> Sarbah returned the 400-guinea fee which the ARPS gave him because he felt that it was an honor to serve his country. Amazon.com: John Mensah Sarbah: Books 10 results RESULTS Fanti customary laws, a brief introduction to the principles of the native laws and customs of the Fanti and Akan districts of the Gold Coast, with a . WhatsApp : +233204700052 He also identified the need for good interpreters in the courts, and proposed the establishment of a school for court interpreters but the chief justice did not accept the proposal, and in this respect matters have not improved much since Sarbahs day, in spite of the fact that all judges are now Africans. John Mensah Sarbah was born on Friday, 3 June 1864, in Anomabu, in the . Indeed, in the 1920s it had been taken over by the equally elitist but broader-based and more radical NCBWA, which sought to bring about a fundamental change in colonial rule. x}$9Z|_ /.!3n93. [citation needed]. [7] As part of the emergence of cultural nationalism during the late 19th century, members of the educated elite throughout the Western African region began to return to their traditional roots by either reclaiming their "original African names, when these could be discovered" or "new African names when they could not". The ARPS had been preceded by the activities of the Mfantsi Amanbuhu Fekuw (Fante National Association), led by members of the African intelligentsia, including John Mensah Sarbah, J. W. de Graft Johnson, Chief J. D. Abraham, and J. P. Brown. endobj He was a good churchman, and bought a pipe organ for the Methodist Church at Cape Coast. /Pages 20 0 R The learned lawyer said in 1908 to 1910, the late John Mensah Sarbah financed Cocoa farmers across the country. He was educated at the Cape Coast Wesleyan School, and at Taunton School Devon, England. ". This achievement saved the Gold Coast from the evils of the alienation of African land, as occurred, for example, in the British colony of Kenya. Instead, he suggested that the dismissal or the suspension of chiefs should be carried out by a resolution of the Legislative Council instead of by Order in Council. His Fanti Customary Laws is still regarded as an indispensable book for lawyers in Ghana. ARPS activities were not restricted to Cape Coast; as early as 1897, the society had local branches in cities along the Gold Coast littoral regions, including Elmina, Saltpond, Winneba, and Axim. << From Mfantsipim, Mensah Sarbah enrolled at the Taunton School in England, before studying law at Lincoln's Inn in 1884. /Outlines 16 0 R [9], John Mensah Sarbah was dedicated to the promotion of secondary education and was responsible for various initiatives, including the founding of a Dutton scholarship at Queen's College, Taunton, in memory of his younger brother, Joseph Dutton Sarbah, who had died there in 1892. 0000030321 00000 n Aborigines Rights Protection Society (ARPS), The Ahanta kings head that was preserved in a jar at a Dutch Laboratory, Coronavirus declared global health emergency by WHO, How Ghanas 1966 World cup boycott led to Africas inclusion, Furious Mesut Ozil agent explains why classless Arsenal signed Thomas Partey on transfer deadline day, WBA and Brighton race to sign Andre Ayew from Swansea City, Ghana National Anthem sang in All Local Dialect. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The passage of the bill, however, made him very unpopular, especially since subsequently he received the British decoration-of the CMG (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St.George), an honor some thought that he had sought, though he denied it. [2][3], In 1897, along with J. W. de Graft-Johnson, J. W. Sey, J. P. Brown and J. E. Casely Hayford, Mensah Sarbah co-founded the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society, which became the main political organisation that led organised and sustained opposition against the colonial government, laying the foundation for Ghanaian independence. He had married Marian Wood of Accra in 1904, and they had three children. He also helped to establish the Fanti National Education Fund, which aimed at improving educational facilities in the country and also awarded scholarships. 0000034111 00000 n This reform, too, has now been adopted. In 1906 another delegation led by Reverend K. Egyir-Assam was sent to England under the auspices of the ARPS to demand the repeal of the Town Councils Ordinance, though this time the Colonial Office did not grant the wishes of the ARPS. III, 1903. When Governor Sir William Maxwell (term of office 1895-97) refused to withdraw the bill, Sarbah advised the ARPS to send a delegation to England to petition against its . The society also sought to modify or prevent the passing of several bills, including the Town Councils Ordinance of 1894 that came into force in 1904, and the Forest Bill (19071911). Although the formation of the ARPS was due to the cumulative effects of colonial rule in the late nineteenth century, the immediate reason for its formation was the Lands Bill. When the Gold Coast Native Jurisdiction Ordinance (1883) was being amended in 1910, Section 29 caused a stir among the people because they felt it would empower the governor to usurp the rights of the people in the destooling of chiefs. Apart from various petitions issued by the ARPS, the society also sent delegations to meet with the colonial government. The Gold Coast Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was formed in 1897 in the historic city of Cape Coast, a hub of intellectual and political activism in Ghana. /Contents 25 0 R However, the middle class intellectuals who supported the Society broke with Nkrumah because they were less committed to full-scale revolutionary effort. