1948 Accra riots
adu boahen
The Accra riots started on 28 February 1948 in Accra, the capital of the then British colony of the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana). Police broke up a protest march by unarmed ex-servicemen who were agitating for their benefits as veterans of World War II, having fought with the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force. Three of the protest leaders of the group were left dead - Sergeant Nii Adjetey, Corporal Patrick Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey; all three have since been memorialized in Accra.
The 28 February incident is considered "the straw that broke the camel's back", marking the
key point in the process of the Gold Coast becoming the first African colony to achieve independence, becoming Ghana on 6 March 1957.
Background
In January 1948, the Ga chief, Nii Kwabena Bonne III, known in private life as Theodore Taylor (1888–1968), had organised a boycott of all European imports in response to their inflated prices. The boycott's aim was to press the foreign traders known as the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM) to reduce the inflated prices of their goods. The boycott was followed by a series of riots in early February 1948. The day the boycott was scheduled to end, 28 February, coincided with a march in Accra by veterans of World War II.
28 February march and riot
The march on 28 February 1948 was a peaceful attempt by former soldiers to bring a petition to the Governor of the Gold Coast requesting the dispensation of promised pensions and other compensation for their efforts during the war. The ex-servicemen were members of the Gold Coast Regiment, who were among the most decorated African soldiers, having fought in Burma alongside British troops. Despite having been promised pensions and jobs after the war, when these servicemen returned home, there was scant employment for them and their pensions were not paid.
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