August 11, 1948: The University College of the Gold Coast is established by Ordinance

The University of Ghana was founded as the University College of the Gold Coast on August 11, 1948 as an affiliate college of the University of London, which supervised and awarded its degrees. It attained full university status in 1961. The university was created by ordinance from the work of the West African Commission of the Asquith Commission on Higher Education in the Colonies under the chairmanship of Rt. Hon. Walter Elliot.

This recommendation resulted principally from a rejection of the original proposal to have one University in Nigeria to serve British West Africa, by a number of Gold Coasters, principally Sir Arku Korsah and also later, scholar and politician Dr. J. B. Danquah. The university has a population of just under 40,000 students and has students from over 70 countries. It is the premier and largest university in Ghana. The University has four Colleges: College of Basic and Applied Sciences http://www.cbas.ug.edu.gh/, College of Education http://www.coe.ug.edu.gh/, College of Health Sciences http://www.chs.ug.edu.gh/ and College of Humanities http://www.coh.ug.edu.gh/

August 10, 1889: British and French sign an agreement demarcating the boundary between the Gold Coast and the Ivory Coast

The border area between Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana stretches from the lagoon regions bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the savannah in the North. In 1892, Governor Griffith chose George Ekem Ferguson, a Gold Coaster, for this important mission. Ferguson was to endeavour to make treaties especially with Gonja, Dagbon, Grushie and Mossi. The treaties were not to imply protection but "friendship and freedom of trade", with a commitment "not to make any treaty with or accept the protection of any other power without the consent of Her Majesty’s government”. Ferguson’s mission extended beyond demarcating both the western and eastern extent of British influence in the territory north of Ashanti. He concluded treaties with numerous northern nations on behalf of the British in three expeditions. Both the French and British, though competing for territory in the north, had to contend with the slave raiders Samory and Babatu. In March 1897, at Dawkita, during a clash between Samory's army and a British expedition led by Lieutenant Henderson and Ferguson, the British force was defeated, Ferguson was killed and Henderson was taken prisoner. Samory released Henderson because he wanted to ally with the British against the French and Babatu.

On the Cote d’Ivoire side, the southern border area is made up of five contemporary districts: the “departments” of Bondoukou, Tanda, Agnibilekrou, Abengourou and Aboisso. On the side of Ghana, the available regional subdivisions provide less details: we are left with two regions, Western and Brong-Ahafo. The Black Volta River only contributes to the most northern part. During the 19th century, the bulk of this border area was controlled by the Ashanti Empire. At the end of the 19th century, the French and British started to extend their domination, from trade posts located on the coast toward the North, by signing protectorate treaties with local kingdoms. The 1870 defeat of France against Prussia allowed Great Britain to extend its influence westward. A territorial exchange of the French trade posts of Grand Bassam and Assinie against British Gambia was even considered at that time.

The Binger expedition and the action of French men who had private interests in the region (TreichLapl`ene, Verdier) made France regain the lost ground from 1887 by signing treaties with kingdoms located in the middle part of the border area: Indenie (around Abengourou), Sefwi (around Debiso), Gyaman. Having signed treaties with both colonial powers, this latter kingdom, located around Bondoukou, was finally cut in two halves as early as 1891. The city of Bondoukou was first taken by the British in 1887, then by the French in 1888, then by the Diula leader Samori Toure in 1895; the British reconquered it in July 1897 when called for help by the king of the Gyaman, but the French took their revenge and imposed themselves in October 1897. The two colonial powers needed around 15 years, from 1889 to 1905, to agree upon a definitive alignment.

The layout of the last demarcation on the field, with teak trees, beacons and pillars, was achieved in 1984 on the Cote d’Ivoire side, and in 1988 on the Ghana side.

