June 4 Uprising, A Wake Up Call To Ghana's Leaders

It is yet another year. Forty (40) years ago, Ghana was described by so many adjectives depending on the position of the describers. Others saw that day as a black day, others described it as the happiest day ever since they were born. We witnessed an appreciable number of Ghanaians showered praises on H.E Jerry John Rawlings for taking that action while relatives of the victims were cursing him. What exactly did he do? He led a handful of young junior members of the Ghana Armed Forces to wage war against the corrupt lifestyles of the senior officers forty years ago.

Today is exactly forty (40) years and the event is being celebrated on the theme: "Developing A National Character For Sustainable Good Governance". This is a powerful and timely theme well crafted for today's occasion. The very foundation for so many failures in this country was and is still corruption. On June 4, this famous uprising shook the very foundation of this country. An "event of popular though violent uprising" was launched, targeted at correcting the evils-and-ills of the rulers who were accused of amalgamation of corruption, black markerteering, smuggling, bad governance, complete lack of discipline and integrity in the leadership cum frustration, hopelessness and desperation among the entire citizenry. A replica of what is happening now. The nation's moral fibre was at its lowest ebb and was in dire need of a brave, strong and just person like H.E. Rawlings to reignite and lift up the nation's moral fibre so that the ordinary citizens could feel inclusive in the nation's governance.

As brave as he was, the event that was targeted at restoring the dignity of the ordinary man and woman cum chastising people who had openly practised corruption, which was at its crescendo and was given blessings by the ruling class, the public received this long-awaited intervention wholeheartedly because it was undoubtedly going to rescue the country from the wanton rot it was experiencing.

The commemoration of this event today reminds us of the values the events carries. The slogan of this memorable event is Probity, Accountability and Transparency. These are the values that are conspicuously missing in our country now resulting in perpetual hardship among the ordinary Ghanaians, the reason why I think that the theme for today's occasion explicitly fits the situation we are experiencing now. The very few persons whose parents were in the forefront with a few lucky once are those who are at the helm of affairs now. They are the only people who do not experience the hardship in the country. The vast majority of Ghanaians who found themselves in the lower class are wallowing in abject poverty meanwhile they are the people who work harder and pay the taxes. Their basic needs are not even met and they do not have the freedom to speak their mind and go unharmed. What a sad situation we find ourselves in! Ghanaians must not allow our present circumstances to cow us into perpetual silence.

These among other things were what called for the house-cleansing exercise initiated by this brave but selfless man, "Junior Jesus". At the time things were hard and people were lamenting, agitating for new political, economic and social transformation just like what is happening now, was what called for a house-cleansing exercise, political awakening and restoration of hope and dignity.

This day of transformation though sad to others is being celebrated yearly to remind and instill the true values of the day in to the youth for a better country.

The youth must see this day as a day of fortification. We must allow our spirits to be rekindled by this historic day.

Ghanaians must demonstrate the spirit of bravery. Speak up now to redirect the direction of our beloved country. The country is derailing from its core values and customs. The silence in this country is too loud. The corruption is deep rooted in our systems. Greed and wickedness are deteriorating this country. The rich are becoming richer and the poor, poorer. Why should it be so when the poor is not lazy? Our leaders must rethink and change their way of leadership. The ordinary Ghanaian must sit back, rethink and change their attitude. This day calls for serious retrospection and adjustment. The day serves as a projector that magnifies the true values of the country. We must learn lessons by reflecting on what happened forty years ago.

Sincerely speaking, if you look at the numerical strength of the country's age, it does not commensurate with the level of development of the country. The lives of the citizens has not been improved in any way. Just a few persons are living standard lives. We are now in a country where some people are more humans than others when we are all from the same country. So where exactly are we going with this animal's farm kind of lifestyle?

It is a home fact that Ghana is in coma and today reminds us of the Ghana's day of awakening that has become Ghana's day of waking up from the slumber in which it is. This therefore informs us of the level of transformation we need as a country.

Ghana needs a total revolution and I think the event of June 4 has the spirit of revolution to still in the young ones. We can not continue to wallow in abject poverty. We can not continue to compete with animals for water at the rivers and streams. We can not continue to lose our pregnant women on unmotorable roads. We can not continue to lose our children for inadequate health care centers and lack of drugs. Meanwhile, the people we entrusted our power onto fly themselves, their children and family to abroad for better health care services and better education leaving us to die like fowls in our poorly established hospitals and schools. Let us rise up. Let's speak up. Enough is enough!

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