The E?es of Ghana – A short contemporary survey

The name E?e

ON the outset, note the spelling of the ethnic group, E?e and not Ewe. It is for lack of an appropri­ate letter in English that the spelling, ewe came to be used. Every language is written using its own alphabets, unless the language has no alphabets of its own. Why use English alphabet to spell a word in E?e?

Ewe as it is spelt, means a female sheep in the English language. The correct spelling, E?e, borrowing from the tradi­tional alphabet of the language, must be used instead and would be adopted throughout this article.

Meaning of E?e

The word E?e is derived from the geography and pas­time of the people, according to Lorrance in his book, “The E?es of Togo and Benin”, the E?es are traditionally farmers who choose to live in val­leys where the water table is high and therefore their lands support year round farming activities.

Even E?es who live near wa­ter bodies, still indulge in some degree of farming. The E?es are therefore called, people of the valley or low land, e?eawo, the e?e people or e?eduk?, the e?e kingdom, e?e state, or e?e nation.

A casual observer would agree that the current abodes of the E?es are all mostly in the valley areas of the Volta Region. The non E?es rather occupy the high grounds, which gives the non E?es, because of their small numbers, tactical advantage in times of hostilities. The Asantes and Akwamus, learnt this truth to their chagrin in the past.

Location of the E?es

Geopolitically, the E?es occupy areas in Ghana, Togo, Benin and South Western tip of Nigeria – Badagry. Perhaps, one of the most internation­alised ethnic groups along the West African coast. The E?es originally had Ketu, in present day Republic of Benin as their first traditional home. They then moved to ??tse in the Republic of Togo from where they further migrated to their current locations.

Colonisation

Colonisation, forced the E?es generally, to speak three European languages, English, French and German. When the Germans arrived in 1884, as colonialist, they treated their colony, German Togo, as if all the inhabitants were E?es.

The church representing the christian faith, the Ger­mans brought, was named, E?e Prebytarian Church. The name of the church was later changed to Evangelical Presbyterian Church on the insistence of the non-E?es.

Groups and Divisions

Traditionally, the E?es in Ghana, are in two groups, northern and southern E?es and in numerous sub-ethnic groups represented by the location of the paramountcy. Peki, Pekipon (Hohoe area), Anfoe, Have, Kpando (Akpini), Alavanyo, Gbefi, Leklebi, Ve, Tsito, Bankoe and Dome, in Ho, Adaklu, Dzolo, Kpet?e, to name some of the Northern E?es.

The northern E?es, except Peki, were part of the German Colony of Togo which joined Ghana at independence. These are the b?b?b? people who mostly live in the forest areas. They harvest cocoa and coffee and eat fufu, they are good hunters too.

Southern E?es were already part of the Gold Coast, and therefore, Ghana at indepen­dence. The sub-ethnic groups of the southern E?es are; Aga­ve, Sokpe, Mamfi, Adidome, Battor and Fievi – these are gen­erally known as the T??us or people along the river, referring to the Volta River.

Then, Some, Klikor, A?l?, Aven?, and Ave. These are the akple, and konkonte eaters and also some well accomplished fishing folks. They dance ag­badza, kinka and other related dances. Their climate is, coastal savannah. The list is in no way exhaustive.

Non-E?es

It is difficult to write about E?es without mentioning the non-E?es from Avatime, Log­ba, Tafi, Nyagbo and the rest, most of whom are in the Oti Region now. Such have lived with the E?es from the very beginning.

Indeed the non-E?es pre­dated the E?es in their present locations. They lived with the E?es through thick and thin. Some are authorities even in the writing and use of the E?e language.

Contributions to Ghana

Ghanaian E?es played very important roles during the struggle for independence and after. Philip Gbeho of A?l? composed the national anthem while Dr Ephraim Amu from Peki Avetile, composed, what can be called, the indigenous national anthem of Ghana – Y?n ara asase ni.

Furthermore, many other E?es played leading roles during the struggle towards indepen­dence for Ghana. One notable name in the political scene was Komla Agbeli Gbedemah, from A?l?, Anyako.

Gbedemah worked closely with Kwame Nkrumah and it was he who manuevered for Nkrumah’s name to be on the ballot box when Nkrumah remained in prison.

Nicknames

As you have read, the E?es have no other name than E?e. A?l?ni, Ayigbeni and Number 9 ni, are all fake names and must be discontinued. E?es do not like such nicknames.

A?l?s, you have read, are part of the E?es. Ayigbe is a nick­name given by the Ga people in Ghana to their fellows in the Republic of Togo. Indeed, an elderly Ga man, told me that any Ga who calls an E?e as ayigbe, must be an illiterate. The name ayigbe has nothing to do with the E?es.

Finally, the name Number 9 was given to the E?es after the first Miss Ghana was crowned. The Lady came from Alavanyo amongst northern E?es. She was called Monica Amekoafia. She wore number 9 tag. Should this event become a nickname? Or create a sense of pride for the E?es?

In summary, the name E?e was coined from the equivalent of the word, valley, in the E?e language. E?eawo, the people of the valley. E?es love to stay close to sources of water be­cause of their farming activities.

E?es, generally can be found in four political entities, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.

The E?es in Ghana are in two groups, northern and southern E?es. While the northern E?es, except Peki, were first colonised by Germany before joining Ghana at independence, the E?es in the south were indige­nous to Ghana.

Non E?es among the E?e ethnic group, Avatime, Logba, Nyagbo, Tafi, and others, are almost inseparable from the E?es.

The two most popular an­thems in Ghana, the national anthem and the indigenous song, Yen Ara Asase ni, were composed by E?es. E?es also played important political roles before Ghana’s independence.

This short survey talked of one and only one ethnic group, called E?es. People who call other names for the same eth­nic group must be disregarded.

BY WG. CDR. KWAKU KEKREBESI (RETD)

[The writer is a Pilot. He was with the Ghana Armed Forces.]

Email/Mob: [email protected]

020 813 4583

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