August 7, 1826 - Battle of Dodowa (Katamanso)

The people of Accra had been part of an alliance of local chiefs who had aided the British, Denkyira and Fantis in resisting an Ashanti advance on Cape Coast in July 1824. The Asantehene Nana Osei Yaw Akoto amassed an army of 40,000 and vowed to punish the "Akra" people in the aftermath of this defeat, by literally chasing the into the belly of the "kanfra" (a small fish in the ocean).

An alliance of British, along with Ga -Adangbe, Fanti, Denkyira, Akwamu and Akyems faced the Asante at Katamanso, in a battle that ended Asante suzerainty over many southern and coastal nations and contributed to the rise of British power and prestige on the coast. Notably, the Akyems were led in battle by Nana Afia Dokuaa, the Okyehene and only woman who was a ruler of a major state. Also important, was the fact that Congreve rockets were used for the first time against the Asante. Peace was not formalized until 1831, when the River Pra was accepted as the Southern Boundary of the Asante in a treaty concluded by Mr. George McLean.

Historian Rev. Carl Christian Reindorf in his book "The history of the Gold Coast and Asante" provides the following Ga - focused account :

“The combined forces of Prampram, Ningo, Ada and the riverside people just at the same time followed up the attack, and the position of the Asantes became critical. King Osei Yaw, realizing the danger, marched in defence with his body-guard, stood upon the royal stool, and drew the war-sword waving it between heaven and earth, as kings usually do in war, but the rebound was too strong, and he was wounded. There was a severe conflict between the king’s bodyguard and the forces under Opoku Fredefrede, in which the Asantes were beaten and greatly weakened; and on account of the defeat, the Asante General afterwards poisoned himself and died at Asafo. Dshani Afutu and Ante from Teshi are said to have shouted the religious war cry of Awo awo awo!’ to which every warrior of the whole column responded as one man: “Awo, Agabai bereku tso!” A loud voice was heard in the enemy line. “Edom agu o!” The Battle is lost” Then all the baggage was hastily thrown on a heap as high as a mountain, and the Asante army took to flight, after fighting and holding their position for nine hours, from 6 a.m. — 3 p.m. Prisoners were made, and then the baggage and camp were taken”

“of all the battles fought by the Asantes since the formation of their kingdom, Katamansu had proved to be the most fatal. The King had lost sixty of his Generals, Chiefs and captains, but few of the commanders escaped with himself and Boaten”.

It is said that the hair- style worn by the Asante women dubbed “Gyese Nkran”, (except Akra), vulgarized as Densinkran, was introduced to mourn the Asante dead in the Katamansu war.

August 4, 1947: The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was formed

In the midst of great momentum for an independence movement in the Gold Coast, the first political party was founded in 1947. The party was led by native luminaries from different spheres of influence including, but not limited to, academics, lawyers, and chiefs.

"Big Six" leaders of the UGCC

The principal financier of the organization was George Alfred "Paa" Grant who was known as the "father" of Gold Coast politics. The founder and operational leader was JB Danquah. The Big Six (leaders of the party and in the movement for independence) came from the UGCC and accelerated the push towards independence over the next decade through a series of boycotts, sit-ins, demonstrations, and publications calling for action.

The UGCC professed self-governance "in the shortest possible time." Kwame Nkrumah eventually broke away from the group and gained popularity while incarcerated by the British. He began professing the need for "self-governance now" and formed his own political movement which became the Convention Peoples Party (CPP).

August 1, 1962: Nkrumah is injured by an attempt on his life from a bomb in Kulungugu.

