Amid a scaled down celebration of Ghana’s 68th Independence anniversary, the 28th February 1948 crossroads shooting incident is being commemorated today, 28th February 2025 at the Nationalism Park.
Although this incident happened 9 years before the country obtained independence from colonial rule in 1957, it has over the years become the precursor activity for the national celebrations.
As has become the norm, President Mahama, government officials, members of the Diplomatic Corp, surviving veterans of World War II and families of deceased veterans will throng the Nationalism Park near the Independence Square to lay wreaths in honour of those who died on that day.
What happened? On that fateful day, a group of World War II veterans decided to march to the Christiansborg Castle to present a petition to the Governor of the Gold Coast at the time, Sir Gerald Creasy. Their concern had to do with unpaid end of service benefits promised them after fighting in Burma on behalf of the British colonial government, during World War II.
Upon reaching the crossroads, where the Nationalism Park is currently situated, the ex-service men were ordered by the Colonial Police Chief, Colin Imray, to disperse. Full of anger and determined to proceed with their mission, the ex-soldiers disobeyed the order.
Consequently, Superintendent Imray ordered his officers, mostly Ghanaians, to shoot at the protesting veterans. However, in apparent solidarity with their fellow Ghanaians, the Police officers disobeyed the directive. Superintendent Imray therefore took hold of a rifle from one of the officers and shot at the leadership of the veterans.
Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey were hit by the bullets, ending their lives as a result. Over 60 others were wounded from the shots fired.
This tragic incident marked the beginning of a series of events that culminated in the Gold Coast becoming the first African country to gain independence from colonial rule after which the name was changed to Ghana- which means “warrior king” in the Soninke language: The choice of “Ghana” was inspired by the ancient Ghana Empire that existed in West Africa from the 6th to the 13th century
The killing of the three ex-service men sparked sporadic agitations across the country. Residents of Accra and other towns and cities are said to have taken to the streets. They attacked European and Asian businesses and property.
According to the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD), the leadership of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), a political organisation advocating an end to colonialism, rose to the occasion.
They sent a cable message to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in London expressing their belief that:
“…unless Colonial Government is changed and a new Government of the people and their Chiefs installed at the centre immediately, the conduct of masses now completely out of control with strikes threatened in Police quarters, and rank and file Police indifferent to orders of Officers, will continue and result in worse violent and irresponsible acts by uncontrolled people.”
The UGCC cable further stated that:
“Working Committee United Gold Coast Convention declare they are prepared and ready to take over interim Government. We ask in name of oppressed, inarticulate, misruled and misgoverned people and their Chiefs that Special Commissioner be sent out immediately to hand over Government to interim Government of Chief and People and to witness immediate calling of Constituent Assembly”
Information available on PRAAD’s website indicate that the people’s protests lasted five days.
“By 1st March the colonial governor had declared a state of emergency and put in place a new Riot Act. On 12th March the governor ordered the arrest of “The Big Six,” leading members of the UGCC, which included Kwame Nkrumah, as he believed they were responsible for orchestrating the disturbances. The Big Six were incarcerated in remote northern parts of the country.
It was around this time that Nkrumah and the other five began to have significant disagreements over the direction of the movement for independence. By 1949 Nkrumah had broken away from the UGCC to form the Convention People’s Party (CPP) taking the masses of the people with him.
The CPP, through a campaign of “Positive Action,” achieved an end to the Gold Coast colony and brought the new dawn of independent Ghana on 6th March 1957,” PRAAD recounted.
With additional files from artsandculture.com.
