John Mensah Sarbah: An overview of his life and contributions
to Ghana’s development.
A
compassionate statesman and trailblazing legal reformer, John Mensah Sarbah was
born on Friday, June 3, 1864 in Anomabu, 12 km east of the Central Regional
capital, Cape Coast in the south of Ghana.
Sarbah
was the first son of John Sarbah, a prosperous entrepreneur and highly educated
individual. Being the third offspring and a male born on Friday, he was
referred to as Kofi Mensah within the confines of his home and by immediate
family members.
He
studied at the Cape Coast Wesleyan School which was later renamed by him as
Mfantsipim School, having founded a rival school in 1905 with the above name.
He
finished his secondary schooling at Queen’s College in Taunton, Somerset, England.
Subsequently, he gained admission to Lincoln's Inn to pursue training as a
barrister. In 1887, he was officially called to the bar and obtained
certification as a barrister. He made history by becoming the first Ghanaian to
achieve this milestone.
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Upon
completing his professional qualifications, Sarbah returned to the Gold Coast
and established his own private legal firm. He grew up disillusioned with what
he perceived as injustice and corruption in the British Crown's administration
of the indigenous Gold Coast populace, believing that the colonial system's
actions warranted scrutiny.
In 1897,
he joined forces with Joseph Ephraim Casely Hayford, J. P. Brown, J. W. de
Graft-Johnson, and Jacob Kwaw Wilson Sey to establish the Aborigines' Rights
Protection Society (ARPS). The fundamental goals and objectives of ARPS were
centered around safeguarding the customary land tenure practices of the
Indigenous Gold Coast communities. More specifically, the society aimed to
promote a comprehensive understanding of the Lands Bill of 1897, which had been
implemented by the colonial authorities.
John
Mensah Sarbah was chosen by his peers to articulate the native perspective in
opposition to the Lands Bill before the Legislative Assembly, comprised solely
of British Crown delegates. Although Sarbah was unable to sway the judgment of
Governor Sir William Maxwell, his initiative ignited passion among his fellow
legislators.
In 1898,
the African Rights Protection Society (ARPS) dispatched a delegation to London
and effectively persuaded the reversal of the Lands Bill. ARPS staunchly
advocated for the rights of indigenous Africans against colonial powers over
the course of several decades, laying the foundation for an initial gathering
to discuss aspirations for independence. Notably, publications like Gold Coast
Nation and Gold Coast Times emerged as a result of ARPS' efforts.
Sarbah's
intellectual prowess was esteemed by his compatriots, fellow Africans
throughout the continent, and even by the Crown. He was bestowed with the Order
of St. Michael and St. George in 1910, mere months prior to his untimely
passing at the age of 46. Sarbah's contributions were undervalued during his lifetime
as he did not seek acclaim or recognition.
Sarbah
also displayed a keen interest in enhancing secondary education in Ghana and
actively contributed to the advancement of his alma mater, Mfantsipim School.
The
school which was formerly known as Wesleyan High School, merged with Mfantsipim
– a rival school founded by John Mensah Sarbah in 1905. In July the same year
under the supervision of the Methodist Church, the two merged schools adopted
the name Mfatsipim – a derivative of “Mfantsefo-apem” (which literally
translates as “Thousands of Fantes), hence the current name of the school.
It is
for this reason that John Sarbah Mensah is considered a founder of the
Mfatsipim School in Cape Coast.