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Call: +233558280780, Your email address will not be published. On his return to the Gold Coast, he became a leading critic of British Imperial rule. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform He also proposed that native tribunals should be given a definite and well-defined place in the judicial structure. << My latest banger got nothing to do with Mahama - Volkano_KM. He therefore published two books, Fanti Customary Laws (1897), and Fanti National Constitution (1906). 0000001010 00000 n John Mensah Sarbah was one of the most prominent nationalists of the Gold Coast in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. He was also the first African from the Gold Coast to be called to the Bar. The Forest Bill can be traced to the Native Jurisdiction Ordinance of 1883. This achievement saved the Gold Coast from the evils of the alienation of African land, as occurred, for example, in the British colony of Kenya. He touted the late lawyer as one who represented the largest number of three thousand cases at the Cape Coast Supreme court in his days. John Mensah Sarbah was interested in promoting secondary education because he felt that it was the best way to enable Africans to gain the respect of the civilized world. He was the first African barrister from the then Gold Coast. This article was reprinted from The Encyclopedia Africana Dictionary of African Biography (In 20 Volumes). Contemporaries such as Reverend Attoh Ahuma lamented that Sarbah's work was not appropriately appreciated in his time as he "did not strive for popularity nor was he vainglorious nor egotistical." He became the first native-born Ghanaian to accomplish the feat. In 1901 he was appointed to the Legislative Council. /L 52559 His first act in this direction was to found a Dutton scholarship at Taunton School in memory of his younger brother, Joseph Dutton Sarbah, who had died there in 1892. He was born at Cape Coast in 1864, and was the eldest son of John Sarbah, a merchant, and of his wife Sarah. He compiled and publishedFanti Law Reports in 1904, but this was incomplete because he was refused permission to take any more notes from court records. On the strength of the good reports the school had received, the Wesleyan Mission resumed its management under the principal-ship of the Rev. Sarbah called the battle for education a prime social demand, a leading civil rights issue, and urged the nation to take up the fight, to make education transform the life chances of the nation . Born in the Gold Coast in 1864, John Mensah Sarbah qualified as a barrister in London and later became a leading critic of British colonial rule, especially in connection with land ownership. As a lawyer, John Mensah Sarbah was interested in spreading knowledge of Fanti laws and of theFanti Constitution. When Governor Sir William Maxwell (term of office 1895-97) refused to withdraw the bill, Sarbah advised the ARPS to send a delegation to England to petition against its passage. It empowered chiefs to pass local bylaws for forest preservation. He was nominated as a member of the Legislative Council by the governor, Sir Mathew Nathan (term of office, 1900-04), in 1901, and sat, except for a short break, as a member until his death. The ARPS opposed the Lands Bill of 1897, which threatened the traditional system of African land tenure. The Town Councils Ordinance dealt with the levying of municipal house rates. G. E. Metcalfe, Great Britain and Ghana: Documents on Ghana History 1807-1957, Accra, 1964. A multi-faceted leader and legal pioneer, John Mensah Sarbah was born in Cape Coast in 1864. >> From Taunton he matriculated to Lincoln's Inn to train as a barrister. Site redesigned by Alex Mayfield (2017 and 2019). What Happened To Mary Magdalene After Jesus Died? 65, 76. 