As a matter of fact-candor, every-one wishes that the communications space is hogged 24-hour day by discourses either on their profession, or a nation's passion in football like Brazil for example and exit at the recent World football tournament. That means that the talking shall be praises only; and any condemnation, if at all, minimised--with profuse 'ifs' and or 'buts'.
I recently wrote with good pleasure and high hope about the information arena buzzing in histor-ical recalls to [i] shed new lights-- correct or pad confirmations; and showing guts in this precise moment of attempts to both ethnically and politically derange our true history in order ostensibly to foist heroes who were not; [ii] induce nervous excitement over the subjects; and [iii] re-write the history closest to accept-able for at the least bear a semblance of the original truth(s). I should be invidious enough to acknowledge GTV as doyen in this very essential endeavor; airing time may not be perfect yet; but it does not amount to a total dissipation of opportunity.
The top reasons are that the pro-gram meets the professional raison d'etre: inform, educate, galvanize country for peaceful productive development and entertain. What is going on is for growth which is work in progress, defined.
In the midst of this cherchez du temps perdu, there is a growing canker of lack and dislikes plus of acquiring knowledge because [i] it seems "mpanyin asa"- elders are in shortest supply; [ii] traditional authorities look toothless ref the knowledge of history of their ju-risdictions to instill and insist done; they are" accused or derided as showing up resplendent at yearly fes-tives; or invited to grace functions, enabling the grind-on of "excep-tionalism"; [iii] break down of order among the up-coming generations who appear not to care but will tell you "we have not been taught from homes through schooling. I am contending there is a serious abdica-tion, perhaps inadvertently to exert discipline about observances of or-dinary "dos" and "don'ts". Kumasi is different, nuanced in respect of obedience to some specifics in the raft of the diverse tapestries.
Let me strike some defense generally over the illiteracy of most of this current generation. You cannot discipline somebody's child. Extrapolated, the traditional heads appear hands-tied behind their backs. Elders in communities face the same dilemma.
Some take refuge in that excuse; others seem to put on blinkers, or may walk away even where they can innocuously help both the errant youngster and the community at large. Another harsh but painful truth to state is these oldies are of two types especially where chieftaincy challenges have be-come daily occupation--watering the seeds of discord and are not self-exemplary.
The attitude and or conduct strongly suggest a belief that points allegedly to within chiefs and or traditional councils along the coastal strip of this country. Again, I would defend, if that is altogether the case.
The intrinsic factor is that chief-taincy outside of the boundaries of that belt is starkly different from the borders up through the center and beyond to the tip end exits in the North.
Down in the Southern coastal belt, chiefs are hugely disrespect-ed, un-served and uncared to be catered for as required within the context of keeping the stool and exalted position, the 'quo' side of the responsibility equation in 'quid pro quo' incumbent by tradition and custom for the citizenry.
That pushes some the the chiefs into desperadoes and engage in in-compatible acts including arbitrary sale of heritage [lands, natural resources (hard and soft metals-- galamsey the latest reportedly) and ornaments and jewels particularly said to be pawned apart from the loot during
Whitee reserved some For-ests Lands for posterity in spite, apparently purloined]. Against that in plain talking, are the seemingly incurable litigations about "stool or skin usurpers' which trials still congest the courts, pre-empt security and peace which hamper developmen
Mind you, this phenomenon is as ancient pre-dates independence, small and less rampant; but now increased inexorably as bound in politics; and the same stresses the justice delivery system accused severally. These are all the distrac-tions substantially impeding the traditional councils which may not qualify for total failure-blame.
I won't deliberate here now, the complications added by the local government apparatus together with the exact roles of the DCs and MMDCs relative to the positions of chiefs and what's required of them and who really is the Master or should be de jure and practically processing the establishment, co-existence which wonders between "Alice in wonderland" and being either surplus and or un-minded to deny the system the authority to insist on observations of decent norms and history of where each of us claims to hail.
