The KNUST Diaries - The Aluta Years (7) - Kakraba Cromwell v JJ Rawlings!

“We shall overcome

We shall overcome

We shall overcome someday

Oh deep in my heart

I do believe

That we shall overcome, someday”

The solemnity of the occasion had been simply overwhelming. All the students in the KNUST had gathered in the Great Hall. We all wore red headbands symbolizing our anger and our determination to fight to the bitter end, come what may. We had simply had enough. The Aboagyewa choir was in attendance. Mr Samson had his blue suit on. Kakraba Cromwell walked unto the stage, and all hell broke loose.

“We shall overcome!” he started amidst wild cheers. He had a stern look on his face. I don’t know how he did it, but in situations like this, he would suddenly be transformed into another person. He would be nothing like the jovial KC on the eighth floor of Unity Hall. This was a different KC from the one I knew.

“We shall overcome because we derive our inspiration from incidents of history. From Amritsar to the fighting warriors of Zulu, we know that in the end, good always triumphs over evil…..”

I don’t know how successful the Zulu warriors had been but students enjoyed this kind of oratory. Believe it or not, some of the girls were actually starting to cry. He went on to explain the rationale behind this intended strike action by students. Since the Rawlings Government had taken over power from the democratically elected government in 1981 through the barrel of the gun they had continually shown their disdain for students. This was not helped by their strong conviction, that the illegal opposition forces as they were at the time, were quietly courting student support to destabilize the government. They hit the students hard. One after the other benefits previously enjoyed by students had been withdrawn. The straw that broke the camel’s back had been a recent announcement that the monthly feeding grant that had previously replaced regular meals, was now going to be withdrawn as well.

“Today, it is not merely a fight for our feeding grant. This is the time to prove to this government, that students and Ghanaians at large can no longer endure a rule by decree and perpetual threats from the barrel of a gun. It is time for us to be allowed to exercise our democratic right to choose, who should run affairs in this country.

“……We have a road to travel, a war to fight, a story to tell. Someday, generations of KNUST students yet unborn will look back to us and say, thank God almighty, somebody was brave enough to fight our course! God bless you all!”

And we all broke into song. It had been a Sunday evening. The plan had been for us to stay away from lectures till such time as the government rescinded its decision and quite ambitiously, also announced a timetable for the return to multi-party democracy. It was a nationwide strike involving all tertiary institutions in the country. Next day, nobody attended lectures. We all marched amidst drumming and dancing, carrying a coffin with the Provisional National Defense Council inscribed on it to the KNUST junction, setting it on fire. That evening, news filtered through to us, that the then Secretary for Education, Afua Sutherland, had come to the University and was currently at a meeting with the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kwame, in his office.

By this time, most of the students had had enough for the day, but I joined a group of students, mainly Aboagyewa singers and we marched with our drums to the Vice Chancellors office. We knew the moment we got there the story was true, for there were a couple of soldiers armed to the teeth in front of the building. We set up our musical equipment in front of the soldiers and started singing. Not long after that, Afua Sutherland bravely appeared with Prof Kwame signaling to us to keep quiet so she could speak to us. But we sang even more loudly;

“Bend down Afua Sutherland

So we see what’s underneath

Its circumference and diameter

Before we slip it in…….”

She patiently tried to be a good sport, but soon realized she could not get through to us. She hopped into her car under armed protection and was gone. A couple of days later, all tertiary institutions in the country were closed down and we all had to go home.