On August 1st, 1962, the President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah had stopped in the village of Kulungugu, in the Bawku District, on his way back from an official meeting with President Maurice Yameogo of the Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) at Tenkudugo. The visit was to discuss and further plans to eliminate customs barriers between the two countries, a small step in the larger Pan-African unity scheme.  The return road trip in Ghana was complicated by an unusually heavy downpour, putting the usual order of the convoy into disarray over a very bad road.  There was great pressure for the presidential convoy to stop at Kulungugu, a small village on the outskirts of Bawku, to acknowledge school children who had been waiting to catch a glimpse of their president.  As a school child was approaching the president with a bouquet of flowers, according to one account, his military bodyguard Capt Samuel Buckman, hearing the ticking of a timing device getting louder and closer, instinctively wrestled the president to the ground, a split second before the bomb exploded. Both the president and his military aide de camp experienced non- life threatening injuries.  The child bearing the bouquet was killed and others were severely injured. Nkrumah was treated by a British doctor at Bawku hospital, who removed shrapnel from his back and side. He recuperated in Tamale for a week after, where ironically, he was visited by then Brigadier Ankrah, later to lead the military government in 1966 which overthrew Nkrumah. Though Nkrumah later accused his Minister of Information,Broadcasting and Presidential Affairs, Tawia Adamafio for being behind the plot, the general consensus is that the attack was carried out by opposition United Party (UP) operatives from northern Ghana who had been trained in Lome, Togo. Ironically, in the months of May and June preceding this attack, Nkrumah had ordered the release of many political opponents he had previously detained under the Preventative Detention Act. These included Dr. J. B. Danquah, the leader of the United Party. He had also granted an amnesty to political exiles.

July 31, 1991 "Committee of Experts" presents 252 page report on constitutional proposals to the PNDC

The Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) government established the National Commission for Democracy (NCD) in 1981 to formulate a strategy for governance in Ghana. Out of the NCD proposals, non-partisan local district council elections took place in 1988. By May 31, 1991, a committee of nine experts was appointed to draw up and submit a draft constitution of Ghana. This "Committee of Experts" under the leadership of  Prof. S.K.B. Asante, began their deliberations on June 11. On June 16, 1991, Chairman Rawlings stated that he was not opposed to multi-party democracy and by July 1991 the Conference of Catholic Bishops weighed into the debate with a report calling for a return to multi-party democracy by the end of 1992. The Committee presented a 252 page draft report on July 31st, 1991 to the government.  This report formed the basis of the work of the National Consultative Assembly of over 200 members, leading eventually to the constitution of the 4th Republic. The constitution's main focus was placed on fundamental human rights, equality before the law, representation of the people, and the registration of political parties.

Head of the Committee of Experts, Prof. S.K.B. Asante

July 30, 1994 Alfred "Cobra" Kotey wins WBO Bantamweight Title

Alfred “Cobra” Kotey of Bukom, Accra won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title on this day in 1994 by defeating Rafael Del Valle in London, England. He represented Ghana in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. He held the title until October 21, 1995 when he lost the title to Daniel Jimenez by decision at Bethnal Green, London. He had a record 43 fights, 26 wins 16 wins by KO 16 losses and 1 draw. He retired on May 26, 2012 in Accra, after a string of losses.

July 27, 1955: Select Committee of the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly rejects federal constitution

On July 27, 1955 the Parliamentary Select Committee studying the issue, rejected federalism for a centralized unitary government. The Select Committee also rejected the request from the opposition for a bi-cameral parliament. The extra-parliamentary group advocating federalism, the National Liberation Movement (NLM) boycotted the talks. Nkrumah’s position was that federalism was simply a proxy for advancing tribalism in the service of the elite.

Prior to the meeting of the committee, in January 1955, political violence had erupted in Kumasi in response to the Governor’s ban on carrying weapons in that city. Several people were killed and many were arrested. In March 1955, the Northern Peoples Party (NPP) also announced their support for federalism. In spite of recommendation of the Parliamentary select committee, in August 1955, the Asante and Northern parties again presented a proposal for a federal form of government to the Crown.

Subsequently, Sir Frederick Bourne arrived in Accra in September to further study the issue and recommended that the independence constitution should “provide a substantial transfer of power from the centre to the regions”. The NLM refused to attend the All Party Achimota Conference scheduled to discuss the question of federalism they were proposing.  The British Secretary for the Colonies called for an election, after which the assembly would vote on the constitutional impasse. On May 10, 1956 the Prime Minister Nkrumah’s home in Accra New Town was bombed while he was in a meeting with ministers of the government.

