Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, has called for unity among the Ahanta people, declaring that the remains of King Badu Bonsu II should not be returned to Ahanta for burial until the traditional area is united.
Speaking at the launch of the maiden Ahanta Heritage Month, the MP said the historic occasion was not only about celebrating Ahanta’s rich cultural heritage but also about confronting the painful legacy of colonial injustice and inspiring a renewed commitment to unity and development.
Mrs. Bissue described the launch as a significant milestone for the Ahanta people, noting that nearly two centuries after King Badu Bonsu II sacrificed his life defending the dignity and sovereignty of his people, the international community is gradually recognising the magnitude of the historical injustices inflicted on African kingdoms.
She stressed that the suffering endured by millions of Africans during the colonial era must never be forgotten, adding that the courage and resistance demonstrated by kingdoms such as Ahanta deserve global recognition.
According to her, while the growing international acknowledgment of colonial atrocities is encouraging, genuine reparative justice must extend beyond symbolic declarations and resolutions.
She argued that true justice begins with truth, is sustained through recognition, and must ultimately create opportunities for healing, dignity and lasting progress.
“The wounds of the past cannot be erased, but they can be acknowledged. The dead cannot be brought back, but their memory can be honoured. What was taken cannot always be restored in its original form, but justice can still guide the way we remember, educate and build a better future,” she said.
Reflecting on the return of King Badu Bonsu II’s severed head to Ghana after more than 170 years in the Netherlands, Mrs. Bissue noted that although the remains have finally returned to the country, the late king is yet to be brought home to Ahanta for a befitting burial.
She said the king, who died defending his people, deserves to be laid to rest among his ancestors, but maintained that the Ahanta people must first prepare themselves spiritually and socially by overcoming their internal divisions.
“He is still waiting to come home to Ahanta. He is still waiting to be laid to rest with the ancestors who died defending our people. He is still waiting for us to be ready, and let me say it plainly: we are not ready yet,” she declared.
Mrs. Bissue questioned how the Ahanta people could honour a king who sacrificed his life for unity while divisions continue to exist among them.
“How do we bury a king who died for unity when his people remain divided? How do we carry him through towns that do not speak to one another?” she asked.
She observed that the Dutch beheaded King Badu Bonsu II in an attempt to break the spirit and unity of the Ahanta people, warning that present-day divisions should not become a continuation of that painful legacy.
According to the MP, the first responsibility now rests with the Ahanta people themselves to unite before demanding justice from others.
She therefore appealed to chiefs, elders, the youth, women and members of the Ahanta diaspora to put aside their differences and embrace a common vision for the future.
“Our first demand must be made to ourselves. Ahanta must unite now. Chiefs, elders, youth, women and the diaspora must come together with one voice, one agenda and one purpose,” she emphasised.
Mrs. Bissue noted that no amount of international recognition could replace reconciliation within the Ahanta community, stressing that lasting progress can only be achieved through unity.
She said the greatest tribute the present generation can pay to King Badu Bonsu II and other Ahanta heroes is to ensure that the divisions that weakened the people in the past do not determine their future.
The Ahanta West MP further stated that the sacrifices made by King Badu Bonsu II and other sons and daughters of Ahanta have now become part of the world’s growing acknowledgment that African societies resisted oppression and fought courageously to defend their dignity.
She expressed confidence that the Ahanta people would overcome their challenges and emerge stronger.
“May the memory of Nkankrao and King Badu Bonsu II forever inspire courage in the face of oppression. Ahanta will surely rise again,” she declared to applause from participants at the launch ceremony.
By 1960news.com
