Game of Chains: Heroes of the Struggle

By Nathan A Sowah

As wisdom has it, time on earth and tide in the ocean wait for no man. It’s also true that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; but a journey from here to hell and back, may never be a pleasant story to tell. “Game of Chains” is a true story, told in support of besieged and struggling people worldwide; it’s also a story, told to empower beleaguered and disadvantaged people around the world.
It is undeniable that rising from the plantations of slavery to the highest offices in the land is nothing short of a miracle. Similarly, rising from the homelands of Apartheid to the highest offices in the motherland is equally, nothing short of a miracle. Similarly, rising from the concentration camps of Auschwitz, back to the Promised Land is equally, nothing short of a miracle. Finally, rising from the obscurity of red Indians and chiefs to today’s thriving Tribal Nations is surely, nothing short of a miracle. But what is even more miraculous is that, such shameful atrocities and such heinous crimes against humanity have all happened in human society. Nevertheless, such amazing triumphs of good over evil, and such astounding achievements of repressed people around the world, from the most humble beginnings in bondage to the highest levels of human dignity, have also happened in human society. “Game of Chains” is a story of one race of people, sent on a treacherous journey to hell and back, and yet, the essence of my story came to fulfillment right before our eyes in this generation of our lifetime.
This is a story of the struggle for dignity among the various races, cultures, colors and religions within the largest melting pot on earth. Find out how the new world became a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-colored, and multi-religious society, even before the greatest Union was formed. This story also chronicles the reflections, recollections, lamentations, opinions, and beliefs of the author. Born and raised in the former Gold Coast colony, the author strikes an interesting similarity between himself and the father of the 44th President of the United States; each came to this country in pursuit of his dream of college education; at least, that’s what they thought. Find out what happened in each of their separate lives in the melting pot. Get to the roots of the struggle; find out the origin of the struggle for freedom, justice, dignity, and equality in the melting pot. Find out how the stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone on the land. Find out how the finest mansion and the greatest monument in the land, build by slave labor, reserved only for nobility, became residence of descendants of the slaves who built it. Find out all about the messenger sent on a special mission from Africa.
I grew up in the small canoe-fishing town of Christiansborg, Osu, on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. As a child, I was fortunate enough to attend the schools that the early Missionaries built during the colonial era. Growing up under the giant shadow of the infamous Christiansborg Castle; I quickly learnt what many in our community already knew. It was common knowledge that our peaceful and picturesque seaside neighborhood, was one of the most brutal slave trading centers in Africa; next only to the iniquitous Cape Coast Castle; few hundred miles west of my hometown, and the notorious Elmina Castle, further to the west of my hometown. All three colossal castles, still stand today on the sandy shores and salty waters of the Atlantic Ocean; each colonial castle, acting as a giant window, looking back in retrospect to the ills of the colonial era and the evils of the slavery era, even to this very day.
I decided to write this book and tell this story, when this nation elected its first-ever African American President in almost three centuries. To me, this is the greatest, most historically significant change that ever happened since the new world was discovered. I wrote this book solely in honor of the brave heroes an

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796048094

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COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2019 by Nathan A Sowah.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Rev. date: 08/19/2019

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CONTENTS

Synopsis

Acknowledgment

Prologue

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1 My Story

Chapter 2 The Way We Were

Chapter 3 Land Of No Return

Chapter 4 Heroes Of The Struggle

Chapter 5 The Sojourner From Africa

Chapter 6 Change Has Come To America

Bibliography

And there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago, Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know; We may not count her armies, we may not see her King; Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering; And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.

