Kobina Sekyi: Nationalist Lawyer, Hardcore Pan-Africanist, Final President Of Aborigines Correct Protection Social Club (Arps) In Addition To The Exclusively Educated Elite Inward Colonial Africa Vowed Never To Vesture European Stuff In Addition To Was The Showtime To Seem Inward Courtroom Inward Traditional African Cloth
William Esuman-Gwira Sekyi, amend known as Kobena Sekyi (1 Nov 1892, Cape Coast – 1956) was a nationalist lawyer, politician, author a celebrated Pan-Africanist inwards the Gold Coast (now Ghana). As a firebrand nationalist he became the president of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS), an aboriginal organisation that fought together with won their battle against the British obnoxious Land Bill of 1897 that seek to give Queen Elizabeth of England all the unoccupied lands inwards Gold Coast (Ghana) together with also entire British West Africa inwards general.
Kobena Sekyi was also executive fellow member of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA), together with fellow member of the Coussey Committee for constitutional alter that finally pave agency for the independence of Ghana.
As a someone born into the Gold Coast coastal aristocratic Fante identify unit of measurement together with a highly educated fellow member of his society, he was brought upwardly to believe that European civilization was superior to African culture. But it did non pick out long for Sekyi to commit shape suicide together with transmogrify into an unshakable apostle of African values, traditions together with culture. Sekyi did non solely became an unrepentant hardcore Pan-Africanist inwards his days, but, inwards fact, he lived together with practiced African civilization together with traditions to the really core; so much that 'he vowed never to have on European vesture again, together with became the initiative of all lawyer inwards the colony to seem inwards courtroom inwards a traditional African cloth. He never have on coat together with European wearing apparel until he died inwards 1956.
Though an ethnic Fante human being himself, Kobena Sekyi criticized the mode his Fante coastal towns take maintain became anglicised to such an extent that fifty-fifty straightaway a Fante cannot talk a judgement without less than 4 English linguistic communication words. They anglicised their local names into English linguistic communication such that y'all tin take heed Koomson, Blankson, Menson, Filson etc. Some take maintain all unusual names without a local name. To present his utter abhorrence together with disdain for this anglicization of Fante names together with outright adoption of unusual names, Kobena Sekyi as a affair of regulation together with leading yesteryear instance removed "William" from his names together with became but "Kobena Sekyi."
Kobena Sekyi was born inwards Nov 1,1892 into Cape Coast (Oguaa) aristocratic family. His manful someone bring upwardly was Mr John Gladstone Sackey (note, Sackey is the anglicization of Fante mention "Sekyi" to arrange European tongue), headmaster of the renowned Wesleyan School (Mfantsipim) inwards Cape Coast. Mfantsipim is the initiative of all secondary schoolhouse inwards Republic of Ghana together with was established inwards 1876. Mr John Gladstone Sackey himself was a royal together with a the boy of Chief Kofi Sekyi, the Chief Regent of Cape Coast.
Kobena Sekyi`s woman bring upwardly was Wilhelmina Pietersen, also known as Amba Paaba, immature adult woman of Willem Essuman Pietersen (c.1844-1914), an Elmina-Cape Coast human being of affairs together with one-time President of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS), a after president of which was Sekyi's uncle, Henry van Hien, whose heir Sekyi was.
Like his father, Sekyi was also educated at Mfantsipim School and and went on to study philosophy at the University of London. He was accompanied to United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland yesteryear his maternal grandfather. Sekyi was originally to study English linguistic communication Literature, however, a beau educatee (Nigerian) persuaded him to surrender English linguistic communication Literature inwards favour of Philosophy.
After completing his philosophy degree, Sekyi returned to Gold Coast to learn for sometime together with participated inwards the political affairs. Realizing that Gold coast has many lawyers together with liberal fine art scholars, Sekyi went dorsum to England inwards 1915 amongst innovation to acquire an engineer similar his mother's younger brother, J.B. Essuman-Gwira, but because his identify unit of measurement controlled the pocketbook strings together with they wished him to study law, so that was the career he entered. He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple inwards 1918 together with also awarded MA inwards philosophy. Sekyi became a lawyer inwards private do inwards the Gold Coast.
