John Mensah-Sarbah
Encyclopedia
John Mensah Sarbah was a lawyer and political leader in the Gold Coast
(now Ghana
).
in the Gold Coast. After completing his secondary education at the Cape Coast
Wesleyan School (later – by Mensah Sarbah himself – renamed Mfantsipim School
), he entered Lincoln's Inn
in London
to train as a barrister, and was called to the English bar in 1887 – the first African barrister from his country to qualify in this way.
Later, Mensah Sarbah became a leading critic of British colonial rule, especially in connection with colonial land appropriation. Sarbah argued that land in Africa belonged to someone, and that therefore any confiscation by the British was illegal.
European imperialism created complex pressures for new African leaders. John Mensah Sarbah chose a path of utilizing Western standards in defence of African rights. Mensah Sarbah used English constitutional arguments to claim that the British had no right to rule the Gold Coast and were consistently violating established African Laws. He actively urged expanded responsibilities for educated Africans who could preserve Africa's traditional communal virtues. His multi-volume Fante National Constitution (1906) followed from his elaborate research on customary law. He also founded several organizations designed to protect traditional African land titles in British legislation of 1898. Mensah Sarbah thus worked in two worlds, an early example of a leader striving to unite Western methods and African goals.
He wrote a book titled Fanti Customary Laws, a brief introduction to the principles of the native laws and customs of the Fanti and Akan districts of the Gold Coast, with a report of some cases thereon decided in the Law Courts (1904)
B)Dedication to the promotion of education
C)Establishment of secondary schools
D)Funding secondary education
Today a residence hall of the University of Ghana
is named Mensah Sarbah Hall in his honor.
reference from Aki-ola Social Studies Text book 2
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
(now Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
).
Life
John Mensah Sarbah was born in the Fante ConfederacyFante Confederacy
The Fante Confederacy can refer either to the loose alliance of the Fante states in existence at least since the sixteenth century, or it can refer to the briefly lived Confederation formed in 1868 and dissolved in 1874...
in the Gold Coast. After completing his secondary education at the Cape Coast
Cape Coast
Cape Coast, or Cabo Corso, is the capital of the Central Region of Ghana and is also the capital city of the Fante people, or Mfantsefo. It is situated 165 km west of Accra on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of 82,291 . From the 16th century the city has changed hands between the...
Wesleyan School (later – by Mensah Sarbah himself – renamed Mfantsipim School
Mfantsipim School
Mfantsipim SchoolMotto:Dwen Hwe Kan .Established: 3rd April 1876.Public School . Affiliated with Wesleyanism/Methodist Church.Head of school: Kwame Mieza Edjah.Staff:85....
), he entered Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to train as a barrister, and was called to the English bar in 1887 – the first African barrister from his country to qualify in this way.
Later, Mensah Sarbah became a leading critic of British colonial rule, especially in connection with colonial land appropriation. Sarbah argued that land in Africa belonged to someone, and that therefore any confiscation by the British was illegal.
European imperialism created complex pressures for new African leaders. John Mensah Sarbah chose a path of utilizing Western standards in defence of African rights. Mensah Sarbah used English constitutional arguments to claim that the British had no right to rule the Gold Coast and were consistently violating established African Laws. He actively urged expanded responsibilities for educated Africans who could preserve Africa's traditional communal virtues. His multi-volume Fante National Constitution (1906) followed from his elaborate research on customary law. He also founded several organizations designed to protect traditional African land titles in British legislation of 1898. Mensah Sarbah thus worked in two worlds, an early example of a leader striving to unite Western methods and African goals.
He wrote a book titled Fanti Customary Laws, a brief introduction to the principles of the native laws and customs of the Fanti and Akan districts of the Gold Coast, with a report of some cases thereon decided in the Law Courts (1904)
Contributions to education
A)Initiative of educational scholarshipsB)Dedication to the promotion of education
C)Establishment of secondary schools
D)Funding secondary education
Today a residence hall of the University of Ghana
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It is one of the best universities in Africa and by far the most prestigious in West Africa...
is named Mensah Sarbah Hall in his honor.
reference from Aki-ola Social Studies Text book 2