AFRICA AND HER DICTATORS

Ever since my English literature class in my third year at the university, the poem “Look on His Works” by A.A Amoako has never left my memory. This splendid piece of literature was about Saddam Hussein. A.A Amoako started this poem, with the words; “The world loved to hate this Dictator and knew him more by his first name. A son of Adam, Adamant in his policies… He built adamantine walls around his foes……”

Yes, our world surely loves to hate its dictators. We only have to label someone as a dictator whether deserving or undeserving, and sooner or later, everyone learns to hate.

In a nation like Ghana, which cannot seem to find a leader who possesses the willpower to lead this nation higher, could a dictator not perhaps solve our problems? In all truth and fairness, who is a dictator? Can this word be defined solely based on terror or tyranny? Indeed, our society and livelihood, somewhat depends on fear because fear sometimes keeps people in check. It is the fear of a consequence that keeps people on the right. Is it always negative?

In our homes, we are all Saddams, Gaddafis, Mubaraks, in disguise. We are the terror of our homes. At our work places, it is no different. Most people thrive on dictatorship! Nonetheless, we are still loved and cherished because our loved ones and admirers understand that it is necessary. When people lack discipline, the disciplinarian, becomes a hero.

Several dictators have been killed by so-called Anti-corruption forces, at a cost, well known to us all. Who made them Anti-corruption, when they are themselves no saints? Today, these countries lie in peril and deprivation. Men like Saddam Hussein, Mohammed Al-Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, including our very own Dr. Kwame Nkrumah had certain qualities that cannot be matched up to, by leadership of today. They laboured to see their countries flourish, independently, without the interference or contribution of our so-called donor nations and have each paid the ultimate price.

Africa keeps sinking to all forms of dictatorship and yet, rather hypocritically, we cry foul to our own. For a fact, any loan or form of aid this continent has received has always come with a condition. Our governments are being told what to do all the time. Is there any better form of dictatorship?

The only true crime committed by our dictators is self-reliance and self-sufficiency!

Until recently, Egypt had a booming economy. One morning however, people had a sudden awakening that told them otherwise, and so, began a mighty crusade to get rid of their dictator. The country now lies in peril with more unrest, each day; they cannot seem to find a suitable leader. It so happened in great Libya; the envy of all! In the Libya of today however, not even the shadows of the past can be traced. The same goes for Iraq, Syria, to mention but a few.

Clearly, democracy has worked wonders for most nations, but again, can it work for all? Can it all be positive, considering how long it takes to reach a conclusive decision in this nation? Can democracy kill gross indiscipline and lawlessness? Can democracy truly enforce the law? Personally, I believe that democracy without its underlying responsibilities only creates convenient excuses for indiscipline. We stress on freedom and rights, without placing emphasis on responsibilities.

Most decisions taken under our current democratic governance are solely based on the views of the so-called majority in parliament; how different is that from a dictatorship? Collective dictatorship perhaps? Not all enjoy equal representation. Would dictators sit and watch as people trade off their countries? Would dictators sit and watch as people divide their countries on grounds of party politics? Would dictators sit and watch as government officials squander the nation’s wealth? Your guess is as good as mine. At least, under a dictatorship, we have a sole culprit, but under democracy, we have looters.

Like all dictators, mankind flourishes on power. We all want power! Our democratically elected leaders are walking in the exact footsteps of our dictators. How many of them listen to us? How many of them seek our approval in reaching certain decisions? The only difference is that, we actually endorse them; they have our votes; they are elected dictators!

Africa only sits and allows others to dictate to us, to hate our dictators. That is the irony of it all. We give room to democratic dictatorship! I am not here to beatify any dictator, but if indeed, there are qualities worth emulating, they deserve a bit of acknowledgement. Why are nations that brought down their dictators, still facing unrest? Were the dictators the real problem? Or was it the people themselves? Or were there external factors?

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com); esociocomm.blogspot.com, Takoradi.

GHANAIAN POLITICS OF TRIVIALISM

I am a bit concerned about Ghana. It is the reign of double standards! People are always making comparisons and justifications! People are always making excuses! Whenever I read the comments from readers, I am a bit taken aback! Whenever I read comments on features of other writers, I am generally disappointed!

Let us call a spade, a spade! Enough of the comparison! It is disappointing, when people conveniently stray from the issues confronting this nation! Instead, they trivialize it! Some even have the effrontery to request that you talk about something else! It is as though what they imagine to be important really is important.