I think we have toyed or taken this gap for granted and toiled meaninglessly to ensure that we became really ONE NATION only at independence t o grope from that identity to what we are and who we wish to become.
I suggest the starter lies in woken traditional Bosses enforc-ing taught of their histories, not redacted with accompanying ethics explained and punishments for infractions with accompanying ethics explained and punishments strictly prosecuted.
Simple questions: who were our ancestors; these are or may be there written or implicit. But we trample them as if practical course on 'rules are made to be broken'-- pretty wrong , passable only by exceptional circumstance(s).
Simple questions: who were our ancestors, why did they do things that way; or environmen-tally who dared not litter the street or empty bladder in the open drainages or building-cor-ners at Elmina; meaning of names, personal and areas; saying to a typical Cape Coaster, that you are going to "aban enyim'. You baffle him/her-that is per-haps Greek. But it refers to the castle area. :"
"Aban" is government, the castle was where the seat of government resided until the peo-ple and chiefs called the bluff of the Governor to remove the capital of the colony to Accra 1877; and "enyim" is 'front' or in the presence of... ; and or why "Osu-Alata".; and or how. Whether from laid-back chat or sincere concern all the foregoing is contending are:
[i] the loss of national focus into our state of confusion-- politically and financially are the products of monumental abnegation to address and pull along the identikit in attempting development; [ii]the careless absence of a coherent national policy--signed, sealed, delivered; [iii] politics playing me alone possum; [iv] new 'kalabule' -a resurgence of unfeeling for the neighbor, unheeded as well as a swell of criminalities -- a disgust-ing callousness which is in its essence un-Ghanaian but thrives; and [v] tradition and church look or walk the other side, perhaps expecting the central government to do everything, a dastard colonial legacy as if the choice is one or none parliament seemingly hapless but over-seized with 'the finance Minister must go'.
I may remind myself that he had responded in recent television interview [with Ms Amihere] that he is waiting for a declaration of, or directive from God to either stay or leave.
Stretching the argument neces-sarily, the Minister's quitting won't bring the manna [possibly nirva-na] overnight during this precise moment of emotions, noise and guts, writing history inclusively, the whole mess requires ruthless over-haul of policy and direction.
That seems a most hard to achieve evidentially today after the president's address to the nation on very high expectancy rather than the jocular "sika mpe dede"[mom-ey dislikes noise], contradicted severally, I included, adding that that smash would not be difficult to navigate, if the will is there. Also, if we cease simultaneously to think how big the compromise, but deal with it on broader canvass na-tionally, than the apparent narrow political-mindedness that seems to invalidate that shifting.
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Outside of the not far from precarious situation, the country can put to bed his going, if he volunteers or gets shoved. How-ever, the story of our economic shambles is yet to have an ending. Therefore, we have blamed one person for our collective aloofness. Leader-thought in the afterthought is an idea that would have been laughed off a year ago, postulates constituency binding charters for future hopefuls to wrest back par-ticipatory democracy.
This voters' demand declaration by each makes failure to deliver on pledges instant and immutable quit, honorably. The terms inter alia to be signed by each candidate with cross-party elders of good repute, include: how feasible, sources of financing, time-frame for completion and audit of atten-dance and participation rooting for country; needs no legislation to be filibustered. Nii Bone III's [Osu Alata Mantse] national Boycott worked on that principle. Three of four big Cape Coast self-crip-pled, found out.
The dividends of that bind-ing-ahead are: competition to earn return ticket, greater benefit to country -content and quality to depth of debates and resolutions, hardly partisan and the country drawn close to parliament includ-ing the executive to serve as much as traditional councils strengthen at home levels, exert discipline, upholding norms and preserving their amour propre -- most essen-tial being our last and only bastion of existence and derived respect.
The recent media one, was right; but her parallel in their passion to pursuit correctness was, respond-ing from those critical moments in short order it rather seems cost-wise.