A REVIEW OF KOBENA SEKYI`S "BLINKARDS" BY NANA FREDUA AGYEMAN
The Blinkards yesteryear Kobina Sekyi
Title: The Blinkards, H5N1 Comedy together with The Anglo-Fanti - H5N1 Short Story
Author: Kobina Sekyi
Genre: Play/Short Story
Pages: 256
Publishers: Heinemann/Readwide
ISBN: 978-0-435-92784-4
Year of Publication: 1974 (this edition, 1997)
Country: Gold Coast (Now Ghana)
Setting: This mass contains 2 stories: The Blinkards - a play together with The Anglo-Fanti - a brusque story. Though the stories are from 2 dissimilar genres, i theme thread through them: the effect of absolute cultural osmosis or amend soundless the consequences of swallowing an alien civilization without much scrutiny, as happened inwards occupied countries popularly referred to yesteryear the occupiers as colonies (colonies of what? Ants? Bees?) Both stories took identify inwards Cape Coast together with the setting is really meaning to the story. Apart from the author existence a Fanti together with hailing from Cape Coast, Cape Coast was the initiative of all signal of introduction to colonial rule. As a seaport city, it was the initiative of all town that was initiative of all brought nether colonial rule; thence at that spot are numerous Castles together with Forts scattered inwards Cape Coast together with surrounding towns similar Elimina together with Anomabo. However, the inhabitants of this dandy city, which was the initiative of all working capital missive of the alphabet of Republic of Ghana earlier it was moved to Accra inwards 1877, became anglicised to such an extent that fifty-fifty straightaway a Fanti cannot talk a judgement without less than 4 English linguistic communication words. They anglicised their local names into English linguistic communication such that y'all tin take heed Koomson, Blankson, Menson etc. Some take maintain all unusual names without a local name. Yes, it is that serious. And it is this that Kobina Sekyi, who was also known as William Essuman-Gwira Sekyi was speaking against. Here, it would serve a practiced utilisation if i realises that the play was initiative of all performed somewhere some 1915 whereas The Anglo Fanti brusque even out was initiative of all published inwards the West Africa magazine inwards 1918.
To empathize why Kobina Sekyi, who himself was from the elite who were eagerly morphing into caricatures of hybrids, turned some to criticize the condition quo, which inwards the kickoff of the nineteenth century marked the borderline betwixt civilisation together with bushmen upwardly to today, i needs to read virtually his biography above.
The Blinkards
The Blinkards is a satirical play written inwards English linguistic communication together with interspersed amongst Fanti (all the Fantis take maintain been translated on the left mitt side of the page or the even-numbered pages). It tells of the consequences of blindly mimicking the European culture.
Mrs. Borɔfosεm (someone who exhibits likewise much European tendencies inwards his/her actions) eats solely European foods, though nosotros know that at several points inwards fourth dimension she yearns for locally prepared nutrient such as roasted plantain. She goes everywhere inwards a frock, boots amongst an umbrella together with a lorgnette. Though she speaks bad English, she does so amongst a forced English linguistic communication accent. As a married adult woman to Mr. Borɔfosεm, she forces him to deport as an Europeanised man: smoking cigar, eschewing local foods together with dresses.
Mr. Tsiba (a cocoa farmer) brought her immature adult woman to Mrs. Borɔfosεm to educate so that her immature adult woman would acquire but similar her together with this Mrs. Borɔfosεm did amongst eagerness, instilling inwards her 'proper' English linguistic communication mannerism. Later, Miss Tsiba met a immature man, who to attract her attending as an Europeanised man, had also gone to go amongst Mr. Onyimdze - a lawyer who avoided anything European except those that are germane to the execution of his profession such as the wearing of dark gowns together with white curled wigs.