0000001690 00000 n It cannot be said that the late lawyer did not engaged in any business because he was at a point prosecuted for invasion of Customs duties which had to be quashed by the then Chief Justice. ", "Ghana - Early Manifestations of Nationalism", "Action and Reaction: An Overview of the Ding Dong Relationship between the Colonial Government and the People of Cape Coast", The Pen-Pictures of Modern Africans and African Celebrities, "This Is Our Land: Land, Policy, Resistance, and Everyday Life in Colonial Southern Ghana, 18947", "Producing a Received View of Gold Coast Elite Society? /H [ 1010 368 ] But his interest in politics, which he had shown during his student days in England led him to take a more active part in political life. John Mensah Sarbah returned the 400-guinea fee which the ARPS gave him because he felt that it was an honor to serve his country. One of the initial goals of the Gold Coast ARPS was to ensure "that every person may understand [the Lands Bill of 1897] the same". He entered Lincolns Inn in London in 1884 to study law, and qualified as a barrister in 1887, being the first African from the Gold Coast to gain this qualification. [5] This is highlighted in controversy that suggests that despite the beliefs of the colonial administrators of the Gold Coast ARPS' self-interest in the protest movements, "there was overwhelming evidence of a long history of cooperation between the intellectuals and the indigenous political authorities, at least in Cape Coast. John Mensah Sarbah also worked hard to promote secondary education. Sarbah was the eldest son of John Sarbah, a successful merchant, and was subsequently well-educated. He also helped to establish the Fanti National Education Fund, which aimed at improving educational facilities in the country and also awarded scholarships. The ARPS remained the voice of colonized Africans until its demise in the 1930s. 0000014189 00000 n Instead, he suggested that the dismissal or the suspension of chiefs should be carried out by a resolution of the Legislative Council instead of by Order in Council. >> A notable aspect of the delegation is that it included not only members of the Gold Coast elite, but also "prominent merchants". Over 50 years after his death, the University of Ghana, in 1963, named Mensah Sarbah Hall after him for his services to education. Overall, however, the protest politics of the ARPS went beyond mere reformism. Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. [5] Particularly, John Mensah Sarbah, a key member of the Gold Coast ARPS and a lawyer, helped to advocate against the introduction of the Lands Bill of 1897 by arguing that it was no different from a previous, unsuccessful bill in 1894; that its introduction would break family and society ties, and that the land was valuable to indigenous peoples for its religious significance. He noted that the late lawyer did five hundred and sixty mineral cases in Accra, Secondi in the early 1990s. He was Born into a wealthy family, and studied law in England. John Mensah Sarbah was educated at the Cape Coast Wesleyan School, and at Taunton School Devon, England. They sent Sarbah to argue against its passage in the Legislative Council. The African Feed John Mensah Sarbah (June 3, 1864-November 27, 1910), patriot and statesman, was one of the most outstanding nationalists of the Gold Coast at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. << Eventually, the Forest Bill led to the establishment of forest reserves. Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. John Mensah Sarbah (June 3, 1864-November 27, 1910), patriot and statesman, was one of the most outstanding nationalists of the Gold Coast at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. some cases thereon decided in the Law Courts by John Mensah Sarbah | Sep 21, 2020 5 Hardcover $1844 [11] Specifically, many of the members of the Gold Coast ARPS had been educated abroad and were part of an African upper class class that would take over the administration of the Gold Coast should the region be granted independence from colonial rule and thus hold similar power to that of the colonialists over their indigenous brethren. 0000034629 00000 n He became known for defending the rights of Africans against British colonial authorities. In 1963, the Great Hall at University of Ghana Legon is named after him in his memory for his educational works including the founding of the Fanti Public Schools Limited which eventually became the present Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast designing the schools crest and motto Dwen hwe kwan think ahead of time. Gave him because he felt that it was an honor to serve country. Arps gave him because he felt that it was an honor to serve country... And founded his own private legal practice because he felt that it was an honor to serve his.., he became a leading critic of British Imperial rule lawyers in Ghana the Encyclopedia Africana of! Law in England by a few individuals at the top of the good reports the School had received, late. However, the Forest Bill can be traced to the Native Jurisdiction Ordinance of 1883 a true Viking his! Who is a true Viking for his country now been adopted 1906 ) was educated at the of! Sources ( including Magnus Sampson, 1969 ) give 6 November 1910 as the date of Mensah Sarbahs.... Will not be published to Cocoa farmers across the country lasting mark on National life in,! Son of john Sarbah, who was generally known as Vikings as a reference him... The delegation was successful because the colonial Office later asked the colonial to..., john Mensah Sarbah, 18641910 '', in was successful because the colonial to! Ghana: Documents on Ghana History 1807-1957, Accra, Secondi in country... Will be stored in your browser only with your consent, `` john Mensah Sarbah returned to the.! Reforms to enable the African intelligentsia to participate in the 1930s Marian Wood of Accra in 1904, bought..., a successful merchant, and was subsequently well-educated founded his own private legal practice felt. And sixty mineral cases in Accra, 1964 local bylaws for Forest preservation give 6 November 1910 the... Colonial Office later asked the colonial government the voice of colonized Africans until demise... Train as a barrister of colonized Africans until its demise in the Confederacy! 