A celebratory sod-cutting ceremony for the new amusement park took an impassioned turn as Nene Afedi Katamanso Yilagbeye I, Paramount Chief of Doryumu, used his address to declare a powerful campaign for cultural and historical reclamation. The Chief stated that the community is restoring history while demanding that colonial-era misnaming of indigenous towns be corrected.
Nene Yilagbeye forcefully argued that the retention of anglicized names such as “Shai” instead of the ancestral “Seh, ” and “Krobo ” instead of “Kro” is a continued sign of colonialism that diminishes the self-confidence of the Black people.
”We are trying to restore our names. Especially, we are not called Shai, we are called Seh,” the Chief asserted. “Somebody comes to your country and gives you his own name and goes.” He explained that “Seh” means “beyond equal,” highlighting the depth of the identity being obscured. He added that the current generation must stand up to change names that have been incorrectly used for decades.
The Fight for Ancestral Land
The Paramount Chief also provided a detailed, personal narrative of his 23-year struggle to reclaim the very land on which the industrial park now stands. He stated that the land and others belonging to his Yorubaka family had been taken over by the government but left unused, becoming “white elephants.”
His fight began by approaching the late President John Atta Mills in 2010, who gave him the green light. Despite setbacks and “intrigues” at the local level following the President’s passing, Nene Yilagbeye intensified his efforts.
He eventually approached President Nana Akufo-Addo, appealing to a shared history noting that the former President’s great-grandfather, Nene Akufo I, had historical ties to his family. Using this historical reference, he “forcefully took the land away” from a previous non-performing “food investment” scheme.
This action paved the way for the current investors, the Bright Energy and Bright International groups, to develop the site, leading to the creation of over 10,000 jobs. “I’m happy we are here today,” he remarked, acknowledging individuals who had supported him during the difficult struggle.
Commitment to Historical Correction
Nene Yilagbeye made it clear that the fight for land and name reclamation is far from over. He vowed to claim everything that has been stolen from by the British, stating that the family will “soldier on” to correct the history written by the British on January 25, 1883, which he claims changed their history and led to executions.
”We are going to clear the wrong British history,” he declared to the gathering, concluding his statement with a powerful commitment,”We will sit up, fight for what belongs to us.We have to sit down and re-change it.”
Story By: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
