George Emil Eminsang: The Get-Go Western Educated Lawyer Inwards Due West Africa, A Polyglot, Merchant As Well As The Facilitator Of Transfer Of Dutch Possessions Inwards Due West Africa To The British Inwards 1872

George Emil Eminsang (ca 1833 – 1901) was the commencement Western-educated lawyer on Gold Coast (now Ghana), an unquestionable ascendency on aboriginal laws, an practiced inwards commercial constabulary (in today`s basis mergers too acquisition) too a prominent merchant. He was arguably the commencement native West African European trained lawyer. He was too gifted polyglot who spoke 5 languages, viz: Dutch, Portuguese, German, English linguistic communication too Fantse.
Eminsang was the leading lawyer who single-handedly facilitated the commercial transfer of the ownership of Dutch possession inwards Elmina too Gold Coast to the British inwards 1872. This legal genius was made a Commander inwards Elmina in 1 lawsuit the British had bought Elmina Castle, merely the locals mistrusted the province of affairs too he relocated to Cape Coast.
Among his many achievements, Eminsang served equally consular agent to the Dutch inwards Elmina (1878–1879), too to the Congo too the US inwards Cape Coast Castle (1890).

Dutch cemetery inwards Elmina

Geroge Emil Eminsang was born inwards 1833 at Elmina to Joseph Emil Eminsang, a merchant too innkeeper, too an unknown lady from a prominent Dutch/Fanti Euro-African family. He was too the nephew of the slap-up ensign of Elmina, Kobena Eminsang. His refer Eminsang was anglicized carve upward of indigenous Fante refer "Eminsa." Eminsa is the refer of a Fante River Deity. Eminsa agency "flowing too dancing thing." Fante River Deity "Eminsa," which found 1 of the 77 Fante deities, is well-known ancient river goddess that gives twins (ntafo) to people that consult it. That is why when Fantes are celebrating "Ntafo Adze" (festivals for Twins) too the twins are dancing inwards a round off too whirling mode because climaxing spiritual trance, the akomfo (traditional priests) sing their appellation "Odosa! Odosa! Egya Eminsa o! Hen na Eminsa o!" (Lovers dance! Lovers dance! Father River that flows too dance! Our Mother the River goddess that flows too dance!). Nowadays, the Fante refer Eminsa is spelled "Amissah." Very few people who actually sympathise the pregnant of the refer maintains its master carve upward "Eminsa."
Anyway, Eminsang was a real intelligent nipper too had his early on instruction at home, where his Elmina parents were literate inwards their native Fante, Portuguese too Dutch too at the Elmina Castle. Eminsang endeared himself academically inwards his early on teens to the Dutch teachers too these made it possible for him to last sent to Kingdom of the Netherlands to go along his studies. It is said that Eminsang studied constabulary too philosophy inwards Kingdom of the Netherlands too afterward inwards Federal Republic of Federal Republic of Germany earlier returning to Gold Coast.
Back domicile inwards Elmina, Eminsang devoted much of his fourth dimension to learn for several years at the Elmina Castle School, where he had completed his primary education.

Elmina Benya Lagoon

He afterward turned to trading too became a successful Gold Coast merchant, whilst putting his legal grooming for effective piece of occupation for his people. Eminsang was appointed to the Dutch Legislative Council too was the principal lawyer to negotiate the sale of the Dutch Gold Coast possessions to the British Government inwards 1872. After the sale, he was appointed Civil Commandant inwards Elmina past times the British authorities. The Elminans, who were traditionally aligned alongside the Ashanti too the Dutch, distrusted the sale too eventually drove Eminsang out of the country. He therefore settled inwards Cape Coast where he continued to practise constabulary too pursue his merchant career.

Fort Elmina. Castle is the same, to a greater extent than or less, of the Dutch conquest inwards 1637. Outside the fort is yet good preserved the Dutch Reformed church building built at the destination of the Dutch rule.

That the Elmina people distrusted their ain boy Eminsang was real unfortunate incidence. This is because his inability to use his singular membership inwards the Dutch Legislative Council halt the sale of Elmina Castle was no error of his. T. P. Manus Ulzen inwards his recent majority "Java Hills: An African Journey" published inwards 2013 demystified the issue. Ulzen (2013:132) averred that "on August 6, 1868, the chiefs too people of Elmina on their ain concerted sweat sent a formal petition to the Netherlands to register their opposition to the handover of the castle to the British. They received no reply from The Hague. As the people became to a greater extent than restless inwards Feb 1869, the King sent a personal message via George Emil Eminsang (Amissah), prominent Elmina businessman." Ulzen explained farther that Eminsang traveled to Eminsang to The Hague on behalf of the King of Elmina too was "met past times a Dutch regime stonewall. It was suggested to him that he come across the quondam Dutch Governor Nagtglas. This was of course of report a snub of Mr Eminsang too the message he bore for the Dutch King too parliament. Eventually, Eminsang was able to deliver his message to the appropriate forum. The promise of Elmina people was that the Dutch would mail an expeditionary forcefulness to protect them against the British tidal wave, which was virtually to sweep through their lives too history. The Elmina regime was unaware of the inferior seat from which the Dutch approach their dealings alongside the British (Ulzen 2013:133)

Elmina Castle, therefore a Dutch holding that Eminsang negotiated its transfer to the British inwards 1872

In contemporary Ghanaian history, celebrated Gold Coasters Joseph Ephraim Casely Hayford too John Mensah Sarbah are touted respectively equally the commencement solicitor too barrister inwards Ghana. Whilst Casely Hayford`s illustration is historically true, that of Mensah Sarbah equally commencement Lawyer inwards Republic of Ghana is without merit. In the preface of his ain majority Fanti Customary Laws, John Mensa Sarbah wrote inwards a alphabetic lineament to Eminsang:
"Dear Mr. Eminsang, — Pardon the freedom I accept inwards sending you lot this opened upward letter, alongside this my commencement sweat inwards the Thorny paths of literature. I dare create so, for non alone you lot are a Native of the soil too 1 of my father's friends, merely too the senior fellow member of the Bar of the Western Province of the Supreme Court of the Gold Coast, having commenced to practise when we, who are at in 1 lawsuit members thereof, were merely schoolboys.
—John Mensa Sarbah, Law Courts"
The declaration that Eminsang was the commencement West African European trained lawyer is premised on the fact that the commencement known other native West African lawyer was Christopher Alexander Sapara Williams (1855–1915), who was the commencement indigenous Nigerian lawyer, to last called to the English linguistic communication bar on 17 Nov 1879. Since the records exhibit that Eminsang was the principal lawyer who negotiated the sale of the Dutch Gold Coast possessions to the British Government inwards 1872, at a fourth dimension when Williams had non been called to the bar shows that Eminsang precedes Williams inwards the legal profession.

References
^ Fanti customary laws, a brief introduction to the principles of the native laws too customs of the Fanti too Akan districts of the Gold Coast, John Mensa Sarbah
^ Isaac S. Ephson (1971). Gallery of Gold Coast Celebrities, 1632-1958. Ilen Publications.
^ "Gold Coast Database". http://gcdb.doortmontweb.org. Retrieved 12 August 2013.

PHOTOS OF THE PROPERTIES EMINSANG OVERSAW ITS TRANSFER FROM THE DUTCH TO THE BRITISH