As the play goes on nosotros notice that the 2 (the immature human being Okadu together with Miss Tsiba) finally met at a garden political party thrown yesteryear Mrs. Borɔfosεm together with at that spot together with and then got engaged inwards mode of i they had read from an English linguistic communication novel (without the presence of whatever identify unit of measurement member). Mrs Borɔfosεm told Mr Tsiba that her immature adult woman was virtually to conjoin together with that he, Mr. Tsiba, had to purchase the clothes for the impending wedding. He got furious but calmed downwards when he was told that it was the ways of the Europeans for the bridegroom's manful someone bring upwardly to purchase the clothes for the bride together with bridegroom. When Na Sompa (wife to Mr. Tsiba) heard the tidings she got furious together with insulted Okadu. It was inwards the middle of i of such vituperations that she got a heart-attack together with died. Nana Katawerwa, hearing that her immature adult woman (Na Sompa) was dead together with her granddaughter was marrying without next tradition stormed the chapel together with disrupted the whole program.
Nana Katawerwa refused to allow Miss Tsiba into her 'husband's' house. Later Miss Tsiba was to conjoin some other human being through the traditional mode. This infuriated Okadu, who got grandmother together with granddaughter arrested. The instance went to courtroom together with Nana Katawerwa together with her immature adult woman won nether the exposition of the Native Law.
The even out is deep together with borders on several aspects of our lives. It is a compassion that the province of affairs soundless pertains today. People cannot talk their local linguistic communication properly together with yet would create everything to present that they tin talk English linguistic communication including faking the voice. It is easier to encounter people inwards iii slice suits walking nether the scorching sun. Still the borderline betwixt enlightenment together with colloquialism is measured yesteryear how much i has adopted Christian together with European values. But at that spot is hope: gradually people are changing, people are finding their roots... it is a irksome procedure straightaway but it would go out. It is the linguistic communication that is becoming a problem. There is a old presidential candidate who changed his mention from Joseph Houston-Yorke (yes he is a Fanti) to his local name.
The Anglo-Fanti Short Story
Like The Blinkards, this even out concerns blind assimilation of European culture. It's virtually a man child who was brought upwardly to acquire an aficionado of European mannerisms, patch shunning African culture. Following this path together with learning really difficult he got a scholarship to London where he studied Law. Whilst at that spot he realised that London was non all that they state it is. There are classes together with divisions together with the people they imitated are on the lower scale of their social ladder. He also recognises, that no affair what he did he was described as a savage peculiarly when people began call for whether he wore clothes or non (and they create straightaway inquire Naipaul!).
"It does non pick out him long to notice out that he is regarded as a savage, fifty-fifty yesteryear the starving unemployable who asks him for alms. Amusing questions are oftentimes seat to him as to whether he wore clothes earlier he came to England; whether it was rubber for white men to go to his province since the climate was unsuitable to civilised people; whether wildlife wandered at large inwards the streets of his native town." (page 230)
However, at that spot were many Africans who also came to a similar disillusionment when they saw England amongst their ain eyes; yet these grouping began to pick out these disconcerting matters as incidental to civilisation.
"... but if his friends, fifty-fifty those who had been similarly disillusioned, take maintain begun to pick out for sure disconcerting matters as incidental to civilisaiton, together with instead of disceptation from the unpleasantness of such incidents to the inherent unwholesomeness of that to which they are incidental, they conclude somewhat perversely that whoever cannot explicate cannot explicate away such unpleasantness is non civilised. " (page 231)
Time came for Kwesi Onyidzin (Kwesi without a name) - known as Edward Cudjoe - to come upwardly to Gold Coast together with to Cape Coast. His identify unit of measurement were all expecting him to deport similar an European man. So when he laid downwards to go together with began wearing native dresses together with swallow native foods they became disappointed inwards him. Some fifty-fifty considered him mad. Others made it their duty to present him the way. After he was virtually thrust into marriage, it became his wife's pursuit to strength her married adult man to deport similar an European. Later, she resorted to the cooking of European foods together with throwing of garden parties. Working harder together with e'er harder to avoid these incidents, Kwesi Onyidzin broke down.
