Isn’t It High Time The Prodigal Ghana Renegotiates It’s Independence From The British Colonial Rule?

“Now Ghana, our beloved country is free forever” Dr. Nkrumah emotionally said. When he made this profound statement, our would-be great grandparents, grandparents and parents went into raptures; However, I always get confused whenever I compare the uproar in the footages after that declaration and the prevailing conditions in the country 60years after the same. I sometimes wonder whether ‘free forever’ is synonymous to ‘terror and suffering forever’; if also because of the several lives that would be lost as a result of the several military disruptions that ensued. Such that, 60years on, we are now boasting of maintaining 24 continuous years of political stability.

As our wise elders say “but if you hate a duiker, not it’s swiftness”. The whole world fought and vehemently opposed the apartheid in south Africa until their late attainment of independence in the early nineties, but compare their level of development vis-à-vis the development of Ghana and see how dwarfed ours is, with all our first black African nation to attain independence mantra.

Just take a look at areas like Cantonments, Labone and all the British designed areas, and compare them with areas like Agbobloshie, Bukom and the many other slums created by our own Ghanaian natives, and pass your own judgement. Again, consider the design of schools like Achimota School and the University of Ghana, and personally assess if the colonial masters left nothing we can emulate. Indeed formal education, the potent tool that bridges the gap between the rich and the poor is their handiwork.

Interesting enough, even Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who declared the so-called independence, acquired all his political models and/or ideologies during his stay abroad. He acquired all his advanced school certificates from schools in the U.S.A and the land of his colonial masters, who, he would immediately expedite the already initiated processes to wrestle power from, upon his return.

It is also worthy to underscore the fact that within the stable, although shockingly long overdue, 4^th republican dispensation, only one of our presidents; namely, Flt. Lt. J.J Rawlings, acquired all his educational qualification in Ghana. Ironically though, he alone would get unto the apex seat through a military coupe, before the formation of the 1992 constitution, after which he got democratically elected.

Leaders come and leaders go, but the story of our beloved country remains the same. Now I strongly believe that had the British not come to colonize us, we would still be walking naked today. No leader is willing to change the status quo, except to grab all the titles in the world and amass as much wealth as possible before they are voted out for the others to come and enjoy the same!

Which western nation will beg illegal gold miners and give them ultimatum to speed up with the criminality and accumulate as much gold as possible before the deadline, beyond which the already existing laws would then be enforced? Come to think of it, how could a Chinese ambassador threaten us to refrain from talking about their illegal gold mining nationals, or else incur their wrath to end their donor support, which is far below the wealth those perpetrators accumulate from perpetrating those illegalities? Only Africa!

I am tempted at times to share the idea of those, who are of the view that we go back to renegotiate with the British, just like what the prodigal son in the bible did when he came back to his senses, telling them we are sorry. They should forgive us and take us back. And tell them to give us some of their fringe economic players to come down here and manage the country for 50 years, and share we the citizenry among the EU nations and America, after which we can come back for resettlement if we so wish.

In any case, most of our citizens are already in a hurry to acquire citizenship of more advanced countries with the least opportunity. We even scandalously topped the recent rankings as the country with the highest American lottery applicants. And even our leaders, who are supposed to lead the way; do not miss the opportunity to take their wives to America to deliver their kids so as to automatically acquire their citizenship. But had the founding fathers of America also shied away from developing their countries, would acquiring their citizenship be attractive to us today?...hmmm

Even though our leaders have taken us for ransom, there are some others, who, in their own small ways have contributed immensely to the course of mother Ghana. For example, I remember the utmost level of sacrifice and patriotism that Supt. Salifu Dagarti, demonstrated to maintain the unity of the nation, when he threw himself in the way to take the bullet aimed to assassinate the then president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. I also remember the likes of Prof. Adu Boahen, who led the movement who advocated for the end of the culture of silence in a very hostile environment. Again, I remember Yaa Asantewaa; a woman, who did not sit unconcerned when her people were in captive, but rose up, took the bull by the horn and liberated them.

These people among a legion of many others always gives me hope and belief that there are still patriotic individual who can sacrifice through thick and thin, like the founding fathers of the westerners, to form a solid foundation for the unborn generations.

Email address: [email protected]
A concerned citizen.