Western Togoland

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Western Togoland [1]
Togoland de l'Ouest
Flag of Western Togoland.svg
Flag
Coat of arms of Western Togoland.svg
Coat of arms
Anthem: "Que Dieu bénisse notre Ouest Togoland" (French)
(English: "God bless our Western Togoland")
Western Togoland.svg
Western Togoland (purple) within Ghana
Status Unrecognised State
Capital Ho
Official languages English
Recognised national languages French
Recognised regional languages Ewe, Dangme, Avatime, Tafi, Logba
Religion
Christianity
Islam
West African Vodun
Demonym(s) Western Togolese
Government
  President
Togbe Yesu Kwabla Edudzi (de facto)
Unrecognized
  Independence from Ghana declared
25 September 2020
Area
 
20,550 km2 (7,930 sq mi)
Population
 2020 estimate
11,000,000

Western Togoland (French : Togoland de l'Ouest) is a self-proclaimed state which is considered by the international community to be part of Ghana. It claims five of the Volta and Oti Regions. On 25 September 2020 separatists in Western Togoland declared independence from the Republic of Ghana. [2] [3] Western Togoland has been a member state of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) since 2017. [4]

Contents

History

The German Empire established the Togoland protectorate in 1884. Under German administration, the protectorate was regarded as a model colony or Musterkolonie and experienced a golden age. [5] During the First World War in 1914, Britain and France invaded the protectorate. After the German defeat and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the western part of Togoland became a British mandate, British Togoland, and the eastern part became French Togoland. After the Second World War British Togoland became a United Nations Trust Territory that was under British administration. In the 1956 British Togoland status plebiscite, 58% of the western Togolese voted to integrate into what would in 1957 become independent Ghana. [6] [7]

On May 9, 2017, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (French : Fondation du Groupe d'étude de la Patrie) unsuccessfully tried to declare the independence of Western Togoland. On May 7, 2019, the national executive of the Volta separatist group, Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF/FGEP), Emmanuel Agbavor has rejected claims that the group had a militia. [8]

Independence

On September 25, 2020, secessionists demanded that Ghanaian Security forces leave the Volta Region after attacking several police stations in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region. In a press statement declaring their secession from Ghana, the Homeland Study Group Foundation under the leadership of Charles Kormi Kudzordz declared sovereignty over the area. [9] [10] The Government of Ghana did not take the declaration seriously, viewing it as a "joke", although prominent security expert Adib Sani urged the government to treat the issue as a national security risk. [10] There have been injuries and deaths in the clashes following the declaration of independence [11] though the Republic of Ghana claims to have gained intel on those clashes before they occurred. [12] Ghana sources claim the secessionist group heading the independence movement, the Homeland Study Group, is under control. [13] However, the secessionists took over arms and set up road blockades. [2] The president of the Republic of Ghana has denied negotiating with the secessionists. [14]

Demographics

About 11 million people live in Western Togoland. Languages of Western Togoland include French, Ewe, Ga, Dangme, and English. The main religions are Christianity, Islam, and Voodoo. The majority of the people in this region are ethnic Ewés.

Reactions

Ghana and other nations consider this movement could lead to an undesired adverse reaction. The WTRF could follow in the wake of other secessionist movements in the region such as those in Anglophone Cameroon, which quickly turned into an open armed conflict with the Cameroonian government. This risk could be combined with others, such as the expansion of Jihadist movements.

See also

Related Research Articles

The history of Togo can be traced to archaeological finds which indicate that ancient local tribes were able to produce pottery and process tin. During the period from the 11th century to the 16th century, the Ewé, the Mina, the Gun, and various other tribes entered the region. Most of them settled in coastal areas. The Portuguese arrived in the late 15th century, followed by other European powers. Until the 19th century, the coastal region was a major slave trade centre, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Togoland</span> 1916–1956 British territory in West Africa

British Togoland, officially the Mandate Territory of Togoland and later officially the Trust Territory of Togoland, was a territory in West Africa under the administration of the United Kingdom, which subsequently entered a union with Ghana, part of which became its Volta Region. The territory was effectively formed in 1916 by the splitting of the German protectorate of Togoland into two territories, French Togoland and British Togoland, during the First World War. Initially, it was a League of Nations Class B mandate. In 1922, British Togoland was formally placed under British rule, and French Togoland, now Togo, was placed under French rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regions of Ghana</span> 16 principal administrative areas of the republic in West Africa

The regions of Ghana are the first level of subnational government administration within the Republic of Ghana. As of 2020, there are 16 regions, which are further divided for administrative purposes into 260 local metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ho, Ghana</span> City in Volta Region, Ghana

Ho is the capital city of the Ho Municipal District and the Volta Region of Ghana. The city lies between Mount Adaklu and Mount Galenukui or Togo Atakora Range, and is home to the Volta Regional Museum, a cathedral, and a prison. The city is the capital of unrecognised Western Togoland. It was formerly the administrative capital of British Togoland now part of the Volta Region. The population of Ho Municipality according to the 2010 Population and Housing Census is 177,281 representing 8.4 percent of the region's total population. Females constitute 52.7 percent and males represent 47.3 percent. The population in Ho grew up to 180,420 National Population Census. About 62 percent of the population resides in urban localities. The Municipality shares boundaries with Adaklu and Agotime-Ziope Districts to the South, Ho West District to the North and West and the Republic of Togo to the East. Its total land area is 2,361 square kilometers thus representing 11.5 percent of the region's total land area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Togoland</span> German protectorate in West Africa (1884–1914); now part of Ghana and Togo