The number of cultural invasion is i that has taken the public yesteryear tempest peculiarly inwards these days of globalisation. Should at that spot live a universal Earth culture? together with who would decide what should live inwards such a culture? or each province should go on its culture? Are other cultures at a threat from European culture? These are questions nosotros demand to ask. Culture is something y'all are born into. It grows amongst you. Yet people who were born exterior of it similar VS Naipaul together with other aliens who pass a solar daytime or 2 inwards ones country, solely to label their civilization as backward, are either insane or mentally distabilised. To me such behaviours together with thoughts are infantile together with limited naught relieve folly. Ignorance is no sin yet ignorance expressed inwards hatred or bad linguistic communication is stupidity.
This even out is purely narrative amongst no dialogue inwards it. If y'all beloved a narrative novel I recommend this to you. If y'all are a staunch believer of the communalism rather than individualism, I recommend it to you. If y'all believe inwards selective cultural absorption, incising for sure unproductive parts of civilization together with replacing it amongst tested ones non but dumping the whole into the society, I recommend this to you.
source:https://baru009.blogspot.com//search?q=
Kobena Sekyi was also executive fellow member of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA), together with fellow member of the Coussey Committee for constitutional alter that finally pave agency for the independence of Ghana.
Kobena Sekyi, nationalist lawyer, politician, writer. a celebrated Pan-Africanist, lastly president of the Aborigines Right Protection Society (ARPS) inwards the Gold Coast (now Ghana) together with the solely educated elite inwards Africa who vowed never to have on European vesture again, together with became the initiative of all lawyer inwards the British colony to seem inwards courtroom inwards a traditional African cloth. He never have on coat together with European wearing apparel until he died inwards 1956.
As a someone born into the Gold Coast coastal aristocratic Fante identify unit of measurement together with a highly educated fellow member of his society, he was brought upwardly to believe that European civilization was superior to African culture. But it did non pick out long for Sekyi to commit shape suicide together with transmogrify into an unshakable apostle of African values, traditions together with culture. Sekyi did non solely became an unrepentant hardcore Pan-Africanist inwards his days, but, inwards fact, he lived together with practiced African civilization together with traditions to the really core; so much that 'he vowed never to have on European vesture again, together with became the initiative of all lawyer inwards the colony to seem inwards courtroom inwards a traditional African cloth. He never have on coat together with European wearing apparel until he died inwards 1956.
Though an ethnic Fante human being himself, Kobena Sekyi criticized the mode his Fante coastal towns take maintain became anglicised to such an extent that fifty-fifty straightaway a Fante cannot talk a judgement without less than 4 English linguistic communication words. They anglicised their local names into English linguistic communication such that y'all tin take heed Koomson, Blankson, Menson, Filson etc. Some take maintain all unusual names without a local name. To present his utter abhorrence together with disdain for this anglicization of Fante names together with outright adoption of unusual names, Kobena Sekyi as a affair of regulation together with leading yesteryear instance removed "William" from his names together with became but "Kobena Sekyi."
Kobena Sekyi was born inwards Nov 1,1892 into Cape Coast (Oguaa) aristocratic family. His manful someone bring upwardly was Mr John Gladstone Sackey (note, Sackey is the anglicization of Fante mention "Sekyi" to arrange European tongue), headmaster of the renowned Wesleyan School (Mfantsipim) inwards Cape Coast. Mfantsipim is the initiative of all secondary schoolhouse inwards Republic of Ghana together with was established inwards 1876. Mr John Gladstone Sackey himself was a royal together with a the boy of Chief Kofi Sekyi, the Chief Regent of Cape Coast.
Kobena Sekyi`s woman bring upwardly was Wilhelmina Pietersen, also known as Amba Paaba, immature adult woman of Willem Essuman Pietersen (c.1844-1914), an Elmina-Cape Coast human being of affairs together with one-time President of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS), a after president of which was Sekyi's uncle, Henry van Hien, whose heir Sekyi was.
Like his father, Sekyi was also educated at Mfantsipim School and and went on to study philosophy at the University of London. He was accompanied to United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland yesteryear his maternal grandfather. Sekyi was originally to study English linguistic communication Literature, however, a beau educatee (Nigerian) persuaded him to surrender English linguistic communication Literature inwards favour of Philosophy.
