Dare To Be The Last Tree Of Your Generation

Growing up in the village, storytelling was one of the unique things we experienced every evening especially when the moon was at its youthful stage where it could bright every corner of the village. Among the numerous stories we were told, there is this particular one which still races through my mind every day. My late step mum told me an intriguing story that in the days of yore, man was living in the forest amidst wild animals and enemies.

To escape danger, man resorted to caves and trees as shelter and the trees seemed to be more secured because they were thick and tall that no wild animal could climb. Eventually the trees became the home of man. But with civilization, man decided to build houses and they began to cut down the trees in the forest to build. Poco a poco, all the trees in the forest were cut down and it was left with only one tree. The whole place became bare, all water bodies dried up, the little animals in the forest died and man was finding it difficult to survive. Finally, a collective decision was taken that the last tree shouldn’t be touched. They collected the seeds of the last tree and started planting them in the bare land and eventually they created a bigger forest which was rich and beautiful than the former.

Currently, Ghana and many African countries find themselves in this same situation. Our natural resources are depleted but that is not my major concern today; my concern has to do with people who have created a system that is so corrupt and spoilt that we need some last trees to change the system. The last trees must be born from the current generation. We need some last trees that will stand up and change the status quo. We need some last trees that won’t allow the system to change them but will change the system despite the accusation and pains. We need some last trees that will call to discipline and stand themselves above standards and whirl their attitude towards sacrifice to our country. We need some last trees that will eradicate corruption and bear great fruits and seeds that can feed many people and create a new forest (country). We need some last trees that will stand up against the abnormal system we have created which we keep on deceiving ourselves into believing that it’s normal.

In the history of America, they had a great last tree, Martin Luther King Jnr. He stood against a system and created a new forest that brought both blacks and whites under one roof; he was the last tree of his generation. In the history of India, they had a last tree, Mahatma Gandhi. He stood against a system and liberated the people of India; he was the last tree of his generation. In the History of South Africa, they also had a last tree, Nelson Mandela who stood against a distasteful system and created a new forest that brought the people of South Africa together. And I ask myself, where are the last trees of our generation? We need some last trees in our generation that will stand against these messed and corrupt systems and create a new forest that will make our people prosperous.

I have pledged to be the last tree of my generation and I want people like you to join hands with me albeit the last trees must be watered with knowledge, skills, and the will to sacrifice for our country. I believe in you that our generation is capable of doing anything, capable of doing everything and even capable of doing nothing. Dare to be the last tree of your generation and trust me we shall overcome. “We are not children of a lesser god”

Ntenhene Felix, ( [email protected] ) KNUST.