Togoland was a German Empire protectorate in West Africa from 1884 to 1914, encompassing what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana, approximately 90,400 km2 in size. During the period known as the "Scramble for Africa", the colony was established in 1884 and was gradually extended inland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambazonia</span> Political entity proclaimed by Cameroons Anglophone separatists

Ambazonia, alternatively the Federal Republic of Ambazonia or State of Ambazonia, is a political entity proclaimed by Anglophone separatists who are seeking independence from Cameroon. The separatists claim that Ambazonia should consist of the Northwest Region and Southwest Region of Cameroon. Since 2017, Ambazonian rebels have engaged in armed conflict with the Cameroonian military, in what is known as the Anglophone Crisis, setting up a government-in-exile and capturing some territory. No country has recognized Ambazonia's existence as of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ewe people</span> West African ethnic group

The Ewe people are a Gbe-speaking ethnic group. The largest population of Ewe people is in Ghana, and the second largest population is in Togo. They speak the Ewe language which belongs to the Gbe family of languages. They are related to other speakers of Gbe languages such as the Fon, Gen, Phla Phera, Gun, Maxi, and the Aja people of Togo and Benin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volta Region</span> Region of Ghana

Volta Region is one of Ghana's sixteen administrative regions, with Ho designated as its capital. It is located west of Republic of Togo and to the east of Lake Volta. Divided into 25 administrative districts, the region is multi-ethnic and multilingual, including groups such as the Ewe, the Guan, and the Akan peoples. The Guan peoples include the Lolobi, Likpe, Akpafu, Buem, and Nkonya people. This region was carved out of the Volta Region in December 2018 by the New Patriotic Party. The people of the Volta Region are popularly known as Ewes. The people of the Volta Region are popular known for their rich cultural display and music some of which include Agbadza, Borborbor and Zigi.

The Anlo Youth Organisation was a political party that existed in the Gold Coast and later Ghana. It campaigned for the Ewe people under British rule to stay within Ghana after independence. It ended by merging with other parties to form a united opposition to the Convention People's Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana</span> Religious denomination

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in Ghana. It is popularly referred to as the "EP Church". It has strong roots in the Evangelical and Reformed traditions. The denomination's Presbyterian sister church is the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghana–Togo relations</span> Bilateral relations between the two West African countries

The strains in Ghana–Togo relations stretch back to pre-independence days.

Seth Senyo Agidi (1955–2020) was the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana until his death in October 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ewe Unification Movement</span>

The Ewe Unification Movement was a series of west African ethno-nationalist efforts which sought the unification of the Ewe peoples spread across what are now modern Ghana and Togo. It emerged as a direct political goal around 1945 under the colonial mandate of French Togoland, however the ideal of unifying the group has been an identifiable sentiment present amongst the ethnicity's leadership and wider population ever since their initial colonial partitions by the British and German Empires from 1874 to 1884. While there have been many efforts to bring about unification, none have ultimately been successful due to both the platform itself often being a secondary concern for political leadership, or inter/intrastate conflicts overshadowing them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volta Regional Minister</span>

The Volta Regional Minister is the Ghana government official who is responsible for overseeing the administration of the Volta Region of Ghana. The boundaries of the Volta Region have changed at various times in Ghana's history. Following the December 2018 referendums, the region has been divided into two with the northern part becoming the Oti Region and the southern part remaining as the Volta Region. There are currently sixteen administrative regions in Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anloga District</span> Administrative district in Volta Region, Ghana

Anloga District is one of the eighteen districts in Volta Region, Ghana. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger Keta District on 10 March 1989, which was created from the former Anlo District Council. However on 19 February 2019, the western part of the district was split off to create Anloga District as one of six districts inaugurated by the Akufo-Addo Government, thus the remaining part has been retained as Keta Municipal District. The district assembly is located in the southeast part of Volta Region and has Anloga as its capital town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Togoland Rebellion</span> Separatist conflict in eastern Ghana since 2020

The Western Togoland Rebellion is an ongoing separatist revolt led by the Ewe nationalist organization Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF) against the government of Ghana. The group seeks the independence of former British Togoland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Togoland Restoration Front</span> Ghanaian Ewe militant separatist organisation

Western Togoland Restoration Front is a Ewe political, militant, nationalist and a separatist organization that advocates for an independent state of Western Togoland and possibly the Ewe ethnic parts of the Volta Region from Ghana.

References

  1. "The State of Western Togoland". Peoples' Liberation Council of Western Togoland. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  2. 1 2 Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Ghana's Western Togoland region declares sovereignty | DW | 25.09.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  3. "Western Togoland suspected separatists fresh attack for Ghana". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  4. "UNPO - Members". unpo.org. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  5. Zimmerman, Andrew (2012-05-27). Alabama in Africa: Booker T. Washington, the German Empire, and the Globalization of the New South. Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0-691-15586-9.
  6. "UNPO: Western Togoland". unpo.org.
  7. "Ghana - THE COLONIAL ERA: BRITISH RULE OF THE GOLD COAST". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
  8. "We have no militia - Western Togoland independence 'fighters'". Citi Newsroom. 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2019-05-08.
  9. "Western Togoland: Secessionists order Ghana Security forces out of Volta Region". My Joy Online. 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
  10. 1 2 "98.9FMWhy Ghana must not laugh off Western Togoland secessionist movement - Security Expert reveals". Ghana Web. 29 September 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  11. "One dead, two injured after 'Western Togolanders' capture of Juapong". www.ghanaweb.com. 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  12. "Government's intelligence claim on Volta separatist attack false – Security Analyst". www.ghanaweb.com. 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  13. emmakd (2020-09-26). "One dead, three injured in Volta Region secessionist disturbance". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  14. "Secessionists Attacks: Government will not negotiate with criminals - Bawumia". MyJoyOnline.com. 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2020-10-04.