Lawyer Kobena Sekyi inwards his African cloth
After completing his philosophy degree, Sekyi returned to Gold Coast to learn for sometime together with participated inwards the political affairs. Realizing that Gold coast has many lawyers together with liberal fine art scholars, Sekyi went dorsum to England inwards 1915 amongst innovation to acquire an engineer similar his mother's younger brother, J.B. Essuman-Gwira, but because his identify unit of measurement controlled the pocketbook strings together with they wished him to study law, so that was the career he entered. He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple inwards 1918 together with also awarded MA inwards philosophy. Sekyi became a lawyer inwards private do inwards the Gold Coast.
Lawyer Kobena Sekyi (L) inwards his Western wearing apparel earlier he became Pan-Africanist who never have on European fabric until his decease inwards 1956 amongst his granddaddy Willem Essuman Pietersen (ca. 1844 – 6 Jan 1914) also known as Willem Edmund Pietersen, was a Gold Coast merchant, politician, together with educationist. He is also remembered as a goldsmith together with sentry repairer. Pietersen was co-founder of Mfantsipim School inwards Cape Coast together with a one-time president of Aborigines Right Protection Society (ARPS).
It should live emphasized that Kobena Sekyi had life changing sense whilst traveling on a shipping to England. It is said that "On the voyage out his boat, the SS Falaba, was torpedoed yesteryear a High German U-boat together with some lives were lost. Sekyi managed to acquire to a lifeboat, at which signal a European shouted at him that he should exit of the boat, as a dark human being had no correct to live live when whites were drowning. It was this incident that had a profound effect on him, confirming his rejection of European pretensions to superiority.
Robert Ross inwards his mass "Clothing: H5N1 Global History' published inwards 2008 citing authors White together with White, "Slave Clothing" page 156 averred that "Equally, inwards the Gold Coast, Kobena Sekyi, a coastal lawyer, is said, inwards the identify unit of measurement tradition, to take maintain been subjected to racist racist insults when wearing a arrange patch existence trained inwards London during World War I. In consequence, he vowed never to have on European vesture again, together with became the initiative of all lawyer inwards the colony to seem inwards courtroom inwards a cloth."
Whilst practicing police inwards Gold Coast Sekyi married Lilly Anna Cleanand, immature adult woman of John Peter Cleanand together with Elizabeth Vroom.
SS Falaba, a British shipping which was torpedoed yesteryear High German U28.in 1915. Of the 145 passengers together with 95 crew, 104 lives were lost. One was the American mining engineer Leon Thraser, who was returning to the Gold Coast (today: Ghana). Lawyer Kobena Sekyi was i of the lucky people who survived.
Sekyi was after elected as a president of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society, succeeding his uncle Henry van Hien. The Gold Coast Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was an association critical of colonial rule, formed inwards 1897 inwards the Gold Coast, as Republic of Ghana was known. Originally formed yesteryear traditional leaders together with the educated elite to protestation the Crown Lands Bill of 1896 together with the Lands Bill of 1897 that threatened traditional Blue Planet tenure, the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society became the main political organisation that led organised together with sustained opposition against the Colonial Government, laying the foundation for political activity that would ultimately Pb to Ghanaian independence. J. W. Sey, J. P. Brown, J. E. Casely Hayford together with John Mensah Sarbah were co-founders.
ARPS prominent success was its victory against the obnoxious Land Bill of 1897 that seek to give Queen Elizabeth of England all the unoccupied lands inwards Gold Coast (Ghana) together with also entire British West Africa inwards general. ARPS sent delegation to British parliament using celebrated Ghanaian (Gold Coast) lawyers together with some of their Nigerian together with Sierra Leonean lawyer friends to fence their instance that inwards Africa when a Blue Planet is unoccupied it does non hateful the Blue Planet has no possessor "all y'all demand to create is to acquire into an unoccupied land" or laid about develop it together with the existent possessor volition present up. They won their instance inwards the British parliament together with 1897 Blue Planet Bill was thrown into oblivion thereby saving entire West Africa from their lands from existence appropriated similar what the British did inwards East together with Southern Africa.
