Dr. Nii Adjei Kraku ll, the Industrial city King has proposed himself for an interesting role as an Ambassador of Ghana’s main national emblem – the National Flag.
“It has been said several times that low levels of patriotism and national love can best be seen in the long train of our youth who queue before embassies of foreign nations in our country ready to leave, but I disagree; I think that the pathetic levels of low patriotism can better be seen in the way we treat our national flag.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency on Patriotism, the Tema Mantse said he had developed a strong sense of national duty to protect and sanitise the red, gold and green national colours because of wretched treatment that the emblem had come to suffer at the hands of fellow citizens.
“Just go around our public institutions, including those at Ministries and see how the National Flag is treated…it is very sad,” Nii lamented.
Among others, he said that worn out, torn and seriously disheveled pieces of the flag were a common sight around the country, a situation that he said did not augur well for the image of the country and lamented that the kind of shabby treatment being given the national flag was a recent phenomenon that had come to characterise the absolute lack of national love.
“During the days of our true national heroes, especially Kwame Nkrumah, we gave the flag the respect that it deserved, but unfortunately, those days seem to have now been lost on us,” Nii lamented.
He said if he was made a brand Ambassador of the flag, he would work to restore its dignity and make it a rallying point for the restoration of patriotism around the country.
“Look around at nations which have strong national cohesion and sense of nationality, like the USA and you would realise that their flag is a highly respected emblem that immediately evokes solemnness when it is raised. It used to be like that in Ghana as well…I want those days back.”
The Tema Mantse also congratulated the former first couple of the land, President Rawlings and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings for being what he said, ambassadors of the sanctity of marriage.
According to him, the love that was on display at the recent commemoration of the 70th birthday of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was heartwarming and exemplary. “The former first gentleman and lady of the land had shown all of us that true love is still possible in these days of unfaithfulness.
“I will urge all of us, especially the youth to learn from the first couple and endeavour to improve the current situation where marriages collapse even just after weeks,” Nii said.
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