Introduction
Achee – mo-ta!
Achee – mo-ta!
Achee – mo-ta!
(loosely translated as “We don’t point out folks”)
The land on which Achimota College stands was as soon as a spot of refuge for all who sought it. The college additionally carried out this operate when it was constructed on the positioning, providing refuge to iconic figures similar to Dr. Ephraim Amu, who had been rejected by the church for preaching in Kente fabric and Ahenema sandals, then related to what the Europeans termed ‘the fetish’, however now the satisfaction of our nation. However why Achee-mo-ta? Maybe, Prof. Abena Busia explains it greatest when she writes, “Right here we got here, fleeing to a spot of shelter escaping the chains and the lash we’d not undergo.” Achee-mo-ta… as a result of ‘mentioning peoples’ names within the forest could expose them to their pursuers. Right here we see the identify Achimota steeped in a context of resistance and refuge. Context issues. The forest provided refuge to these fleeing and so has the college to these rejected by dominant societal powers of epochs passed by. These folks have been fleeing from slave catchers throughout the slave period, and from colonists searching for to lash them for no matter motive. To this finish, the context by which formal training started right here in Ghana and the trajectory it has taken is essential to the dialogue at hand. In some unspecified time in the future on this trajectory Achimota College emerged to develop into one of the prestigious colleges in Ghana. However how has its course been and the place does it stand as we speak? Is it nonetheless a spot of refuge or has it develop into an emblem of rejection? In regard to the rejection of the 2 college students, some have sought to argue on the premise of haircut whereas others have argued on the premise of faith/spirituality. This summary argues for the admission and inclusion of the scholars on the premise of each coiffure and faith/spirituality.
The occasions of the previous week or so involving Achimota College’s refusal to confess two Rastafari college students until they shaved off their locks has spawned passionate public debate in a way that has not been witnessed in latest reminiscence in Ghana. The overall place of Achimota College has been that their “guidelines and laws” forbid the sporting of lengthy hair whereas that of the Rastafari college students has been that their locks is a core a part of their “faith and tradition” and as such is a non-negotiable tenet. The Rastafari college students have maintained that their place is supported by the structure. The controversy goes past these instant positions; it’s also a debate about our nationwide id; who’re we as a nation? Are we a tolerant and inclusive nation, or are we an illiberal and unique nation? It is usually in regards to the id of Achimota College. Will it keep its age-old id steeped in colonialism or will it search to mirror an id that’s thoughtful of the up to date panorama? There’s additionally the case of the id of the Rastafari college students, a long-marginalized group who search to be meritoriously admitted (as they’d been previous to them reporting to high school with their locks).
Certainly, the scenario will be perceived as a conflict of worldviews that has culminated within the ongoing “brouhaha” that has its roots within the very starting of formal training in Ghana (the then Gold Coast colony) and in a while, the institution of Achimota College. To completely expatiate, allow us to provide some context. Offering context situates the design and alignment of our instructional establishments to the occasions and desires of educants.
The historical past of formal training in Ghana will be traced to the early European retailers and missionaries (Ofori-Attah, 2006). Whereas retailers established colleges to realize their enterprise aims, missionaries established colleges to unfold their Christian doctrines. The missionaries finally gained the help of the colonial authorities. In these days, the favored sentiment amongst Ghanaians (Gold Coast topics to be precise) was that the mission colleges have been alienating its college students from their communities. Conventional Ghanaian clergymen (akomfo, bokoor, received tse me and many others.) raised opposition to what they noticed because the indoctrination of the educants (Boampong, 2013). This conflict of worldviews, which has endured to the current day was inevitable owing to the stance adopted by the missionaries and Christianity writ giant, perceiving monotheism as the one acceptable type of spirituality and each different type of non secular expression rejected on the premise of it being “heathenism.”