Kobena Sekyi ably led ARPS as a song mouthpiece of the Gold Coast people against British imperialism until the organisation started declining inwards the mid-1930s together with dying out finally. That saw Kobena Sekyi as the lastly president of ARPS. The ARPS colapsed because in the initiative of all place, it never gained rigid roots beyond Cape Coast inwards the Central Province. For example, the lodge never developed inwards the adjoining Eastern Province. The lodge also remained elitist, together with its decisions were made yesteryear a few individuals at the helm of the organization. Above all, the Cape Coast elite, inwards spite of the rapid economical transformation together with social alter as good as the vigorous consolidation of colonial rule, had called for radicalization of African protests together with could non disengage from the old reformist protests of the nineteenth century. Thus, yesteryear the 1930s the ARPS, having lost pop support, existed as a ghost of its old self. Indeed, inwards the 1920s it had been taken over yesteryear the every bit elitist but broader-based together with to a greater extent than radical NCBWA, which sought to convey virtually commutation alter inwards colonial rule.
Sekyi also became an executive fellow member of the National Congress of British West Africa after the demise of ARPS together with contributed towards radical opposition to the British colonial regime. The cofounders of NCBWA included Thomas Hutton-Mills, Sr., the initiative of all President, together with J. E. Casely Hayford, the initiative of all Vice-President. Other co-founders together with early on officials included Edward Francis Small, F. V. Nanka-Bruce, A. B. Quartey-Papafio, Henry van Hien, A. Sawyerr together with Kobina Sekyi.
With the interest of Sekyi, The Congress agitated for the institution of a West African Court of Appeal, where judges would live nominated Africans. As a resultant of their demands, when
In his regard as an shrewd pol together with celebrated Gold Coast lawyer, Kobena Sekyi was appointed as a member of the Coussey Committee for constitutional change. It must live stressed hither that inwards 1948, a original of Osu Alata inwards Accra Mantse Nii Kwabena Bonnie III led a a grouping of Gold Coast workers, ordinary citizens, politicians together with demobilized Gold Coast soldiers to boycott all unusual goods together with also a peaceful march to the Christianborg Castle to acquaint a petition to the Governor virtually the plight of veterans. The veterans were shot at the Osu Christianborg crossroads resulting inwards iii casualties; Sergeant Cornelius Frederick Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe together with Private Odartey Lamptey. The riots that ensured led to the taking into custody, inwards remote parts of northern Gold Coast, vi of the nationalist leaders of the UGCC, namely, Ako Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Odarkwei Obetsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori-Atta together with Kwame Nkrumah together with the setting upwardly of a Commission of Enquiry nether the chairmanship of Sir Aitkin Watson. The detained nationalists take maintain since together with then come upwardly to live known as the “Big Six”. The Watson Commission of Inquiry reported that the Burns constitution of 1946, which had granted Africans a bulk inwards the legislative council, was “outmoded at birth.” The outcome of Watson’s Commission was an all-African commission nether a eminent Gold Coast jurist together with a president of West African Appeals Court Sir James Henley Coussey which was laid upwardly inwards Dec 1949 to clit upwardly a novel Constitution for the country. The recommendations of the Coussey Constitutional Committee formed the footing of the 1951 Constitution, which marked a giant stair frontward towards independence. It was this of import Committee that lawyer Kobena Sekyi was an integral business office of. It was so unfortunate that Sekyi did non live to encounter Ghana`s independence inwards 1957. He died inwards 1956.
In his capacity as i of the early on Gold Coast writers, Kobena Sekyi famously authored a hard-hitting comedy "The Blinkards" (1915) which satirized the credence yesteryear a colonized lodge of the attitudes of the colonizers. His novel The Anglo-Fante was the initiative of all English-language novel written inwards the Cape Coast.