– Sir Cecil Spring Rice

Thank you Sir, but what’s even more reassuring is that, the greatest asset of this country is not her most powerful constitution, legal, and academic institutions on earth. The greatest asset of this country is not her strongest military in the world. The greatest asset of this country is not even her largest and most versatile economy in the world. The greatest asset of this country is not her most advanced technological prowess in the world. Neither is it her claim on the most influential nation on earth, nor her claim on the best land of opportunity for mankind. In fact, the greatest asset of this country is the incredible diversity in her people; making her citizens from people of all origins, races, tribes, ethnicities, cultures, colors, and religions; effectively, making her the largest melting pot society in the world. An official land of immigrants; with the only exception being the indigenous Tribal Nations, the natives of the old West.

– Author

SYNOPSIS

GAME OF CHAINS

Heroes Of The Struggle

Game of Chains is a survival story. It’s a story of the bravery, endurance, persistence, resilience, and the sheer strength of the human spirit. It’s the story of what happened to natives of the land of Africa, who were forcibly uprooted from their beloved homelands. People, who were rounded up and captured from the towns, villages, and juggles of Africa; people who were taken prisoners of tribal wars, held in chains and shackles, kept in dungeons and cells; only to be sold into slavery by their tribal leaders, and shipped as cargo loads over the high seas to Europe and the Americas. The elusive games they played with human lives; bound in chains and linked with shackles. African leaders in-cahoots with European human traders; they were held captives of invading tribes, waiting to be sold and shipped to the new world. On their arrival, life took a whole new turn. The trials and tribulations they faced in bondage; the brutalities and viciousness they endured in the civil war era; the inequities, cruelties, and brutalities they suffered in the civil rights era may never be a pleasant story to tell. After centuries of perseverance, find out the ways and means they adopted as life went from frying pan to fire. Find out how they went from the dungeons and trenches of old world slavery to the ghettos and gutters of new world slavery. Find out how they managed to attain the highest offices in the land of their servitude. Find out how they reached the upper echelons of nobility in the society that enslaved them. Find out how their only begotten son became President of the nation that enslaved them. Find out how the stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone on the land. Find out how the tribal leaders who sold their sons and daughters into slavery, eventually came to their aide. Find out all about the sojourner from Africa; the messenger sent from Africa on a special mission to America. Find out about the product of the holy matrimony between the two messengers. Find out why I believe that the mighty hand of God played a crucial role in all that happened from the old world of Africa to the new world of America. Find out about the heroes and legends of the struggle, from slavery to presidency and leader of the free world; even to this day and age. Finally, find out why I believe that the mighty hand of God played a crucial role in the journey from slavery to presidency and leader of the free world.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Gratitude

My gratitude goes first to the Almighty God, who made us all. Thanks to mom and dad, who raised all ten of us to become who we are today. I’m also grateful to my wife, Lydia; our two children, Charles and Crystal; and our two grandchildren, Carinne and Chloe and their mom, Christina. Thanks for your love and support. You’ve brought pride and purpose to our lives.

To Isaac and Reba Coles – I’ve made many friends who love to read and write, but for the years we’ve been neighbors, there’s not been many that I can compare with Isaac and Reba’s passion for reading. Reading must have been what brought them together. I knew from the start that I wasn’t going to submit even a word to my publishers until Isaac had done his proof-reading and critique of my manuscript. I thank Isaac and Reba for being my eyes in the skies on a moonless night. Thanks also for keeping our household safe and secured throughout my research into the ruins of the slavery era in all the places that remain crucial to the spirit of my book and vital to the essence of my story. Places where our heroes and legends were bought and sold.

To my contributors – My sincere gratitude goes to Frank and Elsie Borlabi; James and Mary Crabbe; Frank and Mercy Nartey; Benjamin Doku, Lizzy Walter, and Nancy Stewart. Thanks for your invaluable contributions towards this story; a true story, told to empower besieged and disadvantaged people everywhere; the one story that lends credence to this nation’s claim on the coveted title of the best land of opportunity for mankind.

PROLOGUE

Everything Happens For A Reason

Life taught me that progress and change happen slowly. We were planting the seeds of change, the fruit of which we might never see. We had to be patient. We needed now to be resolute, to keep our feet pointed in the direction of progress. Even if we didn’t end up winning, we were making progress that mattered.

