We must re-invigorate the Ghanaian identity

Cape Coast, Sept. 22 GNA - A Senior Lecturer at the Centre for African and International Studies of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Mr Douglas Frimpong-Nnuroh has called on Ghanaians to re-negotiate the unique societal values and the things that identified them as Ghanaians for socio-cultural development.

He said what constituted the Ghanaian identity must be carefully analysed and also conceptualized into institutions and artifacts to be collectively owned by the Ghanaian people and to instill national pride and self-worth, unity and integration.

Mr Frimpong-Nnuroh noted that, values such as discipline, tolerance, patriotism, punctuality, integrity, honesty, accountability, courtesy and the rule of law among other things were eroding from the Ghanaian society and called for conscious efforts to restore them.

He said this when he delivered a lecture at an event organised by Creative World Ghana (CWG), an artistic development agency, in collaboration with the Centre for National Culture and the Ghana Education Service (GES), to mark this years' Founders' Day celebration in Cape Coast.

The event, which was held on the theme: Ghana at 60- Renegotiating the Ghanaian identity for socio-cultural development; a cue from Nkrumah's Pan Africanist Agenda,' brought together traditional rulers, the Academia, students and people from all walks of life.

'The starting point is the historical ties between various ethnic groups and how that can be utilised to strengthen national bonds of unity. Nkrumah's Pan African agenda started from home where he forged national integration by uniting the Ghanaian people while reaching out for continental unity' he said.

"The sad irony is that the current democratic dispensation of our country seems to be polarizing us along ethnic lines' he added.

He said by re-negotiating the Ghanaian identity, Ghanaians must respect national emblems and artifacts, uphold the 1992 constitution, be proud of and project the country and be ready to serve with integrity.

He said re-negotiating those unique Ghanaian values would bring hope for the future and help achieve the economic aspirations of the country.

Mr Frimpong -Nnuroh bemoaned that currently, the spirit of patriotism was unavailable while institutional corruption had become visible in the body politic of the country and as a result people did not care to commit crime against the state and its citizens.

Going forward, he said the country's leadership must be honest and selfless and design a well thought out national agenda for development whiles ensuring continuity of viable state projects.

He called on the officialdom of Cape Coast to honour the natives whose names were replete in the annals and historical narratives of the political history of the Gold Coast yet have not been acknowledged.

He proposed that the new Cape Coast Stadium be named after Kwegyir Aggrey while steps were taken to name the landmarks in the Cape Coast Metropolis after John Mensah Sarbah, Jacob Wilson Sey among others.

Madam Christiana Carl Oparebea, Central Regional Director of the CNC envisaged that programmes like that would leave a deep sense of pride, patriotism and collective confidence focusing on the diverse and unique culture and traditions that formed the basis of the human and material development.

Students from Junior and Senior High Schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis engaged themselves literally on the theme through poems and were presented with prizes and certificates.

GNA
By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA