Eureka, Eureka, We Are Isrealites

Sarpong, Justice

"As I pointed out in a previous article, the proper pronunciation of the name of my people is Erverh and not Ewe. Erverh is also the proper name of our ancestors, the ancient Israelites."

Eureka, eureka, proclaimed Robert Barker who just discovered his Ewe ancestory to Isreal. We Ghanaians are blessed, we have God chosen people, 'Isrealites' living amongst us and this discovery should be a source national pride that deserves a special treatment to the Erverh tribe living among the other Ghanaian Pharisees.

This discovery ranks on the same level as our discovery of oil in Ghana so I don't understand why the 'jealous' Asantis are trying to rain on the Ewe, (my apologies)its Erverh PARADE. You see, the word Ewe is deciduous, we have gone past that a long time ago, the in vogue name was Voltarians until 'Apostle' Robert Barker came up with his eisegesis of Erverh.

Roberts' article created a bedlam in the forum with both supporters and detractors of his Erverh eisegesis being vociferous in their comments, maybe we should all try to find our ancestory to a country we should be proud of. Gyaman in Brong Ahafo Region sounds like German to me so maybe the 'Gyamans' should trace their ancestry to Germany. The Ewes also have a name, Yao that you can also find among Chinese male population, like Yao Ming, maybe the Ewes might have gone through China before going through the Ibo land in Nigeria before settling in present day Volta Region. China, prepare a place for your Isreal brethren in Ghana our exodus to the promised land is about to start now that China is an Economic power, brother Robert Barker should be tasked with the mission of unlocking the mystery of the Yao name and how we Erverhs can unlock our China ancestry.

My friend OYOKOBA wrote the below comment and it aptly decribes the mental slavery we still find among Ghanaians.

What is wrong with being African, proud, majestic, dignified and graceful with all the attributes the Almighty created us with, instead of running around and pinning our kites unto someone's fame?

Listen we can cut through this convoluted figment by doing a little small test. Let's do a DNA test of a thousand Erverhs and compare them to that of a thousand Jews and see what the facts say. The author wouldn't assume the DNAs have also been lost in “translation” by whatever his excuses, or will he? All you need is the Y-Chromosomes to trace and establish any linkages along patrilineal lines.

There are Chinese out there with Ewe sounding names, e.g. Yao. May be it can also be argued that the Eves are also Chinese, isn't it? This write-up is nothing more than an Alice in Wonderland or Latter-Day Saints cacophony and whimsical thinking. You roll up to the gates of Israel and tell them you are coming home on the authority of their Law of Return, which is granted to ALL peoples of Jewish ancestry and descent, and you will see how far they will kick your ass. Where are your Torahs, Menorahs, Star of David, and other cultural attributes and symbols, as it is a known fact that where ever the Jews migrated to or settled, they brought along their millennium old religious observations, artifacts and traditions.

There are black Jews out there, and they are called the Falashas of Ethiopia and Lemba of Southern Africa. They never lost their religious symbols and practices, like our brothers Ewes and Gas would want us to believe. In order to make the claims the author is making, he must abandon the ridiculous and use anthropological processes to establish, say, linkages between voodoo and Judaism. You cannot just dwell on the mere coincidence of semblance of sounds, like somebody was saying the other day, between Nikoi (Nii Kwei?) and Nicholas, to make the same claim for Gas and Jews.

The Incas of Mexico, unbeknownst to the Old World, built pyramids and did things identical to ancient Egyptians, but even there nobody would make the risible claim that the Incas are ancient or lost Egyptians, much less Ewes who have nothing in common, anthropologically with Jews. Before the white man came you did not have any lettered or written alphabets or numerals, whereas people of Hebrew or Jewish descent have had them throughout where they have settled, in the Middle-East, North Africa, Far East, Asia, and amongst the Falashas and Lembas. Where are your tell tale signs, raffia skirt, calico and idol worship? That is not unique to Ewes. Don't embarrass my people with your bogus attempt at scholarship. We are not children here, listening to "toli".

Whilst we await any empirical evidence, backed by DNA tests, any unproven ancestry linkages will remain outlandish and quixotic. If by these claims this author is hoping for some special or unique “chosen race” hubris with the Creator of the universe, I wish to tell him he didn’t need to invoke such contortion, since at the bottom of all the debates, all humanity on the surface of the Earth can be traced to Africa, not Israel, let us put on our thinking caps and stop being cheap and wannabes. We are all Africans, which is where we all began. This anywhere but home nonsense must stop. It borders on lack of self-esteem, and you and I know that Ewes are not chicken-hearted but a very courageous people, noted for their militancy and advocacy. They are not the appendage of Israel, period. Be Black and proud, not some lost race or tribe. That breaks my heart. Seriously you do not need to be a Jew or anything other than who you truly are, to feel good about yourself.

Don't you dare trying to pick up a proud and dignified African tribe, such as the Ewes are, and make them appendix of someone's race and tradition. My candid opinion is you do more harm than good. You are making my people the butt of joke to another race. Where is Ephraim Amu? He must be rolling in his grave.

Justice Sarpong,

Houston, Texas