Word: abuakwa
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Nana Ofori Atta II, the paramount chief of Akim Abuakwa. The second most powerful tribal leader in Ghana, Ofori Atta had been declared de-stooled by some of his restive subchiefs. Like many a chieftain before him, he had fallen back on his feudal prerogative and refused to budge. But Nkrumah seized the occasion, moved quickly to back up the subchiefs' decision. The technical charge was that Ofori Atta had refused to leave his palace...
...were to go to the gallows next day at Accra, in Africa's Gold Coast Colony, for a voodoo murder-the sacrificial killing of a friend to provide companionship in the spirit world for the late Sir Ofori Atta, high chief of the state of Akim Abuakwa (TIME, Aug. 26). Beefy Leslie Hale, a Laborite, related that four times in the last two years the five men had missed the gibbet by last-minute postponements of execution; that itself was a terrible punishment. Winston Churchill growled that the five Africans had been "subjected to torture" by "cat-and-mousing...
Africa was enjoying a rash of ritual murder. Three years ago jet-complexioned Sir Ofori Atta, Paramount Chief of Akim Abuakwa, died (of natural causes) in the Gold Coast Colony. Soon his friend and secretary, Mensah, Chief of Apedwa, disappeared from view. After long investigation by the British authorities, eight natives were convicted of murdering Mensah, and sentenced to hang (TIME, Dec.11,1944). Mensah, the Crown contended, had been sacrificed to provide blood to daub a ceremonial stool which represented the late Sir Ofori; or to provide Sir Ofori with a companion in the spirit world; or both...
...Ofori Atta was a stout, pious, blue-black man who ruled over Akim Abuakwa on Africa's Gold Coast. London knew him. Once he visited King George V to be knighted for his services to the Crown (supplying soldiers and bearers) in World War I. Again he went to London on business, as a director of Akim, Ltd., a diamond mining company. He wore a heavy golden crown, a purple and gold toga. Wherever he went, a small black boy in silk knee breeches walked before him. The boy was the repository of Sir Ofori's soul...
...Ofori had not long been dead when his good friend Akyea Mensah, the Odikro of Apedwa, subchief of Akim Abuakwa. disappeared. The Odikro's servant and two pygmy followers also vanished. For nine months Gold Coast authorities quietly investigated. Then they arrested eight natives, charged them with murdering the Odikro. In time the eight stood in the prisoner's dock in Accra's white, sweltering courthouse. They rolled their eyes, cast covertly accusing glances at each other, sweated while witnesses testified...