Wednesday, July 16, 2014

My Ghana Story

I WAS WATCHING the evening news, being saturated with reports from business forums, educational symposium, with a highlight of an everyday ghanaian who is challenging the status quo. This was sometime in 2009. Each time I turned on the tv, there was something going on that had positivity etched in it.  My mind was triggered and aroused to the growing amplitude of positivity and change that was hovering through the media, into our country. Quite frankly, I was ecstatic and felt enraptured. I was optimistic that my country, will soon become like the world leading ones with suzerainty.

Coupled with the advent of the internet boom; technology, business, education and socialization were all readjusting to suit the transformation that was soon to spread like a wild fire. Every where I went there was a conversation on what to alter and what to bring in. My mind was stirred to the full. I reminisce those days when, I would spend hours on my laptop over night, fishing for information about new technology, new paradigms, new education, just about everything new. I had a lot of facts, to talk with. My classmates would secretly come to me, and tell me how they admire my vast knowledge in various themes.

Most churches were also involved in sensitizing their members to embrace the new culture of change. The old Ghanaian culture was on the verge of being crucified. Though a lot of people were embracing this paradigm, yet quite a huge number of people still wanted things to remain the same way they were. Such people gave me a run for my ideas.

As the days went by and gradually translating into years, everybody went on doing what they knew best, hoping that tomorrow, the change will happen. I can say for a fact that, most Ghanaians thought the change thing, was something that we would wake up one morning to realize.

Two years down the line, it seemed the so called change and positivity was phasing out...everybody was getting on as usual, but for the generation X and Y, they began to explore opportunities. I saw colleagues and friends develop sophisticated softwares and applications. Some were pioneering and venturing into business development, training, full time motivational speaking, authoring, and a whole lot. It was one of the times I was really happy to be a Ghanaian.

I participated in online forums, that discussed transformation, I joined teams to help create and develop solutions, I was a hot cake for technology ideas and development updates. Few thought I might become Africa's Zukerberg. ~If only my balls could hold it.

Somewhere in the middle of 2011, one morning, listening to the super morning show, on joy 99,7fm, with Kojo Oppong Nkrumah hosting the show. And as usual, on a Thursday morning, at 8:45Uncle Ebow Whyte would come on with his inspiring food for thought article. On this Thursday, I'm sure something denigrating had happen in the social circles that required the response of government officials. Uncle Ebow before reading his article, made this assertion that I would say gave me a different perception about Ghana. Uncle Ebow retorted to Kojo, 'you see, I'm tired of this Ghana story', he continued, but I couldn't pay anymore attention, my mind felt the resounding effect of those words.

Well for me, life carved a new path for me, and I decided to give heed to it, though it wasn't something I really wanted to do, it was a different alternative, which I have been trained to work in, but I might seem to be foolish and a flibbertigibbet to walk away from an opportunity of a life time. That was to take a job in the engineering industry, quite different from what I wanted to do.
But for the whole of Ghana, I never heard anything again, as the whole country sunk into polarisation of the elections. This time it was becoming obvious that we aren't really going anywhere, as structures were not well maintained and government officials looted funds to engender their political interests.


Just after the elections,on the 26th of Januarythe only Ghanaian statesman I have respect for and hold in high repute, Dr. Otabil also confirmed this assertion in one of his speeches. He spoke as he was building a point, "Quite frankly, I'm tired of this Ghana story"...at this point, I could reconcile this recurring assertion with all his classic sermons that highlighted significant roadmap and cultural realities that spoke to our pertinent situations. Sermons like 'Go Borrow Vessels', 'Do you understand what you are reading ?', 'Dominion Mandate' and the likes, though with biblical connotations.

Along the year, I saw a drift, Ghana was indeed rising,but the government wasn't responsible. Few citizens had decided to take the responsibility of changing their world. Again, my hope sprang up like water from a dead spring. I knew there was going to be a change.

From where I sit now, March 2014, all I can see is complacency. Ghanaians have really disappointed me. I have my personal resolution and determination right. But all of a sudden I have been awakened by a cultural reality. This is not the Ghana I was envisaging. The culture is beginning to stifle me. Over the years, my mind was focused and fixed on the new Ghana. My thinking and lifestyle had began taking shape of what I perceived to be the new Ghana. But like a beggars wish, I can only ride the horse of the new Ghana, in my dreams.
You'll go all out, oh Ghana is rising, Ghana is changing, we are going somewhere, all the positive believe and blah blah blah...for me my dream of the Ghana I thought I would see by now has been shattered merely by the cultural reality that has dawned on me.

Few years ago, I dared to dream that one day, my culture would have gone through a massive transformation, and our complacent attitudes of 3ny3 hw3, 3be ye yie, and fa me Nyame would have been replaced with probing questions and refuse to "take things as they're".

Government officials have proven the more, that they can never make this new Ghana a reality. My peeve has nothing to do with taking my dream and future in my hands, rather the cultural disposition of everyday Ghanaian.

