ETHNICITY AND TRIBALISM: SUBSTITUTE FOR RACISM

Sometime ago, I watched the Oprah Winfrey’s show. This was about racism and how far America had come since then. In this special edition, people were trying to trace out their roots/past. It was really exciting to watch especially considering the fact that some black Americans traced their past to some typically white American states and even families. In the course of the programme, there was something she said that caught my attention: ‘The current generation of Americans is the most colourblind’. Colourblind in this case was with reference to race. Yes, the almighty RACISM.

After watching this, I began relating this to our beloved country, Ghana and even our continent. Can this statement be related to us? Although in our case we might not find the word racism appropriate but how about substitute words like ETHNICITY/TRIBALISM? Is the current generation of Ghanaians the most colourblind when it comes to ethnicity/tribalism? Be your own judge!

Within our country, this is a subject that most people discuss but do so cautiously. This is so because it is a very sensitive issue, one that evokes a lot of mixed feelings. People have all sorts of prejudice against various ethnic groups. I sometimes wonder what the true crime lays in belonging to one ethnic group or the other. Is it a crime to be an Ashanti, Fante, Ewe, Frafra, Dagaaba, Ga, Akyem, etc? We do not come from the same ethnicity and so what? Was it by choice? Absolutely not!

Yes, all ethnic groups have their histories, some interesting than others but as is called, history and hence belongs to the past. It has happened already and cannot be reversed. We should all be proud of who we are and wherever we come from because that defines us.

In a world with a history of how people fought tooth and nails just to gain equal rights and acceptance as human beings, why then should this continue to be a problem among us Africans and Ghanaians?

We know of the colonial days of how our people were taken captives into foreign countries and enslaved. We also know of how with time, they fought to abolish this. Yes, although some westerners found slavery amusing, we also know that others never endorsed this and so fought hard against it. Finally, slaves were given equal rights and citizenship. It has been several years down the lane but with such issues, time is of essence and although the stigma is not completely lost, a lot of progress has been made. That is why we find ourselves socializing and making good friends with foreign countries. Why then can’t the Ghanaian do the same?

I am a Fante and do not find it amusing sometimes when I hear what others think and have to say about Fantes. Within the southern part of the country, people have various prejudices against each other. For our people from the northern parts of the country, the situation is worse. People whether out of sheer ignorance have all sorts of crazy impressions or ideas about them. Some of these are founded but sometimes hearsay alone is not enough. Alternatively, people from the northern part also have some ugly impressions about those from the southern part. Yes, I acknowledge the fact that people have had bitter experiences and hence these prejudices but how much longer must we hold on to these bitter ordeals and keep reminiscing? We call a part of Ghana south or north for geographical reasons; must these same labels be tagged on to people?

I have been privileged enough to have lived in the Upper West region of the country and I must say I know no difference at all. Whether in Wa or in Takoradi, I am at home. In fact, I enjoy my visits to the Upper West a lot because I enjoy their good company whenever I visit and do have a lot of friends there. I have come to love and respect these people and for that, never hesitate to defend their ethnicity whenever the opportunity presents itself. Basically, I am a Ghanaian, which is all that matters to me. A lot of us do have friends and even best friends from different ethnicities, are they as the stories say they are? A lot of us do travel far and wide, are all the stories about the various ethnic groups true? People do have good stories of the help they have received from people outside their ethnicity and also the hell they have received from those within their ethnicity, can’t lessons be learnt from these?

Although we do not stop to consider the effects of these labels of ethnicity on our existence, it is in actual fact more deadly than the most deadly disease or virus even known to man.

Talk about intermarriages and one cannot phantom the damage ethnicity/tribalism has caused. I am sure if a survey were to be conducted, we will be amazed to find out the root cause of most broken homes, failed marriages, promiscuity, infidelity, etc, is as a result of forced marriages originating from tribalism. Is marriage not supposed to be about making compromises? Is it not supposed to be about finding someone who cares enough, someone whose company you find comfortable, someone who is responsible? Can all these qualities only be found within one ethnicity?

Looking at our businesses, how many viable business ideas have been lost on tribal grounds? If we want to attain the development that we want as a nation, we should not carry these tribal sentiments into our work and businesses. Unqualified labour is used all the time due to this problem since people find it safe considering their own. What has become of the statement: ‘The devil you know is better than the angel you do not know’? What has become of ‘giving the benefit of a doubt’?

Even in our mundane politics, the story is no different. We vote for people from our tribes/ethnicity all the time although we know very well their abilities and inabilities. The end results of this, your guess is as good as mine.

Extending this to religion, the question becomes: what is the essence of religion and spirituality? In religion, we are told that all are one in the sight of God but how practical is this? At church/mosque, we all sit together as one. No one knows or thinks of racial differences. Is that all hypocrisy? There is no need to pretend because as we always say: God is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. He knows it all and sees it all. We must be true to ourselves.

From our personal experiences, we know the damaging effects of this disease, why then must we preach these same words to our children. Why must we pass on this terrible disease to our children although not hereditary? Children can never tell the difference. They are only able to do so based on what we tell them. They grow to tell the difference from the information we feed them. If we are teaching our children to grow up into good and responsible citizens, must we then teach them to set tribal barriers? Are we teaching our children to set boundaries? We are causing ourselves more harm than good.

In a world where all are striving to live together in harmony, let us try to do away with these outdated tribal sentiments. Whether a Fante, Ga, Ashanti, Akyem, Frafra, Dagaaba, Fulani, etc, God created us all equal. It is not up to us to rate ourselves supreme or more significant than others. What do we gain from being ethnocentric? If you are such a person, especially educated and still carry and preach this message; that is rather unfortunate!

Just as Oprah said, let us all bring up a generation that will look beyond racial/tribal sentiments. That will be the best legacy you can ever leave or pass on to your child.

We always look out for remote causes to our problems but the solutions are all around us. We try to find faults in anything. Must we find faults where there is none? To find fault with people, we quickly resort of tribalism. Where does he/she come from? Then the follow up becomes: No wonder!

We must be careful not to pass judgment on what we do not understand. We should not create division when it is not needed. When you die, whether an Akan, Ewe, etc, we all shall go six feet into the grave.

Tribalism is only of relevance when you want to establish your root and so we should all be proud of who we are and where we come from. Beyond that, I do not see the relevance. After all, we are all Ghanaians, Africans, human beings and God’s children. We must learn to coexist and tolerate each other.