Settling in and holding on: a socio-economic history of northern traders and transporters in Accra's Tudu, 1908-2008 Ntewusu, S.A. Citation Ntewusu, S. A. (2012). Settling in and holding on: a socio-economic history of northern traders and transporters in Accra's Tudu, 1908-2008. Leiden: African Studies Centre. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/19014 Version: Not Applicable (or Unknown) License: Leiden University Non-exclusive license Downloaded from: https://hdl.handle.net/1887/19014 Note: To cite this publication please use the final published version (if applicable). Settling in and holding on African Studies Centre African Studies Collection, vol. 40 Settling in and holding on A socio-economic history of northern traders and transporters in Accra’s Tudu, 1908-2008 Ntewusu Samuel Aniegye Published by: Africa Studies Centre P.O.Box 9555 2300 RB Leiden [email protected] www.ascleiden.nl Cover design: Heike Slingerland Cover photo: Courtesy of the Information Services Department, Accra. Printed by Ipskamp Drukkers, Enschede ISSN: 1876-018X ISBN: 978-90-5448-112-6 © Ntewusu Samuel Aniegye, 2012 Dedicated to Professor Ato Quayson Professor Shella-Clarke Ekong Mr Paul Konde Queen Mary Davies Contents List of maps x List of photos x Acknowledgement xi INTRODUCTION 1 Braimah 1 The people of Accra: An overview of the literature 3 Braimah continued 10 Motivation 13 Comparative literature: Accra as a city 14 Northerners in Accra: From slavery to structural adjustment 18 Prospectus of the chapters 25 1 THE FOUNDATION OF TUDU AND URBAN GROWTH OF ACCRA 27 Introduction 27 The founding of Tudu: New beginnings 30 Of Tudu and Adabraka: Resolving the misconception 32 The northern section 34 The non-northern group: The African middle-class and the Lebanese 46 Danwana and the Lebanese 53 Conclusion 57 2 FROM KAYAKAYA TO KAYAYOO: HEAD-LOAD PORTAGE IN TUDU 58 Introduction 58 Migration and the kayakaya presence in Accra: An historical appraisal 60 The era of carriers: 1908-1980 61 The era of female porters (kayaye): 1980 to the present 67 Doing kayakaya in Tudu: Establishing networks 70 Operations and utilisation of kayaye 76 Competition, ambition and leisure 79 Problems of kayaye in Tudu 81 Case history 1: Salamata Abdulai 86 Case history 2: Asana Zakari 88 Conclusion 89 vii 3 KYEKYEDOKYE (THE HORSE BICYCLE) IN ACCRA’S TRANSPORT HISTORY 91 Introduction 91 Getting a horse for trucking 92 Buying the horse and fixing the cart 94 Transport groups in Tudu 95 Utilising horses in urban Accra 96 Competition and constraints 106 Life history 1: Imoru Mabolaji Peregrino Braimah – The supplier of horses 107 Life history 2: Abbas Adamu – The transporter 108 Conclusion 111 4 CONNECTING THE CITY: MOTOR CARS, LORRY PARKS AND ROUTES IN TUDU 113 Introduction 113 The historical context of transport and goods in Accra 114 The motor vehicle and early development of motorised transport 116 Emerging trends and lorry parks in Accra: Population change, urban expansion and markets 119 Tudu Lorry Park in focus 123 An historical account of the evolution of routes and destinations in Tudu Lorry Park 126 Competition and survival in Tudu’s transport hub 134 The Tudu Drivers Association 137 Conclusion 138 5 A NUT OF ESSENCE: KOLA-NUT TRADE IN TUDU 139 Introduction 139 Sources and usefulness of kola nuts: Insights from Tudu and Accra 141 The Yoruba kola traders in Tudu 146 The Kotokoli kola traders in Tudu 147 Transportation and kola-nut trade 154 Kolo-nut trade and leadership in Tudu: Sarikin Zongo and Maigida in comparative perspective 159 The collapse of Sarikin Tudu and emergence of Maigida 162 Conclusion 164 viii 6 LINKING THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH: THE SHEA-BUTTER TRADE IN TUDU 165 Introduction 165 Importance of shea butter in Tudu 168 Shea-butter trade in Tudu: New beginnings 170 The canoe traders: Ntrapo and Ada 170 Motor transportation, ex-servicemen and Gonja women 173 New technology, packaging and the emergence of a new trader class 178 Dagomba traders: New opportunities 180 Nkuwurche and shea-butter trade in Tudu 182 Conclusion 184 7 FROM NORTHERN TRADERS TO SOUTHERN QUEENS: TOMATO TRADE IN TUDU 185 Introduction 185 Demand for tomatoes 185 Sources of tomato supply to Tudu 186 Transportation and tomato trade in Tudu 192 Interpreters and sorters in the tomato trade in Tudu 195 Basket makers and carpenters 196 The Tudu Tomato Sellers Association 199 Conclusion 204 8 CONCLUSION 205 Annex: Sources and methodology 209 References 214 ix List of maps 1 Map of West Africa and Ghana, showing some of the northern ethnic groups who migrated to Accra 4 2 Map of Accra showing the study area and some important settlements in Accra 29 3 Map of Tudu showing the various sections 29 4 Routes and destinations at