Fellow countrymen of Western Togoland, I pray that you all survive the plague of our time, CORONAVIRUS. Please, for your own sake and for the sake your neighbours kindly follow the laws of hygiene and the safety instructions so that we shall together live and build a noble state to the glory of Him who gave us this life.
We have now completed the first quarter of our Restoration Year. We should do well to analyze our progress of work on the restoration of Western Togoland. As I have said on the New Year’s Day all the programs are meant for us all and not for any particular group alone. We must be very much aware that the major work to be done is the work on the ground.
Let every one ask himself: “how far have I drawn Western Togoland to her goal?” Let this question keep ringing in your heart daily and hourly in everything you do. Try to find answers to this question by every action that you take. The goal is high but with you all involved, we shall succeed. We have accomplished too little in comparison with the task ahead of us this year but I must be grateful to all those who in various ways have kept the name of Western Togoland resounding the stories of the world today. We appreciate your efforts. Thank you.
I also wish to congratulate the Western Togoland Technology Incubator for bringing out their first product in the form of aluminium pots and frying pans. I should encourage them to develop their products to the highest quality and set the example of how things used to be when the Germans were here before the First World War.
By so doing you can also boast of restoring Western Togoland to some degree. I have also seen the handwork of Western Togoland Weaver’s Union. This reminds me of the former times, when Togoland became the highest cotton exporter in the whole world. At that time, our grandmothers were spinning cotton threads for the men to weave various fabrics. May the input demand of our Weavers spur us into using our “Agrivolution” programs to restore Western Togoland to her noble position of Togoland before the World Wars.
The climate change mitigation measures we initiated last year has got to some of you engaging in nursing of tree seedlings for afforestation and arboretum planting but It is unfortunate that due to the COVID-19 outbreak we cannot mobilize the masses for this year’s climate action as planned. However, I hope some of you will make use of this rainy season to plant substantial amounts of your seedlings in your own small way. You will be glad to know that arbour planting was also part of the former German influence on our land and we must be proud to restore it.
I hope we shall develop the understanding of our restoration as bringing Western Togoland back to a position of a progressively developing noble state, from where it fell as a result of the World Wars and the subsequent maladministration by colonizers.
On the front for education, I should also congratulate all the groups on the ground for creating more awareness of the need to make use of the amount of liberty we have to secure the greater one we deserve. Our educators have rightly passed on our interpretation of independence to the people as a way of life which we must start living now without waiting for someone to bring it from elsewhere one fine day. This has already gingered some communities to initiate, on their own, projects they were waiting for Ghana to do for them over the past 63 years. We hope by the end of this year Western Togolanders can surely boast at things they have made independently.
We know the journey is long but we trust that with the right goodwill every Community shall play a very significant role in the restoration of Western Togoland. As such we have passed the word around that every Community must operate their own bank account and also prepare to help in the construction of structures for the celebration of Western Togoland Restoration Day. This work should be competitively done by all communities so we disagree with people going around collecting monies from community to community as we have learned from the past hundred years in exile.
The PLC wishes to appeal for effective collaboration for all to realize our noble goal because without your cooperation the restoration process will still remain in limbo.
My Fellow Countrymen, I wish to appeal to the conscience of you all that the work we are undertaking is not a factional activity. We are seeing all groups on the ground and all individuals, home and abroad as part of the process. So kindly set aside all forms of factionalism and let us face our restoration agenda, bearing that this year ends the close of the UN’s Third Decade of Decolonization.
I should also appeal for the seizure of hostilities towards one another.
Everybody talks of Unity but approach to that unity has failed too many times.
UNITY Of PURPOSE IS ENOUGH TO BIND US AS ONE. Although some people have been attacking the PLC and spreading falsehood to discredit the PLC, any genuine observer can attest to it that the PLC has never avenged or engaged in such clandestine malicious tussling.
He who has something good for all will always have no time for bitterness.
At this point I should paint a story to illustrate a situation we are experiencing to the downfall of our own nation:
A farmer and his son were one day admiring a groundnut farm they were cultivating. The farmer said if the farm could yield so well that he would buy a bicycle from the proceeds that year. The son jubilantly expressed his hope for the chance to ride his father’s bike. Suddenly the father got annoyed that the son would spoil the future bike for him so he hit the son’s neck with his hoe and the son fell down and died.
There are certain things that need not be used to divide us but some people are trying to use such things to campaign seriously against their neighbours. For example:
- A union between Western Togoland and Ghana was proposed by Britain.
- A plebiscite was conducted to seek the people’s opinion.
- Records say majority voted for union.
- The UN gave conditions for establishing the union and demanded a report on it.
- Britain reported that the union was established.
- No document can be found showing contemporary relations as the agreed Terms of Reference for the union.
- The UN was blind to the errors in the termination of the Trusteeship.
- Circumstances since the plebiscite disprove the establishment of any union.
- Agitation for self-determination in Western Togoland persist and increase even with threats of violence
- The PLC traced the failure of order to the lack of government on the side of Western Togoland.
The PLC is demanding the establishment of a constitutionally elected government for Western Togoland as a clue to the harmonious coexistence of Western Togoland and Ghana.
Meanwhile, the PLC wants to remain an NGO for promotion of good governance, development, education and gender issues.
It is only a wicked mind that can stand against this simple request for correction of errors.
All future relations between Western Togoland and Ghana will depend on the constitutionally elected governments of both countries.
Why then should a genuine fighter decide to mount a campaign against the PLC in this case?
Let us not behave like the foolish farmer who killed his son in the jealous protection of his dream bike.
There is an ewe axiom that “it is the fool that rejects future assignments”. Ignore those exciting others against the PLC which is even not the constitutionally elected government.
Let some Wiseman caution them to stop snowing avarice among Western Togolanders because of this simple strategy. Wise parents hardly reveal details of their strategies to the loquacious child. They also do not rebuke the foolish child in public else his folly will be magnified before the crowd the disgrace of the parents.
It is ingratitude and wickedness for Ghana to pay back Western Togoland with hostility when Western Togolanders have for 63 years helped to make her a famous nation. The leaders of Ghana must reason that the independence of Ghana shall remain meaningless until Western Togoland gains total liberty which will, in fact, lead to a greater regional integration of free African States.
May you all have peace in your hearts if you follow this message of love for one another.
I wish you all a happy and memorable Easter.
Thank you.
BEN KOSSI ADELI
CHAIRMAN
