Historical Notes St Vincent and the Grenadines

King Ja Ja

“The King was invited by Consul Johnston to a friendly meeting to settle matters amicably and without recourse to force. The Consul feared that his violation of the treaty of 1873 might recoil on the head of European traders on whose behalf he had broken the Solemn Covenant of England; and he planned and carried out a plot as black and dastardly as any which has ever been resorted to. When Ja Ja was invited to attend the friendly meeting at Harrison’s Beach, he asked the Consul for a guarantee of his safe return, which was given in a letter to the King dated 18th September.{{more}} The King attended the next day with his principal chiefs where he found the British Consul surrounded by the white traders and the Commander and Officers of H.M.S ‘Goshawk’, together with sailors and marines with fixed bayonets and in battle array. King Ja Ja on his arrival was merely given the choice of going aboard the ship of war or instant death. Seeing that resistance was hopeless, as he had not gone prepared to fight, the King went reluctantly aboard the Goshawk from which he was removed to the mail steamer ‘Calabar’ which conveyed him to Accra, where a mock trial was held by Admiral Sir Hunt-Grubbe, who declared him guilty. The Legislative Council of the Gold Coast had meantime passed an ordinance in a few minutes declaring the King a political prisoner. The King was sentenced to a five year banishment, and though he pleaded hard to remain at Accra where he had a few friends Admiral Grubbe was inexorable and gave him the choice of the West Indies, the Cape of Good Hope or Ascension to spend his exile in…

King Ja Ja who is fairly educated speaks English well. During his mock trial, the only friend he had by him was Mr Charles de Cardi a Liverpool gentleman. Since his sentence of exile, Mr G Bannerman, a native solicitor has taken up his case, and it is likely the sympathies and the exertions of the Anti-Slavery Society have been enlisted on his behalf. The question of King Ja Ja’s arrest will be discussed in parliament; but it is not likely that any result will follow as the majority at the disposal of the government is not less than 80. It is the settled policy of Lord Salisbury to absorb all the petty principalities in the Niger basin. Consul Johnston, since his deposition of King Ja Ja has arrested and fined several other chiefs and has proclaimed a protectorate over Benin, Bonny and other places…”

(The Sentinel, June 15, 1888 (Reprinted from the Grenada People)-