A Life in Political History: Memoirs of Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia (review)

This memoir presents a valuable northern perspective on Ghanaian politics between the 1930s and 2001, written by one of the north’s most important political figures. Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia participated in politics at the highest levels, and the book recounts his involvement in the momentous changes of the period. Along the way, he defends his political career against his critics, and he encourages the youth of the north to follow his example in working for development.

The book presents Bawumia’s political career in rough chronological order. Chapter 1 describes his youth as a herdboy for his father (a chief) and his education up to Standard Seven. Chapter 2 follows his career path between the 1940s and 1953, which began in education but shifted to politics when the Nayiri (Mamprugu Paramount Chief) appointed him State Secretary to the Mamprusi Native Authority. This opened the door to a seat on the Northern Territories Council, the north’s political voice in the 1940s, and a position as clerk of the Mamprusi District Council. Bawumia ends the chapter in 1953, with his decision to turn down a chieftaincy after the death of his father in favour of pursuing his political career. Chapter 3 provides an interlude of sorts, recounting Bawumia’s position as personal secretary to the Nayiri (1951–6). Bawumia moves on to his life in national politics, recounting his position as an independent Member of the Legislative Assembly in 1953, and his role in founding the Northern People’s Party (NPP) in 1954. The NPP tried to use its political power (northern majorities in the elections of 1954 and 1956) to delay independence and give the north time to ‘catch up’ to the south. But Kwame Nkrumah promised constitutional safeguards (quasi-autonomous Regional Assemblies), and the NPP accepted decolonization in 1957 (Chapter 4). However, the Assemblies dissolved themselves in 1958, Nkrumah banned sectional and regional political parties, the NPP dissolved itself and most of its leadership joined the new United Party. At this point, Bawumia startled many northerners by crossing the floor and joining the CPP (Chapter 7). He served in several high-profile ministerial positions in Nkrumah’s government, culminating in an appointment as Minister of State and Regional Commissioner for the Northern Region in 1962 (Chapter 8).

Bawumia stayed in Ghana after the coup in 1966, but he left in 1970 to complete a law degree in London. Upon returning, he practised law in Tamale for the next eight years (Chapter 9). Bawumia returned to politics in 1978, serving on Acheampong’s Constitutional Commission and helping to found the People’s National Party (PNP). He narrowly missed becoming the PNP leader, then settled into a controversial position as the Chairman of the Cocoa Marketing Board, after his detractors pressured Hilla Limann to pass Bawumia over for a Ministerial position (Chapter 10). After J. J. Rawlings’s coup in 1981, Bawumia participated in several diplomatic missions to Saudi Arabia before returning to Tamale to take up farming in 1986.

He returned to politics in 1989, serving as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1989–92) and Chairman of the Council of State (1992–2000) (Chapter 11). In 2000, Bawumia left the national political scene for the last time when he was elected Kpeli Naa, Paramount Chief of the Kperiga Division of Mamprugu. The chieftaincy brought Bawumia full circle, from his youth as a herdboy for his father to the chieftaincy of an important traditional area (Chapter 13). Reflecting on his life in the book’s conclusion, Bawumia presents a final defence of his political career: ‘I owe no apology to anybody for my politics’, he writes, ‘which I am satisfied, served my constituency and Ghana well’ (p. 276). To strengthen his defence, Bawumia includes excerpts from primary sources, including memoirs, press releases and official minutes, all of which seek to demonstrate his public service to Mamprugu and...