Some time ago, I wrote about homosexuality in Ghana and received varied responses; someone requested that I rather wrote about abortion, because to the person, that was more important! Another asked me to talk about corruption! But at that moment, I needed to tackle homosexuality! On another occasion, I wrote about doctors in Ghana, and several doctors attacked me, requesting that I rather addressed the recent rent allowance of our parliamentarians because to them, that issue was more critical! But again, I needed to address our doctors!

A few days ago, I wrote about the effects of the election petition on the nation’s economy, and again, a very learned fellow, decided to read and interpret otherwise, thereby launching a huge campaign against my article; his rejoinder went viral. What was meant to be a rejoinder to my article perhaps, turned out to be riddled with insults and personal attacks. Instead of addressing the issues as they needed to be, he only saw an opportunity to attack the government, but again, I had to be the tool.

Yes, issues ought to be addressed, just like I do each day, but we need to be civil in our dealings. Clearly, whatever I addressed seemed to be trivialized by this professor. That is the Ghana of today! We used big grammar to condemn and render all pertinent issues, null and void!

Ghana continues to drown each day, despite our so-called, virtual development and growth. Do you know that in terms of world peace as ranked by the EPI, Ghana had dropped eight places and keeps dropping each year. That is how far we are retrogressing as a nation. We need to take things more seriously.

Such are the realities! I receive emails from people, packed with all kinds of demands! Everyone thinks of an issue as more important! Depending on the side of the coin you belong, we always conveniently avoid specific issues!

If you avoid a problem today, you would definitely have to confront it another day! So why postpone issues? The issues need to be addressed! I do not run a one-way train! I tackle as much as I can. Ghanaians love to avoid issues! We love to belittle every issue that does not affect us directly! It is only after we have ourselves, fallen victims that we then acknowledge the gravity or importance of the issue! Some of us are only bold enough to hit the nail exactly on the head; at least, for the sake of Ghana and posterity.

The national spirit is fast being lost! All in the name of the politics of triviality! And rather sadly, our learned friends and colleagues are no different. We constantly lead this nation further astray. How are we serving this nation with our so-called education? By robbing her?

People would always want to protect their interest! Any statement, however innocent, has to be interpreted negatively! It is always about the NPP and the NDC, to the extent that serious issues confronting this nation are being turned into petty discussions and debates! It begins with the usual comments “They! They! They!”! They? Who are the “They?”

Most of us want to see the positivity in this election petition but personally, I beg to differ. If only all of us would learn to do the right thing at the right time, there would be no need for this petition. Our actions and inactions are rapidly becoming a threat to this nation’s peace.

Our politicians are turning this nation into a battle ground, and to some, a comedian’s platform! Instead of helping to keep our ‘sinking ship’ afloat, some people seem more interested in watching, and perhaps jeering or cheering on, as the ‘ship’, and her people sink to the bottom of the ocean! Fellow Ghanaians, Ghana is the only ship we have! Let not the politics of ideology create division! Let not the politics of ideology, trivialize very important issues that need lasting solutions!

In the end, if Ghana dies today, where would we all be? Ghana is bigger than us all! It is bigger than any politician, or political party! After all, there was Ghana before bi-partisan politics!

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com); esociocomm.blogspot.com.

ELECTION PETITION; NEGATIVES OUTWEIGHED

It is obvious that the election petition is having grave repercussions on the economy of Ghana.  As a person working within the construction industry, I can feel the impact rather directly. Most contracts and projects are all pending! Most construction companies in Ghana are suffering! Workers within the industry are underemployed; people sit idle at work each day, because there is nothing to be done! Business has slowed down dramatically. Jobs are on hold for fear of the consequence of the election petition. A greater proportion of workers have been laid off, and it still continues. Workers are generally living in fear of the next day because they do not know when they would be in line for eviction.

Most contracts are pending because companies and potential investors, especially foreign, are unwilling to sign new contracts for the reason of the unknown; uncertainty. National stability is a key in any investment and business. No one would want to invest in a nation, which seems to be balancing on a scale of uncertainty. None knows who judgment might favour. And so, all live in wait. All are watching keenly. None wants to fall victim to a judgment debt saga! No one wants to be a second Wayome. 

The issue of underemployment or unemployment pertains in all sectors of the economy, and so, Ghanaians are complaining. Business is slow! There are no jobs! There is no money! In our markets, sales have declined, because there is no money.

Rather interestingly, it is as though our honourable leaders and politicians are unaware. Nothing is being done to boost this rapidly declining economy. We need an intervention of some sort. We need money. We need jobs. What is our leadership doing to make things better? 