– Michelle Obama

I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go; things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they’re right; you believe in lies so that you can eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes, good things fall apart so better things can come together.

– Marilyn Monroe

I trust that everything happens for a reason, even if we are not wise enough to see it. When there is no struggle, there is no strength. So, live life and take chances, believe that everything happens for a reason and don’t regret. Love to the fullest, and you will find true happiness in life. Realize that things go wrong and people change, but things do go on. Sometimes, things weren’t meant to be. What is supposed to happen will work its way out.

– Oprah Winfrey

Without a doubt, I also share the belief that everything happens for a reason. I believe also, that no lasting glory is ever won on this earth without struggle. But having said that, I must also say, in no uncertain terms that human decency, modesty, civility, and morality dictate that, in our imperfect humanity, the only way to preserve the fragile peace on earth is to do unto others, as you would have others do unto you. The fact of life remains that all human beings are created equal and each, endowed by the creator with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and self-determination. You don’t need to be a behavioral scientist to know that when hatred, intolerance, and racism combine, it often manifests itself in violence; especially, gun violence in communities where the wisdom of effective gun control has eluded society. In fact, it’s the intense hatred, disdain, revulsion, intolerance, violence, and the ongoing feud between the various races, tribes, cultures, colors, and religions that moved me to write this book. Thank goodness the pain and suffering encountered in the lives of besieged, oppressed, and beleaguered people, though may adversely affect them, do not define them. Better yet, even the worst shameful stigmas don’t stick on people forever, when concerted efforts are made and the appropriate measures are taken to right the wrongs of the past and turn a new leaf into the future.

I must also say, in no uncertain terms, that civilization forbids any group in human society, consumed with hatred or fear, to perpetrate racial persecution or suppression of other racial groups or even stand in the way of other racial group’s freedom, justice, dignity and prosperity. Just as you love your own family, you have every right to love your race or tribe; but you have absolutely no right to use the evil of racial hatred, nationalism, bigotry, or the empty dream of supremacy to perpetrate evil in other peoples’ lives. Think about this; imagine the largest melting pot society on earth, with all its citizens hailed rather, from just one origin; all of one race, one culture, one color, one language, and one religion. Imagine the most influential nation on earth; the nation of highest standing among all nations, the freest, the bravest, and the most daring nation on earth, with its citizens, all of one origin, one race, one culture, one color, and one religion. It’ll be rather a selfish nation with an egocentric society without any status in the world.

Imagine the bravest, and the most adventurous society in the world, with its citizenry, only one race of people, no other race, culture, language, color, or religion included. Imagine the wealthiest nation on earth, with the most plentiful supply of everything in nature. Imagine the most successful nation in the world, with its society, perfectly homogeneous; its citizens are people of one ancestral heritage, with one set of beliefs, one set of values, and one set of morals. Imagine the most powerful nation on earth, with the strongest military in the world; a nation, with the largest, most versatile economy on earth; with its entire citizenship just one racial group, same sociopolitical doctrine; a society of abundance; one endowed with the finest things in life, same life experiences as a people, but includes no other racial group; a seamlessly homogeneous society with no racial, ethnic, cultural, color, or religious diversity whatsoever. Precisely, that’s the kind of country that the United States of America would’ve been, if what happened, centuries ago, during the slavery era never happened. That’s the kind of society that America would’ve been if the ancestral heroes and legends, who sacrificed their lives in bondage, with hard labor in servitude; the pioneers and trail blazers, who paid the ultimate price in the slavery era never did.

I, for one, cannot imagine an America of this stature in the world today, with the good, the bad, and the ugly persistent in its society, without the black race and the many other racial groups in humanity, permanently included, well established, and vigorously contributing to the national integrity of the country and equally partaking in the fruits of their labor; So, yes, I believe that everything happens for a reason, certain things happen for a purpose, and God sometimes uses certain unorthodox means to fulfill His wondrous ways. It’s the end that justifies the means, not the beginning. An America of this stature in the world, without the black race and all other racial groups in humanity, essentially included, actively participating, vigorously contributing, and genuinely partaking in the blessings bestowed on the country and its people is unacceptable.

To further clarify my point, think about the most prominent nation among all nations, with its entire populace of just one racial heritage from one origin, with no other human races included. The most influential nation among nations, with the finest people in human society, but no people of color included. The most accomplished nation on earth, with the most talented people in human history; but without the rest of the human race included in its society. The most advanced nation on earth with the highest technological prowess in the world; but without the black race or any other colorful racial groups, contributing. I don’t know about you, but, I for one, I just can’t imagine the finest nation on earth, with the most outspoken people in the world; but without people of other colors included. The most prosperous nation on earth, with the most open society, but without any other races, cultures, colors, languages, or religions included, contributing, and sharing in its blessings. Maybe you can, but, in no way, shape or form can I accept the wealthiest nation on earth, with the lowest unemployment in the world, with its citizens, the most enterprising people in human society; but with neither the black race nor other people of color contributing and partaking in its affluence. The most generous nation on earth, with its citizens; the most charitable people in the world, but its entire population consists of only colorless people; with neither black people nor other colorful people included, contributing, or sharing in its generosity. Obviously that’s unacceptable to the Almighty Creator of existence in accordance with the diversity in His Nature. If Americans are smart enough, they would’ve quickly figured out that the incredible diversity in the greatest Union the world has ever known didn’t happen by mistake; neither did it happen by the goodness of human nature. It happened out of the goodwill of the one who made us all, according to the diversity in His nature, His thoughts, and His ways.

Finally, imagine an exceptional nation among all nations on earth, with the most brilliant people in the world in its society, but was founded a one-race society with absolutely no diversity in its people, its culture, its color, or its religion. A strictly homogeneous society; with neither the black race nor any other colored races in this world represented in its society. That’s exactly the kind of country and its people that the United States of America would’ve been today, if the Almighty God hadn’t stepped in to fulfill His wondrous works, in accordance with the diversity of His own nature, within His wondrous ways, and for his wondrous purposes. The creator effectively stepped in, few centuries before the nation was founded. So, yes, everything happens for a reason, but certain things happen for a purpose; and I for one, I can see the mighty hand of God the Father Almighty, throughout the turns and tumbles of all that happened; from the genesis of the struggle in the jungles, villages; towns, and cities in Africa, the iniquitous voyage on the high seas; through the slavery era in America, onward unto Abraham Lincoln’s executive order of emancipation that spawned the civil war era; centuries before the civil rights era; even to this day and age from slavery to presidency of the nation that enslaved them and world leadership. Yes, everything happens for a reason, but only certain things happen for a purpose; and I for one, I can clearly see the mighty hand of God in all that happened mainly to fulfill His purposes of diversity, just as it us in his nature. We can’t blame God for the evil that men do. A perfect Deity; whose ways are neither our human ways nor His thoughts our human thoughts. He does nothing without a reason and nothing is done by Him without a purpose. Thanks be to Him.

There’s a purpose and a reason why the earth goes round; so, all things may be refreshed with renewed strength and the will to start again. There’s a purpose and a reason why things in nature come in various shapes, forms, and sizes; there’s also a purpose and a reason why mankind has various languages, cultures, colors; and religions; so, humanity may appreciate the diversity in nature and do likewise. Things come in various shapes, forms, sizes, and colors so that all things may be uniquely identifiable and easily recognizable. As William Shakespeare once said; The evil that men do lives after them; and the good is often interred with their bones. One thing you must know about the Creator of the Universe and everything, living or non-living, in existence is that; the Almighty Creator is not human. He is who He is. He is He, who makes all good things happen in existence; while the Devil is He that makes all bad things happen in existence.

