TWINS DIVIDED

By Robert Peprah-Gyamfi

The story of Africa’s struggle for independence has often focussed on the key figures in the independence movement, figures like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Patrice Lumumba of the Congo, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, etc.

Left out in the discussion is the proverbial common man on the street – the ordinary citizens. What did 

• Language: English
• Publisher: PERSEVERANCE BOOKS
• Release date: Mar 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9780995552463

Book preview

Chapter 1

A pleasant surprise

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IT BEGAN like any other day at Kojokrom, a little town situated about 35 kilometres to the west of Kumasi, the Asante capital.

On waking up, residents were going about their daily morning chores as usual. With the help of brooms obtained from the branches of the oil palm tree that grew in abundance in the area, Henewaah and other young girls of the extended family community were sweeping away leaves and debris in and around the compound of the extended family home.

Panin on his part resorted to a block of stone positioned at one corner of the compound to sharpen his machete in preparation for work on the farm.

After a quick breakfast, the whole family headed for the farm.

The assignment for the day was the harvesting of maize. It involved Panin cutting down the plants at their roots with the help of a machete, severing the corn from the plant and placing it in heaps at various convenient points.

Henewaah would then walk behind her husband to gather the produce into a woven basket and carry it to a central collecting point – a makeshift wooden shed erected by Panin in one corner of the farm.

Not long after midday, clouds began to gather in what until then had been a plain blue sky. Before long, the clouds not only thickened, but also darkened.

Let’s get ready to return home, Henewaah suggested. I sense imminent rain. Panin agreed with his wife. Quickly, they harvested some foodstuffs, gathered them into two baskets, helped each other to get the baskets on top of their respective heads and set out on their homeward journey.

After putting about half of the distance behind them it began to rain. What began as a light drizzle soon turned into torrential rain. To shield themselves from the downpour, they cut down broad leaves from the banana plants growing along the bush path they trod and used them as improvised umbrellas.

After walking about three quarters of an hour, the path they were following joined the main road. They were still left with about half an hour’s walk to do.

Just as they reached the main road, they spotted a vehicle in the distance heading in their direction.

The Oseikrom to Kofikrom road had little traffic. Most vehicles ended their journeys at Oseikrom, five kilometres to the west of Kofikrom; hardly any driver took the trouble to drive along the rugged road. What was it, then, Panin wondered, that had caused the driver on this occasion to undertake the generally unpopular trip?

As the vehicle crawled past them, Henewaah counted the occupants – a total of seven including the driver. Just as the vehicle continued to move on, one of passengers began all of a sudden to wave frantically at them. Partly as a result of the downpour, partly due to the fact that his mind was preoccupied, Panin paid little attention to what was happening in the vehicle.

Not so Henewaah.

Panin, did you take note of the passenger waving excitedly at us?

No, I didn’t?

You will not believe me, but I thought the person I saw bore a close resemblance to yourself!

Are you sure?

Yes indeed; could it possibly be Kakra? After all, the war ended almost a year ago. It’s about time he came home!

If only he could still be alive!

Let’s think positively!

Initially I tried my best to think positively. Whilst assuring myself he was alive, I suppressed every other thought to the contrary. With the passage of time, my optimism gave way to gloom and despair. To be honest with you, I have almost given up any hope of ever seeing him alive.

Still drenched by the rain, which showed no sign of abating, they continued their walk home.

As they were about 300 metres away from the outskirts of the village, they saw in the distance someone running towards them waving, elatedly, both hands in the air as he approached. He was not only waving, he was also shouting and gesticulating as if he had an exciting message to convey to them. Whatever message he was trying to convey, the distance between them made it impossible for them to figure out what exactly it was about.

As the distance between them narrowed, the voice of the approaching figure soon became audible: Panin, I am back! Panin, I am back! Panin, it is me – Kakra; I am back!

Soon Panin made out the distinctive voice of his brother, his soulmate – the voice that was undistinguishable from that of his own!

Instantly he tossed the firewood he was carrying on his head into the air. Henewaah had to spring quickly aside to avoid being hit by the wood that rebounded and flew in all directions.

Kakra, my dear!

Panin shouted at the top of his voice and sprang forward, running as fast as his legs could carry him.

At just about the same speed Kakra also raced towards his brother.

They might have wished to break the sound barrier! As it turned out, neither of them could brake sufficiently to prevent a collision! Moments later both went crashing to the bare ground but felt no pain – for what was pain in their highly charged emotional state?