For a fact, the election petition is having its toll on the economy. Of course, we all acknowledge the importance of the whole procedure in the area of transparency and accountability. But the question now is: How long until judgment? How long must we wait until the judgment is declared? How long must we sit idle, unemployed or underemployed, until things return to normalcy? How many more months would the country be in court? 

We need normalcy for prospective investors. We need normalcy for stability. We need our country back in order to ensure our growth and development. At the moment, everything seems to be at a standstill! Productivity in this country has rapidly declined. How long must Ghanaians endure the repercussions of the election petition? This is a question from all Ghanaians to our leaders?

I would want to believe that the whole election results re-battle is truly for the sake of promoting democracy, as has been publicly and widely acclaimed, and not solely for the selfish interest of someone or some people. We can to some extent feel the impact of this whole process on our nation’s economy, and do hope that such a somewhat unfortunate incidence, does not repeat itself because Ghana is beyond us all. Ghana continues paying the price for the atrocities that have been committed by her people. Ghanaians ought to start thinking beyond themselves, by putting the nation first.

Let us not create turmoil, where there is not. For a fact, the whole world is watching us. Ghana is a country that has found herself sandwiched between warzones, but has always managed to remain steadfast. That is our pride as a nation. Let us not take it for granted. The price of peace is negligible, when compared to the price of war or chaos. Let us not take our harmony for granted as a nation. 

We need our nation back. We need to steer this nation back on the track of progression, and not retrogression. Ghana needs us all! Our supreme court ought to fast-track the election petition because prolonging it, would kill this nation, rather than serve anything good. In Ghana today, most businesses and business plans, are created, with the election petition in focus. I am even sure that in parliament, most proceedings are taken with respect to the election petition. Whatever plans being made, are being done with the election petition in focus. The judgement is the focus. Most business negotiations now have a common condition; ‘if’. 

By far, the negatives of the election petition seem to be outweighing the positives...

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com); esociocomm.blogspot.com

AFRICA AND HER UNCELEBRATED HEROES

Have you ever listened to a tribute that made you wonder if you were actually at the right place? Wow, am I at the right funeral? Is this the same person that I know of? Because at that moment, the person sounds like a saint! And that is supposed to be the worse person we all know of! The irony of our society!

Yes, it is in death that most people are celebrated! While alive however, it is as though they do not exist! There are so many of our departed friends and relations that we constantly wish were alive with us today because if they were, we would do so many things differently. If they were alive, we would make enough time to be with them. If they were alive, we would give them all the love and support they deserved. If they were alive, we would provide them with all the material things the world can offer. If only! If only! If only! That is the prefix for our regrets. 

For a fact, Ghana has a poor track record of celebrating her heroes! In all our history, one man has always been celebrated; Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for his immense contribution to the liberation of the continent, and this country! Even for this man, the form of appreciation he received raises a huge question mark. For a fact, it has taken longer than it should for Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to receive the kind of recognition he deserves. 

What about our other heroes? This country can boast of several people who have contributed immensely to her growth and development. Quite regrettably, several of these people are departed. However, it is good to know that some are living although such are being taken for granted. It is not surprising, considering the fact that this country has a poor history of documentation. We cannot even keep track of these people, and their individual contributions! We only remember them in our tales!

In the arts and crafts, music, sciences, history, government to mention but a few, several people paved the path that most of us now tread on. People like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Steve Biko, Ama Ata Aidoo, Nadine Gordimer, Buchi Emecheta and Okot p'Bitek. The bumpy roads of the past have been paved! And yet, they only reign in the realms of literature.

Most African writers and musicians of the past were the forces of change. They were the forces that somehow steered our continent this far. They were the voices of hope and inspiration!  Had we actually listened to them, much more would have been done for this continent. But like our other heroes, they only dwell in the realm of our imaginations. For the writers, they only exist in our world of literature; for those who actually appreciate literature. 

Africans only read for reading sakes. We watch movies for entertainment. In listening to music, we only enjoy the stories, and it ends there. We sing the chorus, but never gain anything from it. We look out for the twist and turn in a novel or movie, and so, fail to grasp or appreciate the true meanings. The words of our writers only stay in books. The only literature we truly appreciate are our text books. We do not take the words of our own; unless of course, it was written by a western author. Then we would do as they say! How then do we grow?

We only love and revere professional and relationship advice. When it comes to advice that would lead to a phenomenal change of life in terms of our attitudes and behaviour, we are subjective. We must shy away from the celebration of our heroes through awards or plaques but take a deeper meaning of learning from their examples. They should inspire us.

