28/09/2021
Being a GaDangme is bae but being born in LA is such a feeling.🤗😍
🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓
An Ode to La, my center of the universe.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
Never has a nation owe so much to so small a town.
The name of La is derived from the GA word for fire.
One profane history says La is also called Labadi (English for)-La, the bad
Yet another profane history has it La Bone (Akan for)-La, the bad.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation
La in reality is one of the traditional coastal towns of the GaDangme Nation.
It served as the eastern bastion of the GaDangme Nation.
La stemmed the coastal expansion of the Caucasians along the Gold Coast.
James Town they might have
Usher Town they might settle
Victoria burg they might encroach upon
Christiansburg they might westernize
La defiantly resisted being had, settled, encroached upon or westernized.
Call it ‘bad’ or ‘bone’ as result.
Who cares?
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
Caucasians fruitlessly bombarded it.
La never yielded nor was conquered.
‘La Dzwaa He’ and the hills of ‘Nkran Madu’ testify to that.
The cannon balls at ‘La Kpa Naa’ are the relics of such bombardment.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation
Son of La, Tetteh Kwashie (his mother was from Abbey Tse We of Lershie Quarters, La) introduced cocoa to Ghana.
That changed the course of Ghana history
In 1945, a son of La, Ashie Nikoi who represented Aborigines’ Right Protection Society and Ghana Cocoa Farmers was present at the 5th Pan African Congress at Manchester when and where the destiny of Africa and the Black Race was discussed.
Out of this Congress, Ghana and Africa changed.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
With the formation of the UGCC, a son of La, Ako Adzei was invited to be the Secretary General.
He recommended his pal, Kwame Nkrumah, for the position.
The world has not been the same ever.
La gave its symbol, The Red Cockerel, to the CPP.
La introduced the leadership of the CPP to the mystical and enigmatic Kpeshie Lagoon
At the inception of the CPP ‘Lanyo’, Ashie Nikoi was present.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
The undisputed martyr of Ghana’s struggle for independence was Sgt Adzetey, a son of La.
The designer of the Coat of Arms of Ghana was Amon Kotei, a son of La.
The original of the Ghana Coat of Arms therefore, is at La.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
It is not only the CPP that had input of Lanyo at its formation.
PP also benefited.
Legend has it that the idea of forming a political party and be named Progress took place in the living room of Lanyo Odamten, then Professor of History of Formal Education in Ghana.
Prof Odamten was a class mate of Prof Busia at Mfantsipim
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
The year is 1964. It is official.
Ghana is a one-party state. The CPP is a monarch of all that it surveys.
The colors of the flag of Ghana have been changed. White color replaces the yellow in the middle.
The ranking now: The Party, The Government and The State.
The idea is mooted of Ghana show casing her achievements to the world.
Where else could this take place, La, of course.
There is a catch.
Substantial area of La has to be demolished.
La-mei started saying the uncircumcised Nzima boy has pushed ‘The Bearded Man’ himself.
La prepared for the official announcement.
As fate would have it Mettle Nunoo, the leading Ga official of the National Secretariat of the Party was to bell the cat.
As characteristic of La, the citizens revolted. They smashed a propaganda van of the CPP then.
It was suicidal act then. La did it any how.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
La is the only town in Ghana that has offered TWO of her sons to be Speakers of Parliament: These are Nii Amaa Ollenu and Peter Ala Adzetey
From Dr Amon Nikoi, one time Governor of Bank of Ghana
To Nii Anyetei Kwakwranya II, La Mantse (1955-1987) and Commissioner in the NRC regime, to Selina Taylor, onetime Secretary of Greater Accra Region
From Maj.-Gen Robert Kotei, the first Ghanaian to have won a medal at a Commonwealth Games to Frank Odoi, the VC 10 of Ghana soccer.
From E.N.P Sowah, onetime Chief Justice of Ghana to Maj. Gen Anum Odotei, Chief of Ghana Army and Justice Mills-Odoi to Nii Odoi Annan to Macgranacky Quaye and Ako Nai
Sons and daughters of La had rendered dedicated, selfless and sacrificial services to Ghana
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation.
Burma Camp, University of Ghana, Airport, Trade Fair, Wireless Area and Atomic Energy Commission facilities at Ajangote are all properties La gave out so that Ghana may triumph and be successful.
La is the only town with comparative size in Ghana that has all stages of formal education institution:
La Bone Primary School, Enobal (La Bone spelled backwards) Middle School, La Bone Secondary School and University of Ghana, Legon.
La is just a town, not a region nor a nation
“Dade Kotopon Wuo Kpee La Kpee”
“La momo La, Wuo Kpee La Kpee”
La is always first at dawn.
Primus Semper Aurora
Yes indeed. La is just a town, not a region nor a nation
Nikoi ‘Bikome’ Kotey
October 11, 2003
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