If you take nothing away from this book, just remember that the Almighty Creator employs certain unique ways, perfectly unorthodox to the human mind; and certain uncommon means, totally convoluted to human thoughts; sometimes even harsh and unimaginably complex measures to fulfill His most tasking objectives and purposes in order to fulfill His wondrous ways. If you have any doubts about this, just refer to the scriptures. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, thus saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV). The plight of the black race in America, had been no different from the enslavement of God’s own chosen people by the Babylonians; before they were sold into slavery in the land Egypt. Human slavery remains the most heinous undertaking that human beings perpetrated against their fellow humans, nevertheless, I thank the Lord God Almighty for His wondrous acts of compassion and for His wondrous ways by which He fulfills His purposes.

The spirit of my book is that our ways are not His ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Let me clarify my point here; judging by the intensity of hatred, the brutalities levied on blacks in the civil war era, and the viciousness levied by whites in the civil rights era; I’ve no choice but to believe that; were it not for His wondrous ways and His amazing thoughts, this nation would’ve had no black people included, contributing, participating, and partaking in America as it is today. Certain things happen for a purpose; what happened during the slavery era, happened for a purpose, and you’ll find out for what purpose did all that happen from the old world to the new world happen. Game of Chains is a true story of the shadowy, creepy, and illusive games that the European human traders, the native African Kings and Queens, and the wealthy American slave owners played with human lives. The treacherous journey of native African tribal war prisoners, who were sold into the bondage of slavery and servitude; shipped over the high seas, from the dungeons and cells of native Africa to the plantations and farmlands of native America, did not happen by the good will of mankind; nor did it happen by the good nature of man. Sadly enough but not unexpected, the lonely lives of the native black African slaves took a horrible turn from frying pan to fire. Read on to find out the unsung heroes of the struggle.

But, wait, there’s more; remember the evil that befell the Jewish people in Nazi Germany? Remember the ferocity of the ethnic cleansing that happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina? The Balkans, as a region, has never regained its innocence since the atrocities of the majority against the minority. Remember the demise of the native Indian tribes, indigenous to the land of the Americas, before the new world was discovered? Even to this day, remember the plight of the people of Israel and the people of Palestine, amidst the uncontrollable violence, in the centuries-old feud over the capital city of Jerusalem? Remember also, the deadly chemical weapons attack used to suppress all efforts to bring Democracy and peace in the land of Syria, during the Arab Spring? Remember plight of the students demonstrating in demand of Democracy in Tiananmen square in the people’s Republic of China, Remember the little green men in Ukraine. Events such as these and many others are just a few of the most prevalent cases around the world that reveal the spirit of my book and the essence of my story.

The one thing that I find hardest to understand about the slave trade from Africa to Europe and America is this; just look at today’s illegal immigration problem on the borders of Europe and America. Most migrants, who enter other countries illegally, claim to be asylum seekers. Just think about the thousands of dollars they pay smugglers to have them smuggled over the high seas, just to enter Europe and America. I wonder why the slave trade was even necessary if people would pay cash money to be shipped over the high seas and be brought where they can cross into Europe and America legally or otherwise. I hate to say that human greed, hatred, selfishness and intolerance are the main reasons why the American experiment seems to be failing; and I hope not, because; America is not a country per se; America is an experiment, still ongoing; an experiment setup to prove that human beings of all origins, races, ethnicities, tribes, cultures, languages, colors, and religions can live in peace in a melting pot.

Think about the antagonistic relations and the intense feud that exist between the races, colors; and religions; from the very foundation of the nation. Think about the level of intolerance, gun-running, mass-shootings, church-burnings, lynching, assassinations, home-grown terrorism, and the killing of innocent minorities by police throughout the centuries of growth of civilization and establishment in American society. Imagine also, today’s global influence, goodwill, prosperity, abundance, power, and affluence of the various nations on earth. Finally, imagine the spiritual and material wealth, and clout of accomplished nations on world stage; imagine the surplus of food, clean water, and everything else that human beings need or want in life. It’s only fair that every one of the groups that helped build this prosperous nation must, in no way, shape, or form be excluded from partaking of the fruits of their labor.

