So our national anthem starts like this; “God bless our Homeland Ghana! And make our nation great and strong”. A simply humble and optimistic cry or plea to our Maker, don’t you think? Fast forward to the 21st Century, however; and there’s a sad feeling the lyrics may need to be adapted to “God save our Homeland Ghana! And make our people care oh Lord”.
Why am I upset with my Ghana; you may ask?
Now for the sake of not wanting to keep beating a dead horse; for this piece, I’m going to ignore the fact that we’re a resource-rich nation. Also; I’m going to turn a blind eye to the unfortunate resets the nation has suffered as a result of bad governance. Today I pick a bone with the citizens of the land; and here’s why!
Jamie says…..
Ghanaians are to blame for our shortcomings. Now before you say “James cut top; or “chale shon dey talk”; let me show you why. Our leaders may or may not be at fault for the lack of decent infrastructure, but by no means should they be fully blamed for the poor quality of life we have to endure. For instance; how can a people continue to blatantly build in waterways, dispose of refuse indiscriminately, and sadly defecate in plain sight and then have the “cajones” to call out the leaders when their homes get flooded; or they lose their young due to the sudden spread of an infectious epidemic?
How can a people complain about a lack of jobs ; when they refuse to equip themselves adequately with the needed skill set to plug a glaring gap in the market; but instead seem hell-bent on relying on quick fixes like embarking on regular pilgrimages to the nearest betting outlet or fully immersing themselves in schemes like “Loom”?
What should change; for things to get better?
If the people are the problem; then it’s safe to say the people are the solution. If, and only if we’re willing to change our mindsets; allow for systems to work and evolve, and eradicate the “Pull Him Down” syndrome that seems to be a prominent feature in the hearts and minds of “the black man”; then perhaps there is hope for Ghana.
Before I forget….
As someone who has lost the urge to vote during general elections; may I humbly use this opportunity to implore that should we do decide to exercise our right to choose a leader; we do so based on the actual merit of the candidate in question, whoever they might be; as opposed to voting based on race, tribalism, party or family affiliations and our usual cocktail of reasons? I doubt it would happen; but hey, man must hope for the best, right?
After this article was published, we had an interesting debate on social media on the issues of “fix the country” or “fix yourself”. Here’s what I thought about it.