For the next few minutes both, firmly entangled in an embrace, rolled and rolled, indeed kept rolling on the bare earth, in the process completely soiling their clothes with mud and dirt!

Kakra? Or his ghost? exclaimed Panin.

The real Kakra!

Sure?

Sure, sure!

Today, even if I die today, I won’t be bothered!

Hey Panin don’t say that; who will take care of your children when you are gone?

Kakra!

But I also need you, Panin! Kakra yelled on the top of his voice.

Meanwhile both had risen to their feet. Still entangled in each other, they hopped and jumped around for a while.

It was a real spectacle to behold!

***

As expected, everyone at home, from the smallest child old enough to appreciate the occasion to the oldest of the very elderly, was plunged into a state of frenzied jubilation on the return of Kakra.

Asoh, Duku and the direct siblings of the twins – Tawiah, Nyankomagoh, Kofi Anane, Adwoa Anum, Kwaku Nsiah and Akosua Kaakyire – seemed for a while to be intoxicated with joy at the sudden and unannounced return of Kakra.

Words can hardly describe the extent of the explosion of emotions that greeted Kakra not only from his family members, but from residents of Kojokrom as a whole. For a while, the outpouring of emotions seemed to have no end, a situation that eventually led him to resolve to stay at home for a while; such was the number of people who thronged around him to shake his hand, hug him, all eager to inquire about his war experiences whenever he ventured outside, that he took refuge indoors, the pressure for his attention having become too much to bear.

In keeping with the saying If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad then Muhammad must go to the mountain, over the next few days residents poured into his home to wish him Akwaaba and inquire about his war experience, instead of waiting for a chance meeting on the street.

In due course, Kakra was introduced to some of the new members the family, his sister-in-law Henewaah as well as their two little children, six-year-old Kakra Junior (named after Kakra) and four-year-old Nana Duku (named after their father). Not to be forgotten in the family roll call was Asoh’s last child, four-year-old Akosua Kaakyire. Kakra was especially delighted to see his pretty little sister.

Chapter 2

The hunting expedition that ended on the battlefields of World War II

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THUS , after almost seven and half years to the day from his abduction and subsequent recruitment into the army, Kakra was back home. Over the next few days, weeks, indeed, months, residents of the little town thronged his home to milk him of the news of his war experience.

A detailed account of Kakra’s ordeal, from his capture and forceful conscription in the Royal West African Frontier Force to his tours of duty on the World War II battlefields in east Africa and Burma, is recorded in the book World War II Revisited- Memoirs of a Forced African Conscript.

Only a brief summary of his extraordinary experience is recorded in this book.

It all began in the late afternoon of Sunday December 3, 1939. The two identical twins, Panin and Kakra, were returning home from a hunting expedition they had undertaken with their friend Nyamekye.

Just about 100 metres before the bush path that they were walking on joined a lorry road that led to their little town Kojokrom, Panin, the elder of the twins, asked the other two to carry on walking whilst he went to the bush to respond to a call of nature.

Just as Kakra and Nyamekye stepped on the main road from the bush path, they saw a military truck on the road, heading towards Kojokrom. It pulled to a stop on reaching them. There were two passengers beside the driver in the front compartment. Pretending they wanted to ask them the way, they beckoned them to come near to the front cabin.

Is this the way leading to Kojokrom? the driver inquired as the two approached.

Yes indeed, we are also heading for that village, Nyamekye replied.

Just at that moment two men in military uniforms, each holding a gun, sprang out of the back of the vehicle and charged up to the boys, pointing the guns at them.

Eventually, they were abducted and sent to a military barracks near the capital Accra, where they underwent several months of military training.

One morning in early September 1940, the young recruits were asked to gather in a hall, to await an important announcement from a visiting high-ranking military officer.

After he had been introduced by their unit leader, Lt General Smith, the visitor, began to address them.

Men, are you prepared for action?

Yeah yeah! the voices of approximately 200 young recruits yelled back.

Okay, then get ready. Word has reached us from military headquarters in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to move camp! We are heading for east Africa, in the service of the Empire!

Troops of the treacherous Mussolini have invaded British Somaliland. Our mission is not only to dislodge them from British Somaliland, but also to prevent them from further incursions into additional Empire territory in east Africa.