Origin of hair guidelines
This attitude held by the colonists additionally utilized to the hair and its expressions by Africans. African hair traditionally and culturally has been thought-about an emblem that’s consultant of knowledge on a person’s ethnicity, societal standing, spirituality, age, marital standing, and traditions (Manfo, 2018; White & White, 1995). The feel of African hair was partially answerable for the event of those related practices. “Hair for the Black individual was very non secular and was additionally believed to have a direct connection to God” (because it flowed upwards: Manfo, 2018) Since historic occasions, African hairstyles have been identified for the multifaceted and sophisticated natures, a conception that persists to the current day (Johnson & Bankhead, 2014). Brewington and Shamasunder (2013) notice that “throughout the African Continent, the hair’s worth and value have been heightened by its non secular qualities…the hair was the closest factor to the heavens, communication from the gods and spirits have been thought to move via the hair to get to the soul” (Brewington & Shamasunder, 2013).
African hair was detested by the colonists and although they have been very conscious of the function that African hair performed in African life, discovered it antithetical to instructional areas. Johnson and Bankhead (2014) assert that
“Europeans, who had lengthy traded and communicated with Africans, knew the complexity and significance of Black hair. They have been typically struck by the varied hairstyles that they noticed inside every group. In an effort to dehumanize and break the African spirit, Europeans shaved the heads of enslaved Africans upon arrival within the Americas. This was not merely a random act, however somewhat a symbolic elimination of African tradition. The shaving of the hair represented a elimination of any hint of African id…” (Johnson & Bankhead, 2014).
It was towards this background that missions developed hair insurance policies for his or her colleges. The rationale given for hair insurance policies today is that colleges don’t want college students to spend an excessive amount of time on their hair and as a consequence taking valuable time away from their research; but headmistresses and academics who though have very busy schedules make time for all method of elaborate synthetic hairstyles spurred on by a want for European fashion hair. This additionally explains why the hair rule appears to use to solely African and never Caucasian college students of Achimota College. It was additionally on this foundation that Angel Carbonu, the then vice chairman (now president) of NAGRAT is presupposed to have made the next remark:
“When Caucasian college students reduce their hair to the extent of Black girls it makes them look very ugly and it will possibly even have an effect on their appears so Caucasian college students should not allowed to chop their hair. There is no such thing as a rule within the GES regarding Caucasians in Ghana as a result of we’re not Caucasians, we’re Negroes.”
Angel Carbonu has since sought to make clear:
“What I mentioned was that the character of the Black man’s hair, the kinky hair is ready to stand in form once you reduce it. So, it makes the Black youngster look good-looking or stunning. The silky nature of Caucasian hair, it falls, so once you reduce it, it makes them look ugly” (Ghanaweb – Saturday March twenty seventh, 2021).
Similar distinction! Reality of the matter is, these hair guidelines have been by no means meant for Caucasians, they have been meant for African hair, proper from the very onset.
When Europeans colonized us, they colonized details about us and in addition our aesthetics. Academic websites have been answerable for the internalization of European aesthetics amongst our folks. It was additionally towards this backdrop that Achimota College was established in 1927. The colonial authorities was intentional at erasing all vestiges of Africanism and colleges have been/are the first websites for such undertakings. Certainly, the colonial authorities, by means of the Watson Fee’s report on the riots of 1948 said, “The previous religions are being undermined by trendy conceptions. Earlier disciplines are weakening. Others should be devised to take their place.” Who was undermining the previous religions, and who was devising new ones to take their place? Guggisberg and the colonists had a have to invent via training, African middlemen/ladies to offset the efforts of Africans they (Guggisberg and colonists) thought-about “demagogues.” The colonial authorities and their surrogates have been undermining the previous African religions and have been devising new ones to take their place, all of their expressions and manifestations included. Martin (1976) discusses the origins of such behaviors beneath:
“The missionaries realized that African faith, artwork, music and different social actions have been carefully related with one another. They incorrectly thought that they may not substitute present beliefs with Christianity until they expelled all different beliefs. African dancing and music have been banned from the curriculum” (Martin, 1976).