The Convention Peoples Party (CPP) won 70 of the 104 seats in the July 1956 elections for the new assembly. On August 3, 1956 the legislative assembly voted for independence with the name Ghana, within the Commonwealth with 72 votes out of 104. The Colonial Secretary announced that independence would be granted on March 6, 1957. On November 15, 1956, the assembly voted 70 to 25 to adopt a unitary form of constitution, which prompted the NLM and the NPP to send a resolution to Whitehall demanding separate independence for Asante and the Northern Territories. On November 10, 1956, the British Colonial Office issued a statement in opposition to the division of the Gold Coast and on December 18, 1956 the “Independence Bill” was passed by the British House of Commons, becoming law on February 7, 1957.

There was still no agreement on the constitution but after a visit to the Gold Coast by the Secretary for Colonies, on February 8, 1957 the Colonial Office published a draft of the compromise constitution which both Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. K. A. Busia endorsed on February 12, 1957. The next day, the Queen announced that Sir Charles Arden-Clarke would be the first Governor-General after independence.

July 27, 1886: Akwamu State signs a treaty to become part of the British Protectorate

The Akwamus like most Akans also migrated from Adanse to settle at the Twifo-Heman forest during the latter part of the 16th century. At its peak in the early 18th century, the Akwamu Kingdom stretched more than 250 miles (400 km) along the coast from Whydah (now Ouidah, Benin) in the east to beyond Winneba (now in Ghana) in the west. This group of Akans belonged to the Aduana family and are kin of the Asumennya, Dormaa and Kumawu. According to oral tradition, as a result of a succession dispute, Otumfuo (brass-smith) Asare deserted the family to form a new state or city called Asaremankesee- (Asares big state). The modern city of Asaamankese was originally founded and occupied by the Akwamus.

These Asona family members and their followers then were given land from the original settlers the Guans and Kyerepons, to form the Akuapem state. Most of the present Akuapems still have their roots at Akwamufie especially those bearing the names like Addo and Akoto or those from the Aduana family.

The King of Akwamu Nana Ansa Sasraku (1640-1674) played an important role in the life of the King Osei Tutu of Asante. According to oral tradition, the whole structure of the Asante army attributed to Nana Osei Kofi Tutu l which served the Asantes through many wars, was modelled on the well organised Akwamu army.