Shortly, thereafter, the troops headed for east Africa and several months of fierce battles with Mussolini’s forces followed. The military campaign virtually came to an end with the defeat and surrender of the Italian army in November 1941.

Sadly, Nyamekye lost his life in the campaign; not only that, his body could not be retrieved.

On their return to the Gold Coast, a lung tuberculosis infection that Kakra might have contracted on the battlefield flared up, leading to his hospitalisation. After undergoing treatment that lasted several months he was declared completely healed. He was looking forward to his discharge from the army when he was told to prepare for yet another tour of duty – this time in Burma. The aim was to forcefully end the occupation of the country by Japanese forces.

The ship carrying them left the shores of West Africa on August 14, 1943, for south east Asia.

After engaging in several battles in the jungles of Burma, and in the process sustaining a thigh injury that led to his hospitalisation, Kakra finally returned to the shores of the Gold Coast on August 29, 1946, to be discharged from the army shortly thereafter.

Chapter 3

Soldier turned farmer

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ADJUSTING to life in the little village after his return from fighting the ‘European War ’, as Kakra personally referred to World War II, was a herculean task. His almost seven years in the army had adversely impacted upon him both physically and mentally.

For the next few days, weeks – even months – he suffered various symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder – flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disorder, etc. If there was anything that helped him to cope with the strain that the intrusive and distressing recollections of his war experiences placed on his mind, it was his emotional bond with Panin.

Unlike the pre-war period, however, he soon realised that Panin, on account of his changed family status, could not spend as much time with him as he would have wished.

While still maintaining a room in the large building serving as home for members of their large extended family, he had in the meantime erected a humble wooden structure at a location about 200 metres from the former. It served as a kitchen and a food storage depot where items such as maize, rice, cassava, etc., harvested from their farm, were kept until they were sold. He and his family spent much of the day there and only returned to spend the night in the extended family home.

Still, as far as possible, Panin took time off to attend to the needs of his junior brother. During such meetings, they would reminisce over some of their childhood experiences, indeed about the time they were growing up in the little settlement.

* * *

For some time Kakra contemplated what to do. Should he settle permanently in little Kojokrom, or should he move elsewhere to a bigger place – Kumasi, or perhaps Accra?

He took several factors into consideration in his deliberations.

The post-war economy of the Gold Coast was weak. Even prior to the return of the servicemen back to the country, the economy was very strained; everywhere in the country able-bodied men willing to take up employment were unable to find any. The sudden arrival of tens of thousands of soldiers from the World War II battlefields had worsened an already precarious job market.

Moving to an urban area – Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, etc. – in search of work would pitch him not only against the general working population in competition for jobs that were scarce, but also against his fellow ex-servicemen, many of whom, unlike himself who did not get the opportunity to do so due to the nature of the role assigned to him, had acquired skills as electricians, carpenters, mechanics, builders, clerks, etc.

Then there was the nagging societal issue of the time, the so-called ‘Burma complex’. Was it because of jealousy towards the Burma returnees on account of their stronger purchasing power? Or was it due to the fact that it was generally held that women preferred them to the stay behinds in their choice of partners?

Whatever the underlying causes, one thing was indisputable – a certain degree of animosity had developed in the general population, in particular the urban population, towards the Burma returnees. Spearheaded by the local press, they were accused of arrogance, of creating the impression of being superior to the general population, even of displaying a superiority complex towards the rest of the population.

As for Kakra, he felt adored, and was highly respected in Kojokrom. But what awaited him should he decide to move to an urban area such as Kumasi or Accra, where he was unknown?

After wrestling with himself for a while as to the way forward, he finally resolved to settle in the village. He decided to invest part of his military entitlement in farming, part in the setting up of a pub, while keeping the remainder in the bank.

As far as the matter of the land he needed to realise his farming ambitions was concerned, he had nothing to worry about.

The Aduana clan to which he belonged was custodian of the land stretching from Kojokrom to Oseikrom, right down to Kofikrom and several kilometres beyond.

Nana Kantanka, his uncle, the younger brother of Asoh, was the Omanhene (Paramount Chief), occupant of the Aduana Chieftaincy Stool (the throne) linked to the whole area of land just referred to, covering several square kilometres.

To oversee the proper management of the extended family land, key family members were posted to various strategic towns and villages located within the family property.

Asoh was delegated to Kojokrom to play the role of Queen Mother, which in the Akan/Asante context placed her in the role of kingmaker at Kojokrom. For the role of Chief of the little community, Kofi Boateng, the elder son of one of her maternal cousins, was appointed.

