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By Isaac Ato Mensah
Accra – 13 March, 2020
The University of Ghana, Legon, has a proud history, but there is a widespread and persistent basic misunderstanding of its name.
Legon, is a Ga village – it belongs to the people of La, Accra – where Lɛɛ, “a small kind of antelope” according to an old Ga dictionary, roamed its hills with its litter ahead of it.
On account of this common sight, the indigenes called the environs between Okponglo and Achimota, Lɛɛgon, meaning antelope hill.
The University of Ghana registry, Great Hall and Vice Chancellor’s residence are located on top of the hill called Lɛɛgon.
There is a recent reference to “hill of knowledge” in an article published online on 3 March 2020 by Alhaji Abubakar Siddick Ahmed, station manager of Radio Univers together with Felix Odartey-Wellington and Amin Alhassan in tandfonline.com titled “Radio Univers: The Story of Ghana’s Pioneer Campus-Community Radio Station”.
The twisting of the tongue from “Lɛɛ” to “Le” might have occurred because back in the day, the Ga character “ɛ” was not common and “e” with an accent was used for convenience.
Such convenience must have been the reason for writing the double “ɛ” or one “ɛ” in Lɛgɔŋ, which has now been corrupted to Legon.
Indeed among the La people, the name La is sounded Laa by stretching the vowel “a”, but not necessarily doubling the vowel.
Today the said antelope species Lɛɛ, at the site is lost.
Furthermore, there is a suburb in Accra called Lɛŋshi or Lenshi in present day Accra which should mean the valley of the small antelope or the abode of the “small kind antelope”.
This should serve as further corroboration of the origin of the name Legon.
In addition, there is a proverb that references Lɛɛ.
To wit, “Lɛɛ fɔɔɔ ni edu tsɔne”, meaning that this antelope prefers that its litter go in front of it as a self defence strategy against the hunter’s traps.
This is quoted by Rev E.A.W Engmann in Kpawo Kpawo, Toi Kpawo, vol 2: Kusumi (Folklore of the Ga People).
Going forward, the name Legon can still be pronounced with the “ɛ” sound.
One day we should not be surprised if a less than thorough phenomenologist conjures LEG-HORN out of LEGON!
Interestingly whilst Odartey-Wellington et al. worked for the campus-community radio station and have told their story in tandfonline.com with pride, I also worked as station manager for a Ga community radio station.
There, I personally moderated/hosted the programme “LATENU Indigenous Mysterious Cultural Series of Gbemi Oshe” with phenomenologist Awula Naa Nii Amon (aka Dr. Gloria Amon-Vanderpuye) during which names such as Akatamanso came up for serious scrutiny.
These are no trivial matters, for they have implications for who won the battle of Katamanso or Akatamanso, a name derived from Twi – and whether the “A” that precedes the name Akatamanso was mischievously conjured to hide the facts of the battle of (A)Katamanso.
In academia, we build upon knowledge by referencing more authentic and respected authorities.
This ethos should be applied to the investigation and resolution of life’s daily challenges and issues; that is how progress is made.
Odartey-Wellington et al. must have taken assurances from the wide acceptance of the references to “hill of knowledge” and “great tower of learning” in the University anthem as the meaning of Legon.
Clearly, Professor Emeritus JH Kwabena Nketsia, who composed the University of Ghana anthem – in that specific instance, has shown “an implicit misunderstanding of the indigenous language” observed my mentor.
This is not an attempt to detract one iota from the excellent and colossal work done by the late professor!
The references to hill of knowledge in the anthem or anywhere else for that matter, are inaccurate because the Lɛɛ or “small kind of antelope” is a historical fact.
As my mentor will say, “It is what it is”.
Like Odartey-Wellington et al, as a student at University of Ghana, Legon, I also heard “hill of knowledge”, and passed it on…..until I met my mentor, who asked for “a chapter and a verse”.
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