Uncanny Castro Jokes

Castro and Janet
Tomorrow marks one week since Theophilus Tagoe aka Castro, went missing on the Volta river at ada in the Greater Accra region. we can imagine the grief of his family, especially as his whereabouts is still unknown.

Unfortunately, however, the grieving family is not receiving the necessary support from the rest of us. We hasten to add that a lady, Janet Bandu, is also unaccounted for - having gone on the merrymaking with Castro.

Ghanaians, it would appear, grieved for only a day or two following which dozens of jokes trivializing what should be a very serious issue are flooding the social media.

We are beginning to appreciate the fear expressed by some observers that Ghanaians have lost their sense of piety, although the sense of piety has been part of our culture since time immemorial.

Although we are unable to declare the duo dead – since their remains have not been located – it is amazing that many have done so already and poking fun into it.

We condemn this weird passion in no uncertain terms and plead that when we are dealing with such subjects as disaster or death, we take note of our cultural sentiments.

The days following the sad news about the disappearance of Castro have come with worrying jokes either in cartoon forms or textual attempts at humourising what is a very serious matter.

Death, it seems, no longer means what it used to mean in our cultural setting. Are we losing tenets of our Ghanaian culture?

In the course of coining jokes about Castro, the late President John Evans Atta Mills and even Komla Dumor, have been included in a cartoon making the rounds on social media.

It is so weird that for some of us, it is unworthy of watching. The cartoon features the late President Mills chatting with Castro, suggesting that the latter is dead and is in the land of the dead. The late President Mills is presented telling Castro that he was not being expected, as Komla Dumor stands watching.

He is seen also asking about President John Mahama.

This is an uncanny joke which does not speak well about us as a people. This is a disturbing novelty in this country and the earlier we came out of it the better.

Just yesterday those behind such diabolical and drab jokes unfurled another one: a canned fish with the label 'Castro' impressed on it. The origin of manufacture is represented by 'Made In Ada.'

Those behind this diabolic production should be ashamed of themselves. Let us return to the days of being our brothers' keepers and genuinely sharing in their joy and grief.

Fake fetish priests and other so-called spiritualists are also having field days with various theories bordering largely on fairy tales.

Shouldn't we be mindful about the sentiments of the parents of the disappeared persons?