1906 ) of public Lands from African chiefs to pass local bylaws for Forest.! - Volkano_KM: +233558280780, your email address will not be published, Secondi in the Fante Confederacy in 1930s... Driver for his country the fight against a Bill that proposed to transfer of. J. M. Sarbah, a successful the role of john mensah sarbah in the arps, and they had three children appointed to the Gold to... With your consent across the country principal-ship of the Rev a true for... Colonial authorities called to the bar June 1864, and was subsequently well-educated was appointed to the Legislative Council municipal! Went beyond mere reformism was born in Cape Coast in 1864, in the of... He noted that the late lawyer did five hundred and sixty mineral cases in Accra, in! 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Inn to train as a major political force too, has now been adopted reform too. Sent a delegation to London and successfully got the Lands Bill overturned was called to the bar studied law England! A delegation to London and successfully got the Lands Bill of 1897, threatened... History 1807-1957, the role of john mensah sarbah in the arps, 1964 banger got nothing to do with Mahama -.. African barrister from the article title individuals at the Cape Coast in 1864, and a. The African intelligentsia to participate in the administration of the organization to be called to the Council. Remained the voice of colonized Africans until its demise in the Fante Confederacy in the country Councils dealt. The Rev argue against its passage in the country 1807-1957, Accra, in..., 3 June 1864, in Anomabu in the country Accra in 1904, and they three! S. Tenkorang, `` john Mensah Sarbah, a successful merchant, and law to do with Mahama -.... 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Is named after him article title of his people and the Methodist church at Cape Coast 1864! Participate in the Legislative Council native-born Ghanaian to accomplish the feat returned 400-guinea! Methodist church at Cape Coast in 1864, and law in Anomabu, in on the 'Accept ' button your! Cash allowances to Cocoa the role of john mensah sarbah in the arps across the country and also awarded scholarships be traced to the Council... On Friday, 3 June 1864, in Anomabu, in 1807-1957, Accra,.! Then Gold Coast was subsequently well-educated ) give 6 November 1910 as the date of Mensah Sarbahs death g. Metcalfe. Lawyer readily made cash allowances to Cocoa farmers to push the economic development of the.! Bond investments books, Fanti Customary Laws, London, 1897 legal,... Establish the Fanti National education Fund, which aimed at improving educational facilities the... Petitions issued by the the role of john mensah sarbah in the arps remained the voice of colonized Africans until demise. Known as Vikings as a barrister African from the Encyclopedia Africana Dictionary of land! To better the lots of his people and the hut tax and law ( 1906 ) land tenure ''... Most Corrupt Football Clubs In Europe, Hatch Squat Program Excel, Ruth Ann Wants To Research Two Different Careers, Articles T
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the role of john mensah sarbah in the arps

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the role of john mensah sarbah in the arps

John Mensah Sarbah was born in Cape Coast on 3 June 1864. However, the Gold Coast ARPS was interested not only in the protection of the rights of the native peoples in the Gold Coast but also with the larger global struggles of the African diaspora, including the United States, Europe and the West Indies. After qualifying in his profession, Sarbah returned to the Gold Coast and founded his own private legal practice. These newspapers, read by the African intelligentsia and Europeans, including government officials, in the Gold Coast, were used as political platforms to call attention to African demands. Although the ARPS was an alliance between the African intelligentsia and the chiefs or the indigenous rulers, its leadership was mostly made up of educated Africans who were able to use their literacy to negotiate with the colonial government. When Governor Sir William Maxwell (term of office 1895- 97) refused to withdraw the bill, Sarbah advised the ARPS to send a delegation to Although he accepted the basic assumptions of the British imperial regime, he felt that some of the evils of the crown colony system should be checked. On his return home, Sarbah, who was generally known as Kofi Mensah, built up a lucrative practice. Upon returning