As a political theorist together with playwright Kobena Sekyi predicted inwards the early on business office of the century that what was needed most for Gold Coast Africans to hold upwardly the modern public was non dwell on the dichotomy betwixt European together with African cultures, betwixt the "civilized" together with the "savage," but a pragmatic drama together with concerts that creates infinite for critical evaluation together with selective appropriation. He was of the watch that the solar daytime when Africans were told they take maintain to larn to talk English, swallow amongst fork together with knife, have on covered shoes together with Western clothing, value nuclear identify unit of measurement over the extended matrilineage, conjoin i spouse, halt paying homage to ancestors, together with attend Christian churches must non portrayed to inwards plays together with concert as the solely agency Africans tin fully partake inwards the economical advantages of "progress." Unfortunately, inwards today`s drama public both Nollywood together with Ghallywood inwards Nigeria together with Republic of Ghana respectively are soundless portraying what Kobina Sekyi admonished Africans to avoid, instead of concentrating on creating infinite to present the rich African civilization to the world.
A REVIEW OF KOBENA SEKYI`S "BLINKARDS" BY NANA FREDUA AGYEMAN
The Blinkards yesteryear Kobina Sekyi
Title: The Blinkards, H5N1 Comedy together with The Anglo-Fanti - H5N1 Short Story
Author: Kobina Sekyi
Genre: Play/Short Story
Pages: 256
Publishers: Heinemann/Readwide
ISBN: 978-0-435-92784-4
Year of Publication: 1974 (this edition, 1997)
Country: Gold Coast (Now Ghana)
To empathize why Kobina Sekyi, who himself was from the elite who were eagerly morphing into caricatures of hybrids, turned some to criticize the condition quo, which inwards the kickoff of the nineteenth century marked the borderline betwixt civilisation together with bushmen upwardly to today, i needs to read virtually his biography above.
The Blinkards
The Blinkards is a satirical play written inwards English linguistic communication together with interspersed amongst Fanti (all the Fantis take maintain been translated on the left mitt side of the page or the even-numbered pages). It tells of the consequences of blindly mimicking the European culture.
Mrs. Borɔfosεm (someone who exhibits likewise much European tendencies inwards his/her actions) eats solely European foods, though nosotros know that at several points inwards fourth dimension she yearns for locally prepared nutrient such as roasted plantain. She goes everywhere inwards a frock, boots amongst an umbrella together with a lorgnette. Though she speaks bad English, she does so amongst a forced English linguistic communication accent. As a married adult woman to Mr. Borɔfosεm, she forces him to deport as an Europeanised man: smoking cigar, eschewing local foods together with dresses.
Mr. Tsiba (a cocoa farmer) brought her immature adult woman to Mrs. Borɔfosεm to educate so that her immature adult woman would acquire but similar her together with this Mrs. Borɔfosεm did amongst eagerness, instilling inwards her 'proper' English linguistic communication mannerism. Later, Miss Tsiba met a immature man, who to attract her attending as an Europeanised man, had also gone to go amongst Mr. Onyimdze - a lawyer who avoided anything European except those that are germane to the execution of his profession such as the wearing of dark gowns together with white curled wigs.
As the play goes on nosotros notice that the 2 (the immature human being Okadu together with Miss Tsiba) finally met at a garden political party thrown yesteryear Mrs. Borɔfosεm together with at that spot together with and then got engaged inwards mode of i they had read from an English linguistic communication novel (without the presence of whatever identify unit of measurement member). Mrs Borɔfosεm told Mr Tsiba that her immature adult woman was virtually to conjoin together with that he, Mr. Tsiba, had to purchase the clothes for the impending wedding. He got furious but calmed downwards when he was told that it was the ways of the Europeans for the bridegroom's manful someone bring upwardly to purchase the clothes for the bride together with bridegroom. When Na Sompa (wife to Mr. Tsiba) heard the tidings she got furious together with insulted Okadu. It was inwards the middle of i of such vituperations that she got a heart-attack together with died. Nana Katawerwa, hearing that her immature adult woman (Na Sompa) was dead together with her granddaughter was marrying without next tradition stormed the chapel together with disrupted the whole program.
Nana Katawerwa refused to allow Miss Tsiba into her 'husband's' house. Later Miss Tsiba was to conjoin some other human being through the traditional mode. This infuriated Okadu, who got grandmother together with granddaughter arrested. The instance went to courtroom together with Nana Katawerwa together with her immature adult woman won nether the exposition of the Native Law.
