Senyo Gatror Antor (1913 - 1986) was a

Ghanaian The Ghanaian people are a nation originating in the Gold Coast (region), Ghanaian Gold Coast. Ghanaians predominantly inhabit the Republic of Ghana and are the predominant cultural group and residents of Ghana, numbering 34 million people as of ...

politician, diplomat and teacher.

Early life and education

Antor was born in 1931 at Logba in the

Togoland Togoland, officially the Togoland Protectorate (; ), was a protectorate of the German Empire in West Africa from 1884 to 1914, encompassing what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana, approximately 90,400&nb ...

. His primary education was at the Presbyterian School at Amedzofe. He went on to the Presbyterian Teacher Training College at

Akropong Akropong is a town in South Ghana and is the capital of the Akuapim North District, a district in the Eastern Region of South Ghana. This town is known for producing snails and palm oil.

in the Gold Coast where he qualified as a teacher. He later attended the Presbyterian Theology College at Ho.

Work and activism in Togoland

Antor worked as a teacher between 1937 and 1949. In 1949, he founded the Togoland United Nations Newsletter. He was its first editor. In 1950, he was the leader of the Togoland delegation to the

United Nations Trusteeship Council The United Nations Trusteeship Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, established to help ensure that trust territories were administered in the best interests of their inhabitants and of international peace and sec ...

(UNTC). He also led the Togoland delegation to the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its Seventy-ninth session of th ...

in 1951, 1952, 1954 and 1956 where he petitioned for the unification of both Togolands.

Politics

Antor founded the

Togoland Congress The Togoland Congress (TCP) was a political party formed in 1951 which had won three seats in the Gold Coast elections of April 1954 and two seats in the July 1956 elections, but did not survive for long afterwards. The Togoland Congress's goal ...

in 1951 in

British Togoland British Togoland, officially the Mandate Territory of Togoland and later officially the Trust Territory of Togoland, was a territory in West Africa under the administration of the United Kingdom, which subsequently entered a union with Ghana, pa ...

to advocate for its unification with

French Togoland French Togoland () was a French colonial League of Nations mandate from 1916 to 1946, and a UN trust territory from 1946 to 1960 in French West Africa. In 1960 it became the independent Togolese Republic. Transfer from Germany to France a ...

. He was opposed to the unification of Togoland with the Gold Coast. Antor actively lobbied the United Nations for the reunification of British and French Togoland. This was opposed by Pedro Olympio of the Parti togolais du progrès who opposed unification unless it was under the auspices of the French. Following the passing of the Avoidance of Discrimination Act by the

Nkrumah government Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister of Ghana, Prime Minister and first President of Ghana. Nkrumah had run governments under the supervision of the British government through Charles Arden-Clarke, the Governor-General. His first gover ...

in 1957, the Togoland Congress merged with other opposition parties to form the United Party.

Detention and exile

Antor was arrested with F. K. Ametobra, Kojo Dumega, and Alex Odame at

Alavanyo Alavanyo is a town in the Volta Region of Ghana. As a state, it consists of seven towns. Namely, Kpeme, Wudidi, Agorxoe, Abehenase, Agorme, Deme, Dzogbedze. The town is known for their development and the hard work of the youth in putting their t ...

by the police in 1957 and charged with treason. He appealed to the

International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

and was released to allow him to continue as the member of parliament for Kpandu North. Between 1961 and 1966, he was detained at Nsawam Prisons until the 24 February 1966 coup which established the

National Liberation Council The National Liberation Council (NLC) led the Ghanaian government from 24 February 1966 to 1 October 1969. The body emerged from a ''coup d'état'' against the Nkrumah government carried out jointly by the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Arme ...

military government.

Diplomatic service

In April 1970, Antor was appointed by the

Busia government This is a listing of the ministers who served in Busia's Progress Party government during the Second Republic of Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the ...

as the ambassador of Ghana to

Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

. He replaced Peter Kosi Folly. His term as ambassador ended when the Progress Party government of

Kofi Abrefa Busia Kofi Abrefa Busia (11 July 1913 – 28 August 1978) was a Ghanaian political leader and academic who was Prime Minister of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. As a leader and prime minister, he helped to restore civilian government to the country follow ...

was overthrown in a coup d'étât in January 1972 by the

National Redemption Council The National Redemption Council (NRC) was the ruling Ghana military government from 13 January 1972 to 9 October 1975. Its chairman was Colonel I. K. Acheampong, who was thus also the head of state of Ghana. Duration of rule The NRC came into ...

military government led by Colonel Acheampong.

Family

Mr Antor's wife died around 1976, four years into his exile in Togo after the overthrow of the Busia government. His son, Robert Kwame Antor reported that the Supreme Military Council government did not allow the family to bury her remains in Ghana.

Death

Antor chose to remain in exile in Togo rather than return to Ghana after the 1972 coup. He died in Lome, Togo in 1986. He was buried at Logba in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region.

References

External links

African history class: Blakk Rasta tells the story of S.G. ANTOR (Leader, Togoland Congress).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antor, Senyo Gatror 1913 births 1986 deaths Ghanaian MPs 1954–1956 Ghanaian MPs 1956–1965 United Party (Ghana) politicians Ambassadors of Ghana to Togo Ewe people People from Volta Region