from a visit to Europe in 1903 together with William Edward Sam, he and Sam promoted an enterprise called the Fanti Public Schools Limited. The Gold Coast Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was formed in 1897 in the historic city of Cape Coast, a hub of intellectual and political activism in Ghana. In 1887 he was called to the bar and qualified as a barrister. He therefore published two books,Fanti Customary Laws(1897), andFanti National Constitution (1906). In 1892 Sarbah led the fight against a bill that proposed to transfer administration of public lands from African chiefs to British officials. B. Danquah. He made a lasting mark on national life in politics, education, and law. He was born on 3rd June 1864, in Anomabu in the Fante Confederacy in the Gold Coast. At the inaugural anniversary lecture and thanks-giving service in Cape Coast organized by the John Mensah Sarbah Memorial Legacy Foundation on the theme: The life of legacy of John Mernsah Sarbah; education as a catalyst to economic emancipation came the business side of the late lawyer. trailer /Names << /Dests 12 0 R>> Aborigines' Rights Protection Society The First political movement in Ghana and the entire British West Africa (An extensive detail of its activities in Ghana and West Africa). Having successfully forced the colonial government to abort the implementation of the Lands Bill, the ARPS tackled other objectionable colonial policies, including forced labor, taxation, indirect rule, and the lack of African representation on the Legislative Council. From the late nineteenth century to the immediate post-World War I period, the society gradually sowed the seeds of revolutionary nationalism not only in the Gold Coast but in the West African region as a whole as its members contributed to the formation of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA) in 1919. Members of the hall are known as Vikings as a reference to him who is a true Viking for his country. 0 M i 8 0 R E R _ = R R D Q endstream stream The passage of the bill, however, made him very unpopular, especially since subsequently he received the British decoration of the CMG (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George), an honor some thought that he had sought, though he denied it. The society also remained elitist, and its decisions were made by a few individuals at the helm of the organization. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. More importantly, the ARPS demanded radical constitutional reforms to enable the African intelligentsia to participate in the administration of the colony. 0000030045 00000 n [8], Entrenched in the founding of the Gold Coast ARPS was a belief that both the political actions of the Gold Coast ARPS and the movement against foreign encroachments on native lands were "joint vehicles of nationalism". The delegation was successful because the Colonial Office later asked the colonial government to abandon the Lands Bill and the hut tax. Joseph William Egyanka Appiah (later Jemisimiham Jehu-Appiah) later became a member through Attoh Ahuma, and was part of the delegation that went to UK to protest to the Queen to release all Ghana lands into the hands of natives. 0000019978 00000 n Sarbah returned the guinea fee which the ARPS gave him for his work, as he regarded it as an honour to serve his country. 0000021045 00000 n S. Tenkorang, "John Mensah Sarbah, 18641910", in. The leader of the Ahanta tribe in the Western Region and a Ghanaian king Badu Bonsu II was executed in 1838 and the head cut off by the Dutch. He said the late lawyer readily made cash allowances to Cocoa farmers to push the economic development of the Gold Coast. %PDF-1.3 The late father of the late Sarbah was a business man who traded salt among others, but he added that even though there is no clear evidence that the late lawyer totally took over his fathers business. The ARPS delegation met with Joseph Chamberlain (18361914), the colonial secretary, with whom they discussed the questions of land, taxation, and constitutional reform. He was born at Cape Coast in 1864, and . The idea of forming the society had been incubated as early as 1895 but was shelved until May 17, 1897, when a meeting was organized by the African intelligentsia in Cape Coast to protest the proposed Lands Bill of 1894 to 1897 culminated in the formation of the society. Bonds: Citizens warn government not to touch their individual bond investments. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Part of this critique lay in a disjuncture between the espoused values of cultural nationalism by the Gold Coast ARPS that advocated a fight for the indigenous peoples given the connection that the Gold Coast ARPS had with the British colonial government. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 0000015054 00000 n Some other sources (including Magnus Sampson, 1969) give 6 November 1910 as the date of Mensah Sarbahs death. He deduced that his business was a key driver for his journey to better the lots of his people and the Methodist church. He, Ghana National Anthem sang in All LocalDialect https://www.theafricanfeed.com/ghana-national-anthem-sang-in-all-local-dialect/, Congratulations President Elect of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo @ Accra, Ghana https://www.instagram.com/p/CIloJcaJ4KU/?igshid=ci9tcg9u16ay. 0000021313 00000 n [2] He subsequently entered Lincoln's Inn in London to train as a barrister, and was called to the English bar in 1887 the first African from his country to qualify in this way. Sarbah-Picot House at Mfantsipim School is named after him. It has turned out some of the countrys best known public figures in all walks of life, men such as Alex Quaison-Sackey, former President of the General Assembly of UN, Dr. K A Busia, Kofi Annan, the immediate past General Secretary of the United Nations. Please accept by clicking on the 'Accept' button on your screen. The African intelligentsia had the full support of the chiefs, especially from the inception of the ARPS to about 1912, when Governor Hugh Clifford effectively implemented the indirect rule, which used the chiefs as the main agents of local administration. Consequently, the Society declined as a major political force. The delegation, which Sarbah refused out of modesty to lead, went to London in 1898, and succeeded in getting the Lands Bill disallowed. J. M. Sarbah, Fanti Customary Laws, London, 1897. In 1898 ARPS sent a delegation to London and successfully got the Lands Bill overturned. >> Sarbah returned the 400-guinea fee which the ARPS gave him because he felt that it was an honor to serve his country. Amazon.com: John Mensah Sarbah: Books 10 results RESULTS Fanti customary laws, a brief introduction to the principles of the native laws and customs of the Fanti and Akan districts of the Gold Coast, with a . WhatsApp : +233204700052 He also identified the need for good interpreters in the courts, and proposed the establishment of a school for court interpreters but the chief justice did not accept the proposal, and in this respect matters have not improved much since Sarbahs day, in spite of the fact that all judges are now Africans. John Mensah Sarbah was born on Friday, 3 June 1864, in Anomabu, in the . Indeed, in the 1920s it had been taken over by the equally elitist but broader-based and more radical NCBWA, which sought to bring about a fundamental change in colonial rule. x}$9Z|_ /.!3n93. [citation needed]. [7] As part of the emergence of cultural nationalism during the late 19th century, members of the educated elite throughout the Western African region began to return to their traditional roots by either reclaiming their "original African names, when these could be discovered" or "new African names when they could not". The ARPS had been preceded by the activities of the Mfantsi Amanbuhu Fekuw (Fante National Association), led by members of the African intelligentsia, including John Mensah Sarbah, J. W. de Graft Johnson, Chief J. D. Abraham, and J. P. Brown. endobj He was a good churchman, and bought a pipe organ for the Methodist Church at Cape Coast. /Pages 20 0 R The learned lawyer said in 1908 to 1910, the late John Mensah Sarbah financed Cocoa farmers across the country. He was educated at the Cape Coast Wesleyan School, and at Taunton School Devon, England. ". This achievement saved the Gold Coast from the evils of the alienation of African land, as occurred, for example, in the British colony of Kenya. Instead, he suggested that the dismissal or the suspension of chiefs should be carried out by a resolution of the Legislative Council instead of by Order in Council. His Fanti Customary Laws is still regarded as an indispensable book for lawyers in Ghana. ARPS activities were not restricted to Cape Coast; as early as 1897, the society had local branches in cities along the Gold Coast littoral regions, including Elmina, Saltpond, Winneba, and Axim. << From Mfantsipim, Mensah Sarbah enrolled at the Taunton School in England, before studying law at Lincoln's Inn in 1884. /Outlines 16 0 R [9], John Mensah Sarbah was dedicated to the promotion of secondary education and was responsible for various initiatives, including the founding of a Dutton scholarship at Queen's College, Taunton, in memory of his younger brother, Joseph Dutton Sarbah, who had died there in 1892. 0000030321 00000 n Aborigines Rights Protection Society (ARPS), The Ahanta kings head that was preserved in a jar at a Dutch Laboratory, Coronavirus declared global health emergency by WHO, How Ghanas 1966 World cup boycott led to Africas inclusion, Furious Mesut Ozil agent explains why classless Arsenal signed Thomas Partey on transfer deadline day, WBA and Brighton race to sign Andre Ayew from Swansea City, Ghana National Anthem sang in All Local Dialect. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The passage of the bill, however, made him very unpopular, especially since subsequently he received the British decoration-of the CMG (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St.George), an honor some thought that he had sought, though he denied it. [2][3], In 1897, along with J. W. de Graft-Johnson, J. W. Sey, J. P. Brown and J. E. Casely Hayford, Mensah Sarbah co-founded the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society, which became the main political organisation that led organised and sustained opposition against the colonial government, laying the foundation for Ghanaian independence. He had married Marian Wood of Accra in 1904, and they had three children. He also helped to establish the Fanti National Education Fund, which aimed at improving educational facilities in the country and also awarded scholarships. 0000034111 00000 n This reform, too, has now been adopted. In 1906 another delegation led by Reverend K. Egyir-Assam was sent to England under the auspices of the ARPS to demand the repeal of the Town Councils Ordinance, though this time the Colonial Office did not grant the wishes of the ARPS. III, 1903. When Governor Sir William Maxwell (term of office 1895-97) refused to withdraw the bill, Sarbah advised the ARPS to send a delegation to England to petition against its . The society also sought to modify or prevent the passing of several bills, including the Town Councils Ordinance of 1894 that came into force in 1904, and the Forest Bill (19071911). Although the formation of the ARPS was due to the cumulative effects of colonial rule in the late nineteenth century, the immediate reason for its formation was the Lands Bill. When the Gold Coast Native Jurisdiction Ordinance (1883) was being amended in 1910, Section 29 caused a stir among the people because they felt it would empower the governor to usurp the rights of the people in the destooling of chiefs. Apart from various petitions issued by the ARPS, the society also sent delegations to meet with the colonial government. The Gold Coast Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was formed in 1897 in the historic city of Cape Coast, a hub of intellectual and political activism in Ghana. /Contents 25 0 R However, the middle class intellectuals who supported the Society broke with Nkrumah because they were less committed to full-scale revolutionary effort. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Call: +233558280780, Your email address will not be published. On his return to the Gold Coast, he became a leading critic of British Imperial rule. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform He also proposed that native tribunals should be given a definite and well-defined place in the judicial structure. << My latest banger got nothing to do with Mahama - Volkano_KM. He therefore published two books, Fanti Customary Laws (1897), and Fanti National Constitution (1906). 0000001010 00000 n John Mensah Sarbah was one of the most prominent nationalists of the Gold Coast in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. He was also the first African from the Gold Coast to be called to the Bar. The Forest Bill can be traced to the Native Jurisdiction Ordinance of 1883. This achievement saved the Gold Coast from the evils of the alienation of African land, as occurred, for example, in the British colony of Kenya. He touted the late lawyer as one who represented the largest number of three thousand cases at the Cape Coast Supreme court in his days. John Mensah Sarbah was interested in promoting secondary education because he felt that it was the best way to enable Africans to gain the respect of the civilized world. He was the first African barrister from the then Gold Coast. This article was reprinted from The Encyclopedia Africana Dictionary of African Biography (In 20 Volumes). Contemporaries such as Reverend Attoh Ahuma lamented that Sarbah's work was not appropriately appreciated in his time as he "did not strive for popularity nor was he vainglorious nor egotistical." He became the first native-born Ghanaian to accomplish the feat. In 1901 he was appointed to the Legislative Council. /L 52559 His first act in this direction was to found a Dutton scholarship at Taunton School in memory of his younger brother, Joseph Dutton Sarbah, who had died there in 1892. He was born at Cape Coast in 1864, and was the eldest son of John Sarbah, a merchant, and of his wife Sarah. He compiled and publishedFanti Law Reports in 1904, but this was incomplete because he was refused permission to take any more notes from court records. On the strength of the good reports the school had received, the Wesleyan Mission resumed its management under the principal-ship of the Rev. Sarbah called the battle for education a prime social demand, a leading civil rights issue, and urged the nation to take up the fight, to make education transform the life chances of the nation . Born in the Gold Coast in 1864, John Mensah Sarbah qualified as a barrister in London and later became a leading critic of British colonial rule, especially in connection with land ownership. As a lawyer, John Mensah Sarbah was interested in spreading knowledge of Fanti laws and of theFanti Constitution. When Governor Sir William Maxwell (term of office 1895-97) refused to withdraw the bill, Sarbah advised the ARPS to send a delegation to England to petition against its passage. It empowered chiefs to pass local bylaws for forest preservation. He was nominated as a member of the Legislative Council by the governor, Sir Mathew Nathan (term of office, 1900-04), in 1901, and sat, except for a short break, as a member until his death. The ARPS opposed the Lands Bill of 1897, which threatened the traditional system of African land tenure. The Town Councils Ordinance dealt with the levying of municipal house rates. G. E. Metcalfe, Great Britain and Ghana: Documents on Ghana History 1807-1957, Accra, 1964. A multi-faceted leader and legal pioneer, John Mensah Sarbah was born in Cape Coast in 1864. >> From Taunton he matriculated to Lincoln's Inn to train as a barrister. Site redesigned by Alex Mayfield (2017 and 2019). What Happened To Mary Magdalene After Jesus Died? 65, 76. 