 2014.
According to him, the network, together with the La Socio-Economic Development Association, was in the process of building a monument at La in memory of Sgt Adjetey.
He said the two associations wanted to give the late sergeant a fitting burial as an illustrious son of La, since the government and the La Traditional Council were yet to do anything concrete about the grave.
He, however, bemoaned the fact that the two associations had to resort to external sources to secure funds to build the monument in honour of a man whose death, together with that of two others, sped up the independence struggle of the country.
Nii Yemofio said presently $145,380 was needed to build a bronze statue and an additional GH¢40,000 to beautify the area where the monument was being erected.
Sixty five years after the death of Sergeant Cornelius Frederick Adjetey, one of the three icons in Ghana’s independence struggle, his burial place lies in ruins.
Source: Daily Graphic Ghana / February 2013 - His grave is now engulfed in filth at an abandoned cemetery, part of which has been turned into a football field by schoolchildren.
Fifty metres away from the grave is a refuse dumping site.
The cemetery houses about 70 old and broken graves, among them that of the once gallant soldier who was killed during the Christianborg Crossroad Shooting incident on February 28, 1948.
His grave has the inscription: “The late hero ex-Sgt. C. F. Adjetey. Born 2nd February, 1894. He was shot at the Christianborg Rd. He served in the 1914-1939 World wars. Aged 54.”
The grave of the veteran of the First and Second World wars is located on the compound of a cluster of schools at La in Accra.
Surprisingly, over the years, the state has been celebrating the sacrifices he and Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey-Lamptey, his comrades who were members of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), made in the Christianborg Crossroads Shooting incident on February 28, 1948.
Prior to the 65th anniversary of the shooting incident, Daily Graphic visited the site on Monday, February 25, and discovered that nothing had been done to improve Sgt Adjetey’s resting place after it published a front page story on March 1, 2013 on the neglect of the grave
A part of the two pillars supporting the tomb was found broken. According to some residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic, that pillar had been broken for months.
Since the shooting incident 65 years ago, the incident which sped up the country’s independence struggle, a symbolic wreath-laying and flag-raising ceremony is organised every year to commemorate the anniversary of the death of the three ex-servicemen.
The Country Coordinator of the La Citizen Network, Nii Yemo Yemofio, told Gaily Graphic that the network had been working feverishly to ensure that the veteran soldier was given a fitting resting place by 2014.
According to him, the network, together with the La Socio-Economic Development Association, was in the process of building a monument at La in memory of Sgt Adjetey.
He said the two associations wanted to give the late sergeant a fitting burial as an illustrious son of La, since the government and the La Traditional Council were yet to do anything concrete about the grave.
He, however, bemoaned the fact that the two associations had to resort to external sources to secure funds to build the monument in honour of a man whose death, together with that of two others, sped up the independence struggle of the country.
Nii Yemofio said presently $145,380 was needed to build a bronze statue and an additional GH¢40,000 to beautify the area where the monument was being erected.
According to him, so far they had received support from some prominent citizens of La and the La Traditional Council but they needed more support, especially from the council and the government.
As part of efforts at raising funds in support of the monument, Nii Yemofio said a memorial lecture to be addressed by Dr K. B. Asante would be organised at the Du Bois Centre on Thursday, February 28. The lecture is being supported by the Historian Society of Ghana. Sgt. Adjetey, Cpl. Lamptey & Cpl. Attipoe In remembrance of the Late Sgt. Adjetey and other martyrs killed cold-bloodedly by a British Police Officer serving in the then Gold Cost Police Force at X?Borg cross Road on 28th February 1948. These harmless peaceful demonstrators & citizens of Gold Coast were on their way to hand in a petition on behalf of the Gold Coast Ex-Servicemen to the British Governor at the seat of power at the Christian Borg Castle. Their death and looting of European owned stores/shops that follows throughout the whole country caused the British Government in Westminster to set up the Watson Commission which paved the way for constitutional changes leading to Ghana?s Independence.
One notable contributor also to Ghana?s Political awareness at the time was the Late Nii Koblah Bonne of Osu Alata (Osu Alata Mantse; Boycott-Hene), who organised the boycott of European goods. It?s a big shame that previous Governments and present Government of Ghana have not found it necessary to honour these gallant heroes in the struggle for the Gold Coast Independence form the Imperialist. It is about time the Government of the day or the next Government of Ghana should as a commemorative honour declare 28th February each year as a PUBLIC & NATIONAL HOLIDAY, for these heroic sons of Ghana also for their images to appear on Ghana currencies and postage stamps. We will always remember them. All Ghana Tourism & Info Links by Region
|
|
Search 3 of our sites: ghana-net.com, ghananet.co.uk and ghanawebnews.online
Search ghana-net.com OR ghanaweb-news.com (ONLY)
Radio Live Pages |
Ghana Info Pages |
More Ghana Links
British Gold Coast (Many pictures shown!)
Fort Batenstein (full info website) Logbuch.Ghana-net.net (Deutsch) GhanaHotels.biz (400 + Hotels) All Towns of Ghana, by Region A - Z Preventive child health inequality 1283 private health institutions in Ghana |
Welcome to Ghana! Akwaaba!
Ghana-Net.com is one of Ghana`s oldest websites, with tourism information`s about Ghana, Live Radio, life and culture of of all Ghana Nation`s, and tribes - like Ga people, Fante, Ewe, Ashanti, Dagbani, Frafra, Krobo and many other tribes and kingdoms of Ghana.
Ghana-Net.com 1st time online late December 2000, and updated since 2001 !
Ghana-Net.com is one of Ghana`s oldest websites, with tourism information`s about Ghana, Live Radio, life and culture of of all Ghana Nation`s, and tribes - like Ga people, Fante, Ewe, Ashanti, Dagbani, Frafra, Krobo and many other tribes and kingdoms of Ghana.
Ghana-Net.com 1st time online late December 2000, and updated since 2001 !
Ghana-Net.com - connected with; GhanaRadio.online /
GhanaMirror.com / GhanaWeb-News.com / GhanaMirror.uk / GhanaHotels.biz / GhanaFlights.info /
GhanaMirror.com / GhanaWeb-News.com / GhanaMirror.uk / GhanaHotels.biz / GhanaFlights.info /
Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions and Disclaimer / Services / Contact Us / (c) by ghana-net.com 2000- 2019