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On March 6, 1957, Kwame Nkrumah proclaimed Ghana’s independence from Great Britain’s occupation, thus becoming the beacon that spread liberation across the continent.
In the tradition of independent nations, Ghana adopted its Red-Gold-Green flag with the Black Star. The gold represented the country’s mineral wealth; the green, its rich forests and natural resources; and the black star, a symbol of African exceptionalism. The red symbolized the blood of those who died in the struggle for independence from British occupation.
The Last Ones, a new documentary from AfroNova Media, is a story that revolves more around the RED, the blood of those who died in the struggle for independence. The story is about the role the Ghanaian soldier played and the blood that was shed – not only in the then occupied Gold Coast, but also in far flung war fronts at the behest of the British oppressors in what is misnamed as ‘The second World War’.
During this war, some 70,000 Ghanaians were compelled under different ruses to fight under the command of British officers in the Royal West African Frontier Force. This conscription did not only drain the nation of its youth but also changed its demographics by concentrating workers in a few large towns and cities.
It was this infamous war that conspired to crystalize African nationalism, which resulted in a common goal for all Africans to fight for their freedom. Ironically, it was this war that led to decolonization of the continent by affecting both oppressor and oppressed militarily, psychologically, politically, and economically.
While research on the economic and social impact of the second world war is relatively developed, the military history of the conflict has often lagged behind; the civilian and military histories of the war are closely related, as many groups of civilians, such as clerks, technicians, or the wives of soldiers, found themselves suddenly bound up in daily interactions with the colonial military, or even seconded into its employment.
In Ghana in particular, the immediate urge for independence on 6th March was sparked by the 28th February riots that occurred right after the war.
The riots followed the infamous crossroads shooting in Osu, Accra, that killed three second World War soldiers: Sergeant Nii Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey. This was one of the crucial events that rushed Ghana towards its independence.
In other words, Ghana’s independence is directly linked to the sacrifices of this forgotten army from the 1940s out of whom only a handful still remain amongst us.
The Last Ones is a five-part documentary of firsthand accounts that takes us through the harrowing experiences of these brave, then young, unsung heroes who were forced to lay down their lives for our independence struggle. In this series of interviews, seven veterans explain how they were forced or tricked to enlist, recalling racial segregation they suffered even as they fought together with other Europeans.
In 2019, an investigation by Al Jazeera discovered that African soldiers who served in the British army were paid a fraction of what their white colleagues were. The investigation called their treatment “akin to slavery”.
This close contact with European soldiers however brought out the humanity of the soldiers and stripped away the cloak of superiority earlier ascribed to the colonizers. This changed the awareness of many of those Africans serving. It later sparked them to be politically active when they returned home.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of veterans died at war. The few who are still alive often feel a certain bitterness: although they have fought for the victory over fascism, they hardly received any recognition for it.
These stories and more are the substance of the new documentary produced by Nana S. Achampong and the Nuako Family Trust. The Last Ones will be premiered on Remembrance Day November 11, 2022 at VAG Legion Hall, Accra.