The even out is deep together with borders on several aspects of our lives. It is a compassion that the province of affairs soundless pertains today. People cannot talk their local linguistic communication properly together with yet would create everything to present that they tin talk English linguistic communication including faking the voice. It is easier to encounter people inwards iii slice suits walking nether the scorching sun. Still the borderline betwixt enlightenment together with colloquialism is measured yesteryear how much i has adopted Christian together with European values. But at that spot is hope: gradually people are changing, people are finding their roots... it is a irksome procedure straightaway but it would go out. It is the linguistic communication that is becoming a problem. There is a old presidential candidate who changed his mention from Joseph Houston-Yorke (yes he is a Fanti) to his local name.
The Anglo-Fanti Short Story
Like The Blinkards, this even out concerns blind assimilation of European culture. It's virtually a man child who was brought upwardly to acquire an aficionado of European mannerisms, patch shunning African culture. Following this path together with learning really difficult he got a scholarship to London where he studied Law. Whilst at that spot he realised that London was non all that they state it is. There are classes together with divisions together with the people they imitated are on the lower scale of their social ladder. He also recognises, that no affair what he did he was described as a savage peculiarly when people began call for whether he wore clothes or non (and they create straightaway inquire Naipaul!).
"It does non pick out him long to notice out that he is regarded as a savage, fifty-fifty yesteryear the starving unemployable who asks him for alms. Amusing questions are oftentimes seat to him as to whether he wore clothes earlier he came to England; whether it was rubber for white men to go to his province since the climate was unsuitable to civilised people; whether wildlife wandered at large inwards the streets of his native town." (page 230)
However, at that spot were many Africans who also came to a similar disillusionment when they saw England amongst their ain eyes; yet these grouping began to pick out these disconcerting matters as incidental to civilisation.
"... but if his friends, fifty-fifty those who had been similarly disillusioned, take maintain begun to pick out for sure disconcerting matters as incidental to civilisaiton, together with instead of disceptation from the unpleasantness of such incidents to the inherent unwholesomeness of that to which they are incidental, they conclude somewhat perversely that whoever cannot explicate cannot explicate away such unpleasantness is non civilised. " (page 231)
Time came for Kwesi Onyidzin (Kwesi without a name) - known as Edward Cudjoe - to come upwardly to Gold Coast together with to Cape Coast. His identify unit of measurement were all expecting him to deport similar an European man. So when he laid downwards to go together with began wearing native dresses together with swallow native foods they became disappointed inwards him. Some fifty-fifty considered him mad. Others made it their duty to present him the way. After he was virtually thrust into marriage, it became his wife's pursuit to strength her married adult man to deport similar an European. Later, she resorted to the cooking of European foods together with throwing of garden parties. Working harder together with e'er harder to avoid these incidents, Kwesi Onyidzin broke down.
The number of cultural invasion is i that has taken the public yesteryear tempest peculiarly inwards these days of globalisation. Should at that spot live a universal Earth culture? together with who would decide what should live inwards such a culture? or each province should go on its culture? Are other cultures at a threat from European culture? These are questions nosotros demand to ask. Culture is something y'all are born into. It grows amongst you. Yet people who were born exterior of it similar VS Naipaul together with other aliens who pass a solar daytime or 2 inwards ones country, solely to label their civilization as backward, are either insane or mentally distabilised. To me such behaviours together with thoughts are infantile together with limited naught relieve folly. Ignorance is no sin yet ignorance expressed inwards hatred or bad linguistic communication is stupidity.
This even out is purely narrative amongst no dialogue inwards it. If y'all beloved a narrative novel I recommend this to you. If y'all are a staunch believer of the communalism rather than individualism, I recommend it to you. If y'all believe inwards selective cultural absorption, incising for sure unproductive parts of civilization together with replacing it amongst tested ones non but dumping the whole into the society, I recommend this to you.
source:https://baru009.blogspot.com//search?q=
Comments
Post a Comment