Language and Unity: Embracing Diversity for a Stronger Ghana

Fellow Ghanaians,
Everywhere in the world, the largest ethnic group often speaks the most widely spoken language. In Ghana, that language is Twi.

But let us be clear: Twi does not belong only to the Asante. It is spoken by the Denkyira, the Wassa, the Twifo, the Assin, the Adansi, the Ahafo the Akwapim, the Akyem and the people of Brong-Ahafo.

And yet too often one group claims credit for the whole Akan culture. This creates resentment. It divides us. It weakens us.

The Twi language, for example, did not begin with just one group. It began with the Bono and the Denkyira. Our culture is shared, and it belongs to us all.

My friends, the dominance of the Akan language is a reality. If Ghana were to choose a national language, Twi would be the obvious choice. But instead of fighting over this, let us be proud of it.

Isn’t it strange that we embrace English, a colonial language, with open arms yet fight one another over our own African language?

Look to East Africa. In Tanzania, with all its ethnic diversity, Kiswahili unites the people. They are not bitter. They are proud. Why can’t we do the same?

If the Ga, the Ewe, the Dagomba, and every other group want their culture to shine, they must teach it at home, pass it to their children, and celebrate it not by tearing others down, but by lifting their own heritage up.

Because when we fight over language, when we fight for attention, we play a dangerous game. A game that, if unchecked, can one day lead to tribal war. And that, my brothers and sisters, would be a great tragedy.

We are one people. We have one destiny. Our true enemy is not each other. Our true enemy is poverty. Our true enemy is inequality. Our true enemy is underdevelopment.

So let us stop fighting ourselves. Let us stand together. Let us use our diversity as a weapon for unity, not division.

Because united, we rise. Divided, we fall.
By : Richard Tawiah