Imagine all the prosperous nations and their opulent societies in the world today, thriving and flourishing in wealth and natural resources. Imagine an America without an established presence of the black race of this world. Imagine the most successful nation on earth; without a well-established, firmly-entrenched, vigorously-growing; keenly-participating, honestly-contributing; and actively-partaking population of African American ancestry, included and implicated in the accomplishments that this nation has achieved. That’s exactly what Europe and America would’ve been today if the slave trade hadn’t happened. I just can’t envision the finest and most prosperous nation on earth, without the black race, well represented, fully engaged, actively participating, and equally partaking in the opportunities and benefits of human civilization in such a society. I just can’t imagine an America of this stature on today’s global world stage, without all its founding member groups who worked tirelessly to build this nation. You can’t eat your cake and still have it. No group helps cook the meal and when it’s time to eat, tell them to go home.

Make no mistake about it, the sheer hatred; the venom, the brutality, and the viciousness that the poor native African slaves, the native Indian slaves, the Slavic region slaves, and other racial entities suffered in bondage, throughout their predicament of slavery, before and after the greatest Union on earth was founded, lead me to my belief. The motives behind today’s mass shootings and gun violence perpetrated by the colorless majority against the colored minority confirms to me the undeniable truth that, without the heinous crime of slavery and other atrocious acts against humanity, this nation would’ve been founded and established without the black race or any other colored race included or represented in any way, shape, or form in today’s America. American society would’ve been a perfectly homogeneous society, with the indigenous natives of the land, their culture, language, and traditions, all in ruins, long forgotten, and America would’ve been the most prosperous nation on earth and leaders of the free world, without the black race or any other racial groups included, totally uncharacteristic of the diversity in nature.

So, believe it or not, the diversity in American society did not happen by choice; and neither did it happen out of the goodness of the human heart. The cruelties of racial segregation, color profiling, culture indignation, church burnings, cross burnings, lynching, and outright assassinations of the heroes, and legends of minorities heritage in the melting pot, leave no doubt in my mind that; were it not for the heinous crime of slavery; the black race would’ve been essentially nonexistent in today’s European and American societies. Like the global drug trade; the demand for slaves and elicit profits empowered the Atlantic slave trade from the old world of Africa to the new world of the Americas and beyond. That’s the way and means by which the black race came to be included and established the new world.

Nevertheless, I’ll not hesitate to thank both Europe and America, though, not perfect, for the part they played in the game of chains and shackles that they perpetrated, and the critical role they played in the vital assimilation, advancement, and global integration of human beings of all origins, races, ethnicities, tribes, cultures, colors, and religions on this earth. By far, the scariest moments in the research and development of my manuscript, as I wrote this book, telling this story, were the moments in time when it suddenly occurred to me that the United States of America, as a nation, and its people would’ve been essentially identical and practically no different from other racially homogeneous societies around the world. American society, the largest melting pot society the world has ever known, would’ve been almost as perfectly homogeneous societies as many of the near eastern and far eastern European societies.

Read on to find out why I believe that the sheer diversity in this nation’s society is the actual strength of the nation. The greatest asset of this nation is not its most powerful military in the world; the greatest asset of this nation is not its largest and most versatile economy in the world; the greatest asset of this nation is not its most technologically advanced prowess in the world; the greatest asset of that nation is not its most influential standing on world stage; the greatest asset of this nation is not its claim on the best land of opportunity for mankind; in fact, the greatest asset of that nation is the true diversity in its people.

When I was a child, I used to think like a child; I listened as children do; I spoke like a child,