Lengthy after the missionaries and the propagators of assimilationist insurance policies have gone, we’re nonetheless perpetuating their colonial legacies. That is what the nice Dr. Carter G. Woodson cautioned us about when he put ahead the maxim that;
“While you management a person’s pondering you wouldn’t have to fret about his actions. You wouldn’t have to inform him to face right here or go yonder. He’ll discover his ‘correct place’ and can keep in it (my emphasis). You don’t want to ship him to the again door. He’ll go with out being advised. In truth, if there isn’t a backdoor, he’ll reduce one for his particular profit. His training makes it crucial” (Woodson, 1933).
Achimota College – Background
It’s on this context that Achimota College was established by the then Governor of the Gold Coast, Gordon Guggisberg. Guggisberg’s goal was to supply a substitute for the mission colleges. Guggisberg had hitherto launched the system of oblique rule into the Gold Coast in 1919 and had adopted the coverage of assimilation for the colony’s instructional establishments. Assimilation sought to ‘anglicize’ the colony’s topics, and colleges have been major websites of the coverage’s implementation. It was this identical Guggisberg who established Achimota College in 1927. The target of the college as said was the coaching of African leaders. These African leaders have been to be utilized within the service of our colonial domination in all its aspects. The preliminary orientation of the coaching of scholars at Achimota was ‘Western in mental perspective in direction of life, however who stay[ed] African in sympathy.’ The westernization course of was so intense that the college really started producing trainees who have been westernized each intellectually in addition to culturally. Achimota college socialized its college students to the norms and values of the English ruling class by basing college rituals on European traditions (Yamada, 2009). This development has continued to the current day. It’s on this context that guidelines towards African hairstyles and spirituality exist.
Guidelines for guidelines sake?
All through this debate, there are those that have maintained that guidelines are guidelines and should be adopted and adhered to in any respect prices. No, not so, guidelines are context-specific, they modify when the context adjustments. If not, why do proponents of this argument not simply have remained underneath colonialism and adhered to the White man’s guidelines? It’s just because the context had modified, and Ghanaians responded to that by demanding independence! We have been now not prepared to “comply with the foundations”! Had Kwame Nkrumah adopted the foundations there would have been no independence. When guidelines develop into outmoded, they should be modified to mirror the prevailing circumstances.
These making this argument have additionally requested the younger males to only reduce off their hair and be admitted. That’s an unfair demand. Would these making this assertion be ready for instance to denounce Jesus as a precondition to gaining admission to a authorities college, or to eschew Islam as a prerequisite for attending a government-assisted Christian mission college? Asking the younger males to chop their hair when that’s integral to their non secular conviction is akin to doing the identical factor. Secondly, Muslim college students have all the time been exempted from attending church companies in Christian colleges, although the foundations require pupil attendance. This subsequently reinforces the concept that exemptions are made for college students who fall in a particular class. There are second-cycle establishments in Ghana who don’t reject college students with locks; is Achimota distinctive? Accra Academy, Aggrey Memorial, Osei Kyeretwie Senior Excessive College and lots of others have all admitted college students with locks. No chaos has ensued.
Opening of the floodgates
There have been those that have been making the purpose that if the 2 younger males are admitted to Achimota College (and any college for that matter) with out the conditionality of getting to shave off their locks, that will “open the floodgates” for others to make comparable calls for on the academic equipment. It’s fascinating to notice that these identical arguments have been made by some Ghanaian Christians who warned that permitting Dr. Ephraim Amu to hold out his pro-African actions within the church would open the floodgates to all method of native apparel, devices, and accoutrements being introduced into the church house. Dr. Amu endured and his legacy is one we’re all in awe of as we speak. Secondly, what are these “floodgates”? Isn’t the structure designed to guard and serve all Ghanaians? Some appear to assume that it’s only for a bit of the society. Certainly, some have even commented that the following factor we are going to witness would be the little children of conventional clergymen making calls for. Allow us to be clear, it’s inside their rights to take action. The structure was designed for all Ghanaians, not simply the elites and people throughout the dominant sections of society!