Chinua Achebe wrote several powerful literature. Most readers only analyzed these literature for the sakes of literature appreciation but never take lessons. There are underlying truths that should inspire us. We only attack the characters, but fail to recognize them in us, and in our society. Africa is failing, because Africans prefer to take advice elsewhere. Our writers in the past were forces of change and our literature, the tools.

Indeed there is some truth to the assertion that ‘If you want to hide something from the African, put it in a book.’

I write each day to inspire a change in our attitudes as a people but as always, what do people say when they see an article of mine online?  ‘Oh, here is another article by Anna Esi Hanson. Let’s see what she has to say today. Oh, here is another article, what does it say.’ We only read, and move on to the next page. We take no lessons. Those who respond to our articles are disappointingly more interested in attacking the writer, than the issue highlighted. 

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com), Takoradi; esociocomm.blogspot.com

THE BLACKMAN: THE AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE

In Ghana, Bibini blackman, is a popular comment that often pops out of people’s lips during conversations. It usually comes with a negative sting. Whenever Africans meet to share stories of their disappointment and betrayal by their families and friends of African descent, it usually ends with the statement, ‘Blackman’. When we encounter people who are unwilling to embrace any form of positive change, we usually say ‘Bibini Blackman’. And by and by, the word Blackman sounds so negative.

But in the Ghanaian Akan parlance, can ‘Bibini’ be exactly synonymous to ‘Blackman’?

I sometimes wonder what the definition of black has now become because when I examine the complexion of my African brothers and sisters, I do not see the black that we are labeled as. I see people of varied complexion, and not necessarily dark or black as we are all labeled as. A greater proportion of Africans in our various countries can attest to this. And yet, we are still referred to as black. I believe someone somewhere is colour-blind.

I believe the African was racially referred to as black in a bid to lower our self-esteem, and not really for our complexion. It is more for the usual stigma with which people identify the colour black; darkness, evil, shame, destitute, sickness, poverty, grief, hopelessness, to mention but a few.

Although an African and a proud one at that, I would prefer to be called an African than the usual word ‘Black’. Yes, we tell ourselves, that black is good, black is beautiful. Black is natural. Of course, that is only a consolation. In truth, we live in perpetual fear of darkness. Indeed, anything negative, we do, is done under the cover of darkness.

I am proudly an African. I might be referred to as black, although my complexion might not necessarily be so. But what is proud about the colour black itself?

Our world has made it so. When someone wears anything black, we first ask if they have been bereaved; yes, it is a colour of mourning. When we encounter bad days, we label them as black e.g. black Friday, black Tuesday, to mention but a few. When we picture hell, we picture darkness; at least, the good book tells us so. When we talk about shame and anything sad, terrible or evil, we only paint them in black. Most people are afraid of their own shadows; because it is dark and scary! We loathe darkness! Darkness is sinister, mysterious or gloomy; no one wants that.

How then can black be good? How then can black be anything worth being proud of when we continually make such remarks as ‘The black mentality’?

Is then surprising that some Africans these days prefer to bleach? Oh yes, they hate their complexion!

As Africans, whenever we talk about backstabbing friends, relations, betrayal, we only lament saying ‘Blackman’. And so, in our own ways, by our own actions and inactions, we further endorse the idea that anything black is negative. How then do I exclaim that black is beautiful?

Africa is known as the Dark Continent; the mention of her name, sends shivers down the spine of people and their imaginations, ablaze. Is there any positivity in that? Why is she dark? What was the rationale or criteria? Yes, Africa is known as the Dark Continent in the negative sense. We are presumably the poorest, suffer from disease infestations, war-torn, struck by hunger; it is all negative.

Who called the African ‘Black’? Was it more out of spite than complexion?

And somehow, Africans have been born to accept it. And so, we call ourselves black, together with anything negative. And for that, we keep attracting negative energies. We embrace all things negative. For that, the continent suffers from deprivation, underdevelopment, pandemics, poverty, to mention but a few. It has been embedded in our psychology, and for that, the continent suffers. We are told that Africa and for that matter, Africans cannot do well for ourselves, and so, we keep depending on foreign economies. Africa cannot fend for herself. We cannot even decide on our own. We cannot even feed ourselves! Oh you African, wise up!

This article is not to promote any form of hatred or racially motivated attacks. It is only meant to evoke our thoughts.

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com), Takoradi; esociocomm.blogspot.com