Tudu Lorry Park, 2008 127 List of photos 1.1 Parts of Accra including Tudu prior to 1918 40 1.2 House of one of the elite in Tudu, Lawyer Sawyer, built in 1921 49 2.1 One of the caregivers with children at Tudu Lorry Park 73 2.2 Kayaye carrying yams in carrier pans to Tudu Lorry Park 75 3.1 A horse used to carry timber at the Timber Market in Accra 101 3.2 Group of horse-drawn transporters wait for load at the railway station in Accra 101 3.3 A section of the Yoruba community celebrating the 2008 Id-ul-Fitre at Tudu on hired horses 105 3.4 Abbas returns to Tudu after attending the Independence Day celebration in 1957 111 4.1 Tudu Lorry Park in the 1950s 124 4.2 Tudu Lorry Park in 1973 124 4.3 Tudu Lorry Park in 2008 125 4.4 One of the vehicles plying the western route (Accra-Sekondi) parked at a lorry park 133 5.1 A lorry-park guard buying kola from a trader at the entrance of Tudu Lorry Park 144 5.2 Choukoutou, the local beer of the Kotokoli, now replaced by kola nuts 149 5.3 Fruits of the sandpaper tree (Ficus sycomorus), now replaced by kola nuts in the Nawuri area of Northern Region 153 6.1 Shea butter trees located along the Tamale-Salaga road 166 6.2 Shea butter packed in sacks and covered with calabashes in a store at Timber Market 177 7.1 Off-loading tomatoes at Tudu Lorry Park on a busy monday morning 193 7.2a Samples of the Chinese plastic containers in the office of the Tomato Sellers Sellers Association in Tudu 198 7.2b The old wooden boxes with inscriptions 198 7.3 A signboard on display at the Tomato Market in Tudu 199 x Acknowledgement ‘Ase Kusuun’, literally meaning ‘Thanks for Work’ in Nawuri-Guan, is used for any good work done. It is customary for me to say Ase Kusuun to my super- visors, family, friends and mentors. My deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor Dr Jan-Bart Gewald for his patience, care, concern and critical academic insights and guidance, which went a long way to enrich this book. I want to equally acknowledge the contribution of Professor Mirjam de Bruijn and Professor Robert Ross who in spite of their very busy schedules did all they could to see this study through. The moral support from Rijk van Dijk, the ‘resident Ghanaian Abusuapanin’ at the African Studies Centre (ASC), Leiden, is gratefully acknow- ledged. Our frequent chat in ‘broken’ Twi had kept me in constant psychological touch with Ghana and helped relieve me of boredom. My sincere appreciation goes to the ASC in Leiden, and the Connections & Transformation research group at the Centre, for providing me with the necessary funds to begin and complete this study. From 2007 until 2010 the Centre pro- vided a continuous monthly stipend, research funds and even funds for me to attend conferences and to present papers. I benefitted much from such confer- ences in addition to contributions from members of the group who through the weekly and monthly seminars and presentations gave me a platform to present my findings and obtained in the same manner suggestions and contributions which proved very beneficial to each chapter in the book. I am grateful to members of the Secretariat and the Library staff of the ASC, especially Maaike Westra, Gitty Petit, Ella Verkaik, Inge Butter and Inge Ligtvoet. They have al- ways helped me with office allocations, residence arrangements and academic materials. The following deserve commendation for their insightful comments and the gift of their time: Professor Ato Quayson, Mary Elizabeth Davies (Queenzabeth), Mr. Nunoo Amatefio, Walter Gam Nkwi, Sebastiaan Soeters, Doreen Setome, Linda van de Kamp, Iva Pesa, Dr Edward Nanbigne, Benjamin Kwansah, Emma- nuel Asiedu-Acquah, Edem Adotey, George Bob-Miller, Arthur-Entsiwah Em- manuel, Stephen Anti and Joseph Anati. I am also grateful to Professor Irene Odotei for her motherly care, academic guidance and comments on my chapters. I want to acknowledge Professor Taky- iwaa Manuh, the former Director of the Institute of African Studies (IAS), Legon, for granting me permission and her blessings for me to embark on the study. The current director of the Institute, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, xi deserves commendation for continuously encouraging me to work hard and pursue my academic objectives. My very sincere gratitude goes to staff of the National and Regional Archives in London, Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi and Koforidua, as well as the library staff of the Institute of African Studies who helped in uncovering relevant materials related to my work. Many people granted me interviews, whom I cannot mention all here. But special mention needs to be made of Abdulai, Paa Joe, Nunoo Amateifio, Babs alias ‘I walk Alone’, Hajia Fati, Sister Foli and staff of the Tudu Drivers Union.