Structure
I’m no authorized knowledgeable, and I’ll go away it to the consultants to in the end determine and interpret the structure because it pertains to this case. Bear in mind the structure shouldn’t be about what you assume or like, it’s about what’s written. Let’s see what the structure says:
Article 25(1) of the Structure offers the fitting to equal instructional alternatives
Article 28(4) explicitly states that kids can’t be disadvantaged of their training due solely to their non secular or different beliefs.
Article 17(2) prohibits discrimination on sure grounds, together with faith, creed and social standing.
Article 26(1) of the Structure offers everybody the fitting to observe any faith, tradition or custom topic solely to the provisions of the Structure.
Many have cited Article 14(1)(e), the fitting to private liberty could also be curtailed for an individual underneath the age of 18 for the aim of training. (This provision is contextually irrelevant. The scholars should not asserting that their proper to private liberty is being curtailed. They demand that their constitutional rights are revered. That’s my interpretation however as talked about earlier will go away it to the consultants to determine).
The Kids’s Act of 1998 prohibits discrimination towards kids on a number of grounds, together with customized and in addition prohibits depriving kids entry to training.
Self-discipline
The argument that by some means having locks is tantamount to indiscipline.
The argument has additionally been made by those that oppose the admission of the 2 college students that having locks in instructional areas is tantamount to indiscipline. Are they severe? How on earth does one’s hair signify self-discipline or the shortage thereof? For the avoidance of doubt, self-discipline has to do with the perfection of ethical character and self-control. The suggestion that one’s hair is a sign of his or her ethical character and self-control is one which has no foundation in actuality. There was a time when not sporting “Achimota sandals” to high school was seen as a mark of indiscipline. How is that this argument holding up as we speak?
Classism and elitism
The suspicion of many who’re against the rejection of the 2 younger males is that the management of Achimota College is classist and elitist and is just hiding behind “guidelines and laws” to hold out their discriminatory agenda. This should be said throughout the context that no rationale has been given as to why the college is sustaining the stance they’ve taken. Merely saying we’ve guidelines and laws doesn’t quantity to stating a rationale. There needs to be an illustration to the impact that the locks of the scholars will undermine the target of offering training to the mentioned college students and others. This has not but been articulated.
Huge help from the Ghanaian public
Within the midst of the continuing debate, the extent of help that the 2 younger males have garnered from the Ghanaian public has been nothing wanting encouraging. Throughout the varied Whatsapp and Telegram platforms that I subscribe to, the eagerness that has been exhibited on this nation-gripping debate is reflective of the truth that the citizenry is engaged in charting the course of the way forward for the nation. Many civil society and non-governmental organizations have additionally added their voices.
Who advantages?
As the talk rages on, I can’t assist however ask, is anybody benefiting from this debate and if that’s the case, who’s it? What problems with nationwide curiosity would have been heart stage had it not been for this ‘brouhaha’?
Democracy and inclusion
Certainly, we can’t decide and select elements of democracy which can be interesting to us and oppose elements we deem unappealing. Some have even gone to the extent of arguing that Ghana’s democracy be seen as transitional, by which communitarianism takes priority over liberalism. Once more, this needs to be contextualized throughout the scope of cultural heritage legislation which within the up to date milieu is a acknowledged authorized instrument for the safety, safeguarding, upkeep, and preservation of cultural heritage, cultural property and cultural rights, inside which culturally and religiously aligned hairstyles fall.
Inclusion and variety are options of really democratic societies. In a democratic dispensation, training should be inclusive and devoid of exclusionary techniques. Such an training system ought to mirror its capability to answer and meet the issues of a various pupil physique, a variety that’s outlined by way of faith, ethnicity, class, gender, and tradition amongst different elements (Dei, 2004). It’s time that Ghana as a nation and Achimota as a college rose to the event to have fun somewhat than reject distinction and variety.
By Dr. Kwadwo Oppong-Wadie
The creator is an educationist and academic researcher. He’s a member of college (School of Training) at Illinois State College.