Ghanaian Christian music just don't amuse me, with lots of shouting and few words to ponder on. Only few of them do really aim at transforming lives. When I listen to my favourite singers, and watch their documentaries, i see effort at transforming lives, other than just making money out of their talent. That's the purpose in the first place. I wonder if any of these singers ever stopped to listen to the likes of Kari Jobe, Audrey Assad, Darlene zchech, Matt Maher, Mattew west, Benjamin Dube, or the countless others whose beautiful voices could entice the most hardened of eyes to shed a tear ?

I'm just so exasperated when Ghanaians who know well that our country is etched with different dialects, cry out for one of them to be used as an official language. We in the first place are in the dim, hoping to find light, now we want a dialect to be our language, for the French and British to learn, before doing business here, we had long lost in oblivion. It hurts me when the substandard media, become the leading voice of the nation.

I'm not tired with the Ghana story per se, but I feel being choked by our cultural perspective. The moment you begin to rattle the English language for more than a minute, you are considered as "too known", Haa...I feel as if suffocated when my colleagues at work think I have a problem, just for speaking English oh...

The little said about the mafia spirit the better. The "me ba aha ky3 faction", always wanting things to look like the way it has always been, yet they lack the courage to face it, given into chopping peoples back, while smiling at their faces.

I just need a cultural change, a place where we are not judged as a book by its cover. Where we pay attention to life transformation, impact and really affecting people's life. Sarcasm is so much on the rise, everything has to be ridiculously put. And should you avoid sarcasm, you'll be considered immature. The truth is that this culture is choking me.

I met a young lady, at an event last year, I was recounting my experience with a friend, who couldn't wait for me to land, but cut me abruptly, with the usual Ghanaian tone, 'eeei be careful oh, these kind of ladies ehh, hmm'. Apparently, I was fascinated by her disposition to the activity she was engrossed with. I couldn't stop watching her sync her note pad, with her laptop placed on her laps, referring to each one as she explains something to those who were with her. Her English articulation and her indepth flair in literature. This is what my friend has a problem with. Besides, I have watched him loose a relationship of 4years, ask me who was to be blamed, oh the lady of course, but to me he was the major cause. On his account to how they broke up, the girl was simply complaining about his stinginess and lack of progress on life.

He would rather pile his money wherever suits him, than to give a pin to her, the only thing he does is to take her out, that's all. Meanwhile, I saw the girl sacrificed her time, and few resources to helping him. So I'm to take caution for his mistake ?...of late I have been seeing him around with some local girl, who can't wait to be all over him, with that 'yes me wura' look. I have better moved him from friend to acquaintance.

To be exasperated is little to mention, of my mood, when after offering to give to the church, which to me is giving to God, two friends walk up to me at different times, saying, "eeei you have money oh", a sarcastic way of saying, you don't have anything to do with your money enh. I boiled up inside, though putting up a facading smile. All I would have expected was, oh Dan, God really bless you for that bold step you took, may God richly reward you and give us the courage to do so too. Instead, I'm seen through barbed lens, as if being deceived by the pastor, which for some time threw a doubt on my faith.

Seriously, I'm often befuddled, at these idiosyncrasies. I work with a guy, whom we got employed together. He being more stingy, -as I can best describe- thinks it's quite ostentatious for me to rent more than a single room. That's just by the way oh. He lives in his single room, wears the same clothes everyday, buys cheap shoes, and lament for even spending a dime on food. Yet, has a problem with me, as to why I have too much money. Let's juxtapose this. I just paid, GhC 4,800 cedis for the two bedroom self contain I live in, I live far away from work as opposed to him, who lives in the range of the work bus, and of late, gets a colleague to drop him off after work. He doesn't pay tithe, and I will dread to see him give more than Ghc10, to his church. Who is supposed to be more loaded? Yet he accuses me of being stingy and not buying a car. Just look at this. It took a divine revelation for me to understand why he sees me that way.

I don't know why God just place me in a world where I have to deal with these arrant nonsense. My pastor, will best describe this as, God makes all things work together for good to those who love Him.

I have been so silent about this place...all I do is watch in silence, while I burn inside, and my dream being shattered. Few weeks ago, I don't know what came upon me as if like the baptism of the holy spirt all over again, I just don't take it lightly with anyone who decides to urinate, or defecate, or sell fake products. That's just the least.

Ghana is rising, but our culture like a hook held on to our progress is pulling us back. When I listen to people reminisce about the good 'Ol days, I can't find any difference. We just haven't gone anywhere. I cry, bleed and suffocate inside. I don't feel as a Ghanaian.

Church to some extent these days is also joining the local bands of 'we are Ghanaians', and have decided to deprive me of my joy in The Lord. The local songs sang everyday at church just don't get to me...the only thing for me the song does to its audience is give them opportunity to shake their bodies. I need the words. The words break me, and transport me out of my mortal milieu, not to mention that I can't even sing most of the songs, I had to learn a few so as to sing along.

Enough of the ranting, I will do what I can do best, but in the meanwhile - no, in reality time, I'll stick to my world. I might loose friends, but I'll better be alone than with another person who will infect me with his cultural deficiency

I'm not complaining, but I'm recounting my shattered dream of the Ghana I once hoped for. I wonder what I can do to fix this dream as I continue in my war against the cultural reality that is dawning on me.