Sir Frederick Hodgson murdered
Sir Frederick Hodgson was visiting the Ashanti tribe, as the first Englishman to observe their ancient rites for electing a new leader in Kumasi. However, darkness befell upon Africa as the tribe rose up against Sir Hodgson and his retinue, murdering all but one young boy. Against all the odds and dangers of travelling through the black heart of Africa, the young rifleman Sharpe managed to make his way to an expedition by the Fomena ruins and tell his horrid tale of murder.
“Now I have seen that some of you fear to go forward to fight for our King. If it were in the brave days of Osei Tutu, Okomfo Anokye, and Opolu Ware, leaders would not sit down to see their King taken away without firing a shot. No white man could have dared to speak to a leader of the Ashanti in the way the Governor spoke to you this morning. Is it true that the bravery of the Ashanti is no more? I cannot believe it. It cannot be! I must say this, if you the men of Ashanti will not go forward, then we will. We the women will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight the white men. We will fight till the last of us falls in the battlefields!"
Those words were spoken by Nana Yaa Asantewaa, as she gathered tribesmen to her side, and those of us that remember the last Ashanti uprising knows that such promises of bloodshed will not go unchallenged by the English army.
Our army is sure to defeat the Boers shortly, and then witchdoctors and warriors shall be reminded why the sun never sets on the British Empire.
