REJOINDER: ‘Is Twi developed enough to become a National Language?’

On the 25th of May, 2012, I logged onto myjoyonline.com, clicked my way to the opinion section and an article with the title: “Is Twi Developed Enough to become a National Language?” caught my curiosity-piqued eyes.

I immediately wrote an article to air my personal views and also to attempt answering the original writer's question: Is Twi Developed Enough to become a National Language?”

The article response I wrote and posted to Joy Fm (titled Re: Is Twi Developed Enough to become a National Language?) has generated a little above average response. And certain comments by certain readers had me thinking; are we so emotionally rush that we can take other people's words at face value and misunderstand them?

I asked the above question simply because a few readers in their comments accuse me of promoting tribalism when I said or wrote something like this: “How many speakers of non-Twi languages will be prepared to relegate their own tongues into third position or disband it completely and go learn “somebody else's lingua? Prejudice, pride, possible elitism, misconceptions—they are all things that may arise if a particular language (whether Twi, Ewe, Ga or Hausa) is pushed ahead of the others for consideration as a second national language or the first and ultimate.

Now, when I used these words: prejudice, pride, possible elitism and misconception; I honestly wasn't trying to promote tribal sentiments.

This is the naked truth: making one local language national can cause certain tribes (a few ignorant and uneducated members of these tribes) to become jealous or resent the chosen language and tribe; think prejudice and misconceptions.

This is another naked truth: making one local language national can cause the chosen tribe (a few ignorant and uneducated members of this tribe) to become pompous, prideful and even think themselves as being more Ghanaian than others—a characteristic which is identifiable with some of our politicians.

And here I have to repeat again: I wasn't seeking to promote tribal sentiments. I was only airing my views and opinions, and of course, I may be wrong.

Now, may I also add that making one local language national has been an idea circulating since Ghana attained independence? A reader asked about that. And my I also add that, if a true Ghanaian language should be made national it may not necessarily be Twi (which is without doubt, the most widely spoken)? It should be a language which is unpolluted with non-indigenous or foreign words and is rich in content. Ga, Hausa ad Ewe are possibilities. Of course, Twi still remains the best option, provided we can work on it and develop it enough.

But I'm still doubtful and will never be in favour of such a thing. Why not retain the English? The people who we now know as English (the natives of England); they are also not speaking their own language. English, historically, does not belong to the people we now know as native English speakers. It is a Germanic language.

Now, assuming we can make Twi national (after decades of codifying and pruning out foreign invaders from it), what next? How long will it take us to translate all the good, better and best literature, scientific and technological books into our so called new national language?

I personally think such a thing should never be done. Let's retain the status quo. Or, better still; let's divide Ghana into federal states like it is in the US. Then, every region-state shall make its own choice.

Personally, I'm comfortable with speaking two differing local languages, but never will I accept any of them as a national language. I am a free citizen and will forever enjoy lingua freedom. I have the right to speak and write the languages I want. You do what you like.

Let me retain my lingua freedom; or let me no more a free citizen be.