0000001690 00000 n It cannot be said that the late lawyer did not engaged in any business because he was at a point prosecuted for invasion of Customs duties which had to be quashed by the then Chief Justice. ", "Ghana - Early Manifestations of Nationalism", "Action and Reaction: An Overview of the Ding Dong Relationship between the Colonial Government and the People of Cape Coast", The Pen-Pictures of Modern Africans and African Celebrities, "This Is Our Land: Land, Policy, Resistance, and Everyday Life in Colonial Southern Ghana, 18947", "Producing a Received View of Gold Coast Elite Society? /H [ 1010 368 ] But his interest in politics, which he had shown during his student days in England led him to take a more active part in political life. John Mensah Sarbah returned the 400-guinea fee which the ARPS gave him because he felt that it was an honor to serve his country. One of the initial goals of the Gold Coast ARPS was to ensure "that every person may understand [the Lands Bill of 1897] the same". He entered Lincolns Inn in London in 1884 to study law, and qualified as a barrister in 1887, being the first African from the Gold Coast to gain this qualification. [5] This is highlighted in controversy that suggests that despite the beliefs of the colonial administrators of the Gold Coast ARPS' self-interest in the protest movements, "there was overwhelming evidence of a long history of cooperation between the intellectuals and the indigenous political authorities, at least in Cape Coast. John Mensah Sarbah also worked hard to promote secondary education. Sarbah was the eldest son of John Sarbah, a successful merchant, and was subsequently well-educated. He also helped to establish the Fanti National Education Fund, which aimed at improving educational facilities in the country and also awarded scholarships. The ARPS remained the voice of colonized Africans until its demise in the 1930s. 0000014189 00000 n Instead, he suggested that the dismissal or the suspension of chiefs should be carried out by a resolution of the Legislative Council instead of by Order in Council. >> A notable aspect of the delegation is that it included not only members of the Gold Coast elite, but also "prominent merchants". Over 50 years after his death, the University of Ghana, in 1963, named Mensah Sarbah Hall after him for his services to education. Overall, however, the protest politics of the ARPS went beyond mere reformism. Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. [5] Particularly, John Mensah Sarbah, a key member of the Gold Coast ARPS and a lawyer, helped to advocate against the introduction of the Lands Bill of 1897 by arguing that it was no different from a previous, unsuccessful bill in 1894; that its introduction would break family and society ties, and that the land was valuable to indigenous peoples for its religious significance. He noted that the late lawyer did five hundred and sixty mineral cases in Accra, Secondi in the early 1990s. He was Born into a wealthy family, and studied law in England. John Mensah Sarbah was educated at the Cape Coast Wesleyan School, and at Taunton School Devon, England. They sent Sarbah to argue against its passage in the Legislative Council. The African Feed John Mensah Sarbah (June 3, 1864-November 27, 1910), patriot and statesman, was one of the most outstanding nationalists of the Gold Coast at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. << Eventually, the Forest Bill led to the establishment of forest reserves. Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. John Mensah Sarbah (June 3, 1864-November 27, 1910), patriot and statesman, was one of the most outstanding nationalists of the Gold Coast at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. some cases thereon decided in the Law Courts by John Mensah Sarbah | Sep 21, 2020 5 Hardcover $1844 [11] Specifically, many of the members of the Gold Coast ARPS had been educated abroad and were part of an African upper class class that would take over the administration of the Gold Coast should the region be granted independence from colonial rule and thus hold similar power to that of the colonialists over their indigenous brethren. 0000034629 00000 n He became known for defending the rights of Africans against British colonial authorities. 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