September 21 holds great significance in Ghana’s history as a day dedicated to commemorating the remarkable life of one of its foremost revolutionary leaders, Kwame Nkrumah.
His tireless pursuit of independence and contributions to democracy remain indelible. However, today’s Ghana appears to be a departure from Nkrumah’s vision.
Kwame Nkrumah’s legacy underscored the importance of industrialism and nationalism in his political ideology. Yet, the present-day Ghana seems to embody Nkrumah’s worst fears.
A civil rights group known as Democracy Hub has exercised its fundamental human rights by calling for a peaceful demonstration.
Their protest addresses concerns over the escalating cost of living, perceived authoritarianism, press censorship, and allegations of state capture by the Ghanaian government.
On September 20, 2023, the state police issued a warning urging citizens to refrain from participating in the protest, citing a supposed court injunction to support their stance.
However, no official document confirming this injunction has been presented to date.
The hashtag #OccupyJulorBiHouse which has taken the number 1 trend as at the time of publishing is a clever wordplay combining “Occupy” and “Jubilee House,” Ghana’s seat of power and residence of the nation’s leader.
The term “Julor Bi” is derived from the Ga language, meaning “Child of a Thief.” This phrase symbolizes the disconnect and negligence of Ghana’s ruling class, whose decisions have contributed to the country’s current challenges.
The peaceful demonstration commenced in the early hours of today, with allegations emerging of police harassment and intimidation of protesters.
The authorities have claimed security threats as the basis for their actions, resulting in over 50 arrests of protesters at Jubilee House.
While there are rumours of political sponsorship from the opposition party, the group insists that they were not officially served with any court injunction to halt their protest.
Meanwhile, Twitter (X) users have lambasted their favourite celebrities who have failed to add their voices to the “Occupy Julorbi House” protest.