Osei Tutu's father was Owusu Panin from Akwamu and his mother was named Manu Kotosii who was from Kwaaman. She was the sister of Oti Akenten and Obiri Yeboa the late kings of Kwaaman. As legend has it, Manu was unable to have children, her brother Obiri Yeboa sent her to a shrine priest called Otutu in Akwamu for help. Later she conceived and gave birth to a baby boy (Osei Kofi) and named him after the shrine called Tutu. At that time, Kwaaman was a vassal state of the Denkyira so when Osei was teenager, he was sent to serve at the court of Boa Amponsem, the then king of Denkyira. Later, Osei got himself into trouble by impregnating the king's sister Akobena Bensua and fled to his father in Akwamu for protection. When Osei got to Akwamu, Otumfuo Ansa Sasraku received him warmly, thus protecting him from the Denkyiras. It was in Akwamu that Osei Tutu met Kwame Frimpong Anokye (a.k.a. Okomfo Anokye) and established a close friendship. Shortly after that, Osei's uncle, Obiri Yeboa, King of Kwaaman died in their war against Dormaa. As a result, Osei was next in line for the Kwaaman throne. The prospect of facing the Denkyiras loomed large as he planned his return to Kwaaaman. Otumfuo Ansa Sasraku therefore detached 300 Akwamu soldiers support his return to Kwaaman. When the soldiers got to Kwaaman, they settled among them and later became citizens of Asafo. The soldiers then restructured the Asante army as the replica of the well-organised Akwamu army and with the help of the Akwamus, they embarked on a series of campaigns which led to the defeat of the Denkyiras; the Asantes and the Akwamu alliance was short-lived as the Akwamu were soon to face combined force of Akyem (Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku and Akyem Bosome), Ga, Kyerepon, and the Dutch. As the state grew rich on the sale of gold from the Birim River district, its inhabitants sought to extend their authority. Because they were hemmed in on the north and northwest by the state of Akim and other states in loose alliance with or subject to the powerful Denkyira, they expanded south and southeast toward the Ga and Fante (Fanti) towns of the coast. These they subdued between 1677 and 1681 under their king (Akwamuhene), Ansa Sasraku II. They also extended their influence over the state of Ladoku in the east (1679) and, under Ansa’s successor, over the Fante state of Agona in the west (1689). In 1693 under the leadership of Asomani a detachment of Akwamu soldiers seized control of Christanborg Castle at Osu. The Danes regained control of the property after paying 50 marks of gold and an agreement not to seek future reparations. The Akwamus retained the keys to the castle for years after. In 1702 under Ansa Sasraku IV, they crossed the Volta River to occupy Whydah, a coastal state of Dahomey (now in southern Benin), and in 1710 Otumfuo Akonno Panyin subdued the Ewe people of the Ho region. By this time, however, their former satellite, Asante, had grown rich and powerful and was becoming increasingly hostile to the Akyems. Pressured by the Asante, the Akyem peoples retreated upon Akwamu’s borders and, after a long war, succeeded in infiltrating them. The Akyems handed the Asante’s one of their most significant military defeats along with the killing of Osei Tutu on the River Pra at Twifo Praso in 1717. In 1730, the Akyems defeated the Akwamu’s taking control of Accra and the Ga –Adangbe areas along the coast. The Akwamuhene was forced to flee, and by 1731 the state had effectively ceased to exist. However, by 1742 the Asante’s defeated the Akyems, effectively controlling access to the ocean in the Ga – Adange areas.

What was left of the Akwamu nation became a British Protectorate on July 27, 1886 as the British expansion of the Gold Coast continued.

July 17, 1956: CPP wins 71 of 104 seats in Legislative Assembly Elections

Parliament House of Ghana

In 1954 a new constitution was approved in the Gold Coast to establish an all-African legislature to be elected by the citizenry directly. This marked a massive change in direction from the colonial regime which appointed governors and ministers on behalf of the Queen of the United Kingdom.

1956 posed a very important political event in Ghana's independence movement. Kwame Nkrumah's government proposed terms of independence to the British government. The British agreed to conditions of independence if a reasonable majority could be obtained in the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly following a direct election. Nkrumah's Convention Peoples Party won a 68% majority of the seats allowing for a transition toward independence per the agreed terms. On March 6, 1957 the Gold Coast was granted its independence from Great Britain and formed the new nation of Ghana, becoming the first sub-Saharan colony to achieve independence from European colonists.

July 14, 1886: British and Germans demarcate eastern border of the Gold Coast

From the time of the first European contact with Portuguese traders in 1478, different regions of modern day Ghana have been dominated by Ashanti, British, Dagomba, Danish, Dutch, Ewe, German, Portuguese, and Swedish groups along with people native to Ghana controlling smaller portions (Akyem, Fante, Ga, etc.).

British (left) and French Togoland. The land to the west of the green-highlighted territory was granted to the Gold Coast by the treaty. After the dissolution of German Togoland, the Gold Coast absorbed the green territory.

By the conclusion of the 19th century, the British consolidated most of the land we know as Ghana to be the British Gold Coast. On July 14, 1886 a border for the Easternmost section of the country was agreed upon between the Germans and British to separate the Gold Coast from Togoland. The agreement stipulated that Togoland would contain the territories of Towe, Kowe, and Agotime while the Gold Coast would retain Aquamoo and Peki. North of Peki, the Volta River was agreed to function as the border. In future decades, all of these territories would be absorbed into the Gold Coast.