After notifying Nana Kantanka, his uncle, the Omanhene of the traditional area who had a final say in the matters of large-scale land allocation, Kakra received the green light to farm on as much land as his financial means would permit.

Thus, Kakra began building his secure existence at Kojokrom. He hired three labourers to assist him cultivate the land.

Next, he erected a four-walled structure in the middle of the settlement to serve as a local pub.

Chapter 4

The day that suddenly turned dark

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ON TUESDAY MAY 20, 1947 , the inhabitants of Kojokrom, were going as usual about their daily activities.

They were peasant farmers who grew what they ate and ate what they grew. No access to electricity meant the inhabitants did not have any cooling facilities such as refrigerators or deep freezers to preserve the foodstuffs they harvested from their farms. That does not imply that any of them could have afforded purchasing the modern cooling devices, had they had access to electricity. It was a very impoverished community. One could say that the combined annual income of the whole population would not have been enough to meet the cost of a single refrigerator!

Deprived of cooling facilities, they resorted to harvesting the foodstuffs needed for their personal use in small quantities, in amounts that would last a day or two, to prevent them from going bad – a process that the hot humid climate facilitated.

This exactly is what the majority of residents had set out to do after breakfast on May 20, 1947, as they headed for their respective farms.

Almost everyone in the settlement, apart from the elderly and the young children placed in their care, left for the farms. Kakra stayed at home to carry out some repair work at the pub.

It was a clear, bright and sunny day. Unshielded by the clouds, the little town baked in the direct rays of the sun. At midday, the heat was almost unbearable.

Suddenly at a little after midday, without any prior warning, the sky turned dark, deep dark. The transition from daylight to darkness being so sudden, for a moment Kakra felt as if his sight had been blighted.

Pandemonium broke loose among the few residents of the settlement who for one or another reason were not able to make it to the farm. Everyone started shouting and screaming, some calling to their gods, others screaming loud the name of Almighty God.

Thinking the world was coming to an end, everyone, even those who hardly attended church, rushed to the little Presbyterian church, the majority of them screaming loudly, Jesus. Jesus, Jesus! as they rushed to the place of prayer.

Unlike some of his mates who confessed to having given up their belief in God due to their wartime experiences, Kakra held to his belief, even if he hardly stepped into a church. On this particular occasion, however, he decided without any hesitation to seek sanctuary in the church!

If indeed he was witnessing the unravelling of events leading to the end of the world, seeking refuge in the church could not be a bad idea, he reasoned. Quickly shutting the door to the pub, he got on to the street and headed in the direction of the church, hardly able to find his way in the dark.

As he went he could still hear the screams, yells and crying all around him – children, adults, both male and female; everyone seemed to be frightened to the core of their bones.

Not only the human inhabitants were frightened by the stupendous phenomenon; their domesticated animals – cats, dogs, goats, poultry, sheep – were also in uproar! The barking of the dogs, the meows of the cats, the bleats of the goats, the baas of the sheep and, to top it all, the crowing of the roosters that might genuinely have thought a new day was suddenly dawning, added to the cacophony of discordant noises, which seemed to reverberate everywhere.

As Kakra hurried on... b-a-n-g!... he suddenly crashed into someone heading in the opposite direction, bound for the very place he was running away from! The impact was so ferocious it sent both of them sprawling to the bare ground.

Ach! That hurts! a female voice screamed in agony.

My apologies, I hope you have not sustained any injury, Kakra began in a sympathetic voice, not minding the pain he himself was experiencing from the back of his head as well as the left buttock.

I cannot see properly in the dark, but I think I have sustained some bruising to the left arm. That’s not so bad. Fortunately, my face was unscathed – you know how much we girls care for our face!

Oh I am terribly sorry, Kakra continued, refusing to comment directly on the last part of her statement. I feel terribly guilty for what has happened.

It’s not your fault; I also did not pay attention. I was just running for my life!

To where?

I have no idea; I just decided to run.

I was heading for the church.

To the church? Not a bad idea! It did not occur to me – I’d like to join you.

By this time both were back on their feet.

As they walked side by side on their way to the church, Kakra turned to the stranger and introduced himself.

My name is Kakra, he said. I think I have met you on a few occasions on the street; I don’t know your name though.

Amina, she replied.

"Nice meeting you