“Every name has a meaning.” So says an adage. My name is Ama. That means I was born on a Saturday. This is over two decades ago.

“Name” has been defined by the Oxford dictionary as “a word or words that a particular person, animal, place or thing is known by.”

Therefore, every parent considers many things before naming their children. Owners of pets also have reasons for the name they give and homeowners name their buildings based on certain factors.

In this article, I focus on the names of humans. American writer, Jessica Khoury, once said: “A name is a powerful thing. It sets one apart and gives significance.”

There are some names that when mentioned, immediately, their significance comes to mind. Popular ones include Samson, meaning strength and power; Paul, humble; Peter, rock; Helena, shining light; and Amanda, loveable.

In Ghana, some families name their children based on the day of the week on which they were born. As such, there are female and male names respectively; Adjoa and Kwadwo for Monday, Abena and Kwabena for Tuesday, Akua and Kwaku for Wednesday, Yaa and Yaw for Thursday, Efia and Kofi for Friday, Ama and Kwame for Saturday and Akosua and Kwasi for Sunday borns.

Among the Mamprugus of the North East Region of Ghana, parents name their children with the hope that its meaning impacts the child’s life. Therefore, one is likely to come across names like; Mankudivi; ‘I shall never be put to shame’, Mankulabyana; ‘I shall never be moved from the front to the back’, Zaanyabu; ‘Everyone shall see’, Baniama; ‘They have opened my eyes’.

The Ewes have similar practices with names like Mawuli; ‘God is with us’, Dzorgbenui; ‘Goodness’, Dzidedi; ‘heart at rest’, and Zanetor; ‘the darkness has come to an end.’ For children born under special circumstances, names such as Gifty, Nyamekye, Angel, Nhyira, Adom, Shidaa, Dromo, Wumpini, Bediako, etc are given to them.

Ga names like Tumu, Kinkwei, Kuntso and Fante names like Kaya, Kosanba, Sumina, Donkor are given to children whose mothers experience repeated still-births. This practice is prevalent in all cultures in Ghana.

You may be wondering why I am bothering you with a lecture on names. Well, there is a name that has gained popularity in the country lately. The name is Samuel Kojo Azugu. He is a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Ghana Police Service.

DSP Azugu, as you may know, is the Commander of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team at the National Security Ministry.

His name featured prominently in the media during the past week. That’s because of alleged attacks by the National Security operatives on Citi FM’s journalist, Caleb Kudah, and the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator DCOP Ayensu Opare Addo.

On all occasions, DSP Azugu’s name popped up as the citizenry raised concerns over the modus operandi of his team.

This is the second time in two years that the name “Azugu” has featured prominently in the media. In 2019, this name made headlines when the Ayawaso-West Wuogon by-election which was held on January 31, 2019, was marred by a shooting incident.

The infamous incident saw masked and heavily armed operatives of the National Security’s SWAT team invade the La Bawalashie polling station which resulted in injuries to 18 persons.

An observer at one of the polling stations was also assaulted and the Ningo Prampram MP, Samuel Nartey George, who was observing the elections, was allegedly assaulted by some unidentified persons.

There was a massive uproar amongst the citizenry. Many Ghanaians expressed disapproval of the manner the National Security operatives invaded the polling centre.

Barely a week after the incident, the government set up a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the violence which occurred. The four-member Commission was chaired by Justice Emile Short with Professor Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu, Mr. Patrick K. Acheampong, and Ernest Kofi Abotchie as members.

This news was warmly welcomed because many were agitated by the occurrence. There were numerous questions; people needed answers. Some were maimed; people needed justice.

A disturbing feature of the costume of the operatives during the violent operation was the wearing of masks. This confounded many Ghanaians. So when a question was put to Azugu as to why the security personnel put on masks during the exercise, many waited anxiously for his answer. And when it came it was hilarious:

 “My Lord sometimes we wear those masks because of mosquito bites. To prevent mosquitoes from biting our ears and faces," DSP Azugu said during the cross-examination at the Justice Emile Short's Commission of Inquiry on Monday, February 18, 2019.

The Emile Short Commission subsequently released their report suggesting among other things that DSP Azugu be reassigned to the Ghana Police Service, his mother organisation.

Two years on, Azugu is still heading the SWAT team. This has resulted in a situation where a section of Ghanaians have questioned his continued presence at the National Security office in spite of the recommendation by the Emile Short Commission.

What does Azugu mean?

“Azugu” means “because of you” in Dagbani. This was made known by one Peter, who called into Joy FM’s Super Morning Show during a discussion on the recent attack on Caleb Kudah in which Azugu’s name featured prominently.  Peter explained that in Dagbon when the name “Azugu” is mentioned, nothing bad should follow.

But can that be said about DSP Azugu? A victim of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shooting incident in which Azugu’s name was mentioned, Ishawu Yaro, will not be far from right if he tells Azugu, “because of you, I am suffering”.

Yaro has not been well since the incident two years ago. He shared his traumatic ordeal on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, May 21, 2021:

“The by-election shooting has affected my life seriously. For about two years, I’m not doing anything. I’m not going, I’m not coming. I am always at one place. As I’m speaking to you now, I’m still under treatment. I have not been able to put my leg on the ground.” Obviously, Yaro will never mention DSP Azugu’s name and say anything positive, contrary to the requirement of “nothing bad should follow” as told us by Peter.

DSP Azugu came into the limelight for the wrong reasons and continues to remain in it for further wrong reasons.

No wonder, Peter, the caller is appalled by the behaviour of DSP Azugu.

For him, if the National Security SWAT Commander cannot ‘serve’ the public’s interest, then he should not let his men infringe on the fundamental human rights of people.

“National Security is supposed to be an intelligence-gathering outfit. And things are supposed to be done discretely. National Security operatives are supposed to be discrete. These things that they are doing now and tagging it as National Security is not, it is rather National Exposure. They are exposing our intelligence and people are just misbehaving everywhere,” he told Joy FM on Thursday, May 20, 2021.

Other well-meaning Ghanaians have also called for the removal of Azugu as leader of the SWAT team. Ranking Member on Parliaments’ Defense and Interior Committee says he is surprised DSP Azugu is still at post at the National Security office.

Also, a section of Ghanaians described it as “a slap in the face” when it came to light that DSP Azugu is not one of the four security personnel who has been released by the National Security Ministry to their mother organizations for investigations and necessary action.

But fellow Ghanaians, don’t you think we should give our SWAT Commander the benefit of the doubt? Who knows? He may gradually come to practice what his name expects of him.

A special note to DSP Azugu, as a journalist, I have heard a lot of traumatic stories about how some National Security operatives [whether fake or real] have assaulted them. I will therefore urge you and the leadership of the National Security Ministry to review your techniques going forward.

Nigeria’s #EndSARS protest did not just erupt out of nowhere, but accumulated harassment, abuse, and assault of Nigerian youth caused the uprising. Unfortunately, some of the protestors had to pay for it with their lives. We do not want that for Ghana. #GhanaianLivesMatter.

I will end with this last saying; “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the end” - C.S. Lewis.