Ghanaian rapper and Tourism Ambassador, Okyeame Kwame has spoken against plans by government to make French the nation’s second official language.
According to Kwame, the move is disrespectful to the pride and culture of Ghana.
“French as a second language is disrespectful to our pride and culture, it is bad enough that our first language is another person’s language,” he stated on Twitter.
The Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey had earlier said at the 2019 La Francophonie week that the government is ready and committed to making French as a second language.
“We believe that the extensive teaching and learning of French will inure to the benefit of Ghana as we are bordered by three Francophone countries; namely, Togo, Burkina Faso and La Cote d’Ivoire”, the Foreign Minister stressed.
But Okyeame Kwame is unhappy with the decision saying “what is wrong with making one of our languages our first language?”
The argument of using a local language as our official national language has been going on for a long time.
Some people have suggested using Twi but the argument is which language would represent the whole nation.
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Which one of our local languages are you suggesting?
OK, from a nationalist point of view, I can understand but until we know the reason behind this decision u cannot just object. Talking from business point it is a very laudable idea since it opens all of Africa and especially the west African coast to transact business. We are talking of abt 300,000,000 people that we can ve access to through business, this is massive. I can only support the decision if the reason is biz.
Those making noise about why french is chosen to be our second language, have they also ask themselves have we been able to produce or invent anything in our local language. Even common keyboard or mouse we are not able to do it. those that are refusing to speak any language are able to produce their own things and use them. The CHINES, RUSSIANS SPANISH, FRENCH,can produce their own things and use them. so if they are making this argument we can understand Them.
it would be nice to have one of our local dialects as a second language but severals factors arre to be considered who choosing. As a country, the more self dependent you are, the more command your language has because other countries will have to come to you for trade and therefore they rather have to learn your language. this is the reason why the developed countries want to speak their own languages .our case is however different. we always go to them to buy our raw materials so and seek better lives so how can we refuse to learn their language. if we had made our economy lucrative and tgey end up chasing us for trade terms, then their language wont be important to us. so until we are developed or self reliant, our language just as our currency will remain weak. And least I forget, we ghanaians are too tribalistic the moment one of our local languages is to be made official, other tribes will rise against it and it will even turn to political hulaballoo by the then opposition party. thats how far we've stained ourselves with tribalism and politics.
In Ghana the ***barred word*** are loudest. Even our currency is worth nothing the moment you cross the borders of the country, how much more language? All the countries around us are French speaking. If Okyeame Kwame could sing in French, his market and fun base would be sky rocketing by now. You need language to penetrate a certain market space because the Ghanaian market space is just not enough. People like Okyeame Kwame can stay satisfied with their Kumasi fun base but they should not push their ignorance to those thinking regional and global.
OK - you right. We have no pride in ourselves. I almost wept when I heard the government’s proposal. We are frocking Africans and not French. You go to France and the fricking french do not want to speak English, why? Because they are proud. It is criminal to force an African child to learn foreign languages at the expense of his own. I agree with you O.K. Well said.
Yes, the Chinese are using their own language but to @Frewa also knows that Mandarin is their first language but because their neighbours are Cantonese speaking country, China teaches at school Cantonese as well. Some of you do not know and will not understand the power of language. Okyeame Kwame, can you tell which of our local languages do you want us tom use. The world is now a global space so learn something or stop this attitude of knowing all.
U DRESS LIKE A CLOWN AND U THINK U R MORE AFRICAN THAN EVERY BODY ELSE, LETS GET REAL WE LIVE IN A GLOBAL VILLAGE SO A SECOND OR THIRD LANGUAGE OPEN DOORS AND OPPORTUNITIES, U GUYS SHOULD STOP SINGING IN ENGLISH, AND DROP ALL YOUR ENGLISH NAMES
Ghana why!!!! When the Chinese are using their own language to make a lot of inventions we are now looking up to French. What for ?
TWI MUST BE THE SECOND LANGUAGE IN GHANA. ALMOST EVERY CORNER OF GHANA YOU WILL BE AMAZED HOW PEOPLE WHO HVE NOT SET FOOT IN ASHANTI SPEAK THE TWI LANGUAGE. AS A MATTER OF FACT TWI SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUR FIRST LNGUGE AND ENGLISH SECOND!