When Are We Going To Celebrate?

The celebration has already started in full swing and Ghanaians are geared up in a jubilant mood, the red, gold and green with the black star in the middle of the gold has turn the blue and white clouds in the sky colourful. The rate at which the activities of the golden jubilee celebrations are unfolding is really marvelous.

At a point in time I thought the anniversary was 'uncelebratable' if I can use that word. But I remembered that the 40th anniversary which was celebrated 10 years ago just went by without any one knowing how the cloth was printed, which people were part of the 40th anniversary board, how much was spent, how much sponsorship they had, how much they allocated for what, and even how much they gave to the regions. Thanks to our new found democratic dispensation, all these are questions are being pondered on by ordinary Ghanaians, a true testament of freedom of speech.

I also remembered that the black stars of Ghana who featured at the World Cup Tournament did not really have the support of their own nationals, I mean Ghanaians it was rather after they started drawing and winning their matches that all Ghanaians started supporting them and realising that it is patriotic to support them and they begun buying the Ghana Flags and other national paraphernalia which they would have otherwise not bought if Ghana had not even played a draw.

In less than a week's time Ghana will turn 50 years, all I am asking Ghanaians is that are they celebrating the 50 years or doing other things that would not promote Nationalism and Patriotism? The 6th of March in Ghana is always a National Holiday and we celebrate our Independence, regardless of what our issues are, it on this not that I am encouraging each and every one not to allow Politics to deter them from growing up and celebrating their Freedom, Peace, Growth and Development.

Just as I was writing this encouraging article I paused to watch a news item and guess what it was about? It was about Nkrumah's eldest son who out of patriotism and love for the country has brought down his daddy's suits and letters that his daddy wrote to him whilst he was in school, and it is supposed to be kept in the museum. No matter how little it is, it is going to fetch the nation money because everybody who decides to have a look at it would have to pay something before being allowed to see it.

It is indeed very unfortunate that Ghanaians are only proud when their fellow countrymen are making it, this is very much not true Nationalism I call it Cowardliness. As Ghana turns 50 we should as Ghanaians learn to cherish Ghana the way it is and contribute our quota diligently and honestly, we should not wait for others to allow us to celebrate Ghana. Ghana is for us, we are INDEPENDENT. Let us resolve to make Ghana proud with our celebrations so our children will emulate us 50 years from now.

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Naa Okailey Tagoe
Awoshie- Accra