“Black keys of the piano give good sounds and the white keys too, but it’s the combination of the two that gives the best melody”…That’s one of the famous quotes of Dr. James Kwegyir Aggrey.
The celebrated intellectual, missionary and teacher made a significant speech during a mission to South Africa to improve Africa’s education.
Significant as this was and to whom he was addressing, this powerful statement is relevant in today’s world and most especially in Ghana’s case where almost every issue is heavily politicized with its negative consequences.
Surviving Elderly statesmen, like K B Asante, who witnessed the enthusiasm, level of patriotism and the high expectations when Ghana gained Independence are yearning for a bold initiative to set the stage for collective effort to accelerate national development. Their wish as we all pray for is a country with committed citizens working in unity to achieve one common goal.
The 59th Independence Day celebration last Sunday was splendid. First attendance was great, political party leaders were fully represented, our rich tradition was fully at display from the colourful clothes people wore, the atmosphere was relaxed as security personnel and others on parade treated guests to excellent drills.
It was one unifying moment and the exchange of pleasantries among the political elite sent strong signals of hope to Diplomats and foreign dignitaries present.
Pictures of President John Mahama sharing jokes with Nana Akufo Addo, leader of the largest opposition party and acting NPP Chairman, Freddie Blay are all over social media. Television cameras showed Nana Addo seated with and having a hearty chat with other political party leaders such as Ivor Greenstreet of the CPP, GCPP’s Dr Henry Lartey and Madam Akua Donkor Founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party.
It was a similar scene at where two former Presidents, Jerry Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings of the NDP sat with President John Mahama and some NDC national executives and government appointees.
The rare opportunity and body language reassures the populace. But we must build on it and set the ball rolling for all to revisit the pledge made when Ghana marked its Golden Jubilee. The general consensus then was that we had been indolent for so long, and we needed to wake up and chart a common course for our national development.
The time has come for all Ghanaians, led by national statesmen, political party leaders, the academia, think tanks, NGOs, the media to sing one chorus. Ghana is for all of us and we must be build it together. We should not allow politics of divisiveness, deliberate undermining and wish for one’s downfall to drive our course.
59 years on, pessimists feel we have failed as a nation and our future is bleak. There is a long way to go, there is no doubt about that but Ghana certainly has chalked great successes and is still earns considerable respect among the League of Nations. Ghana has a very bright future, We must all endeavor to work for the peace, progress and prosperity of our beloved Ghana.
The 59th Independence Day celebration was themed, "Investing in the Youth for Ghana's Transformation." In his address, President John Mahama called for a collective effort to build a strong foundation for the children of today.
He said, "it’s our responsibility to safeguard our independence so that the nation that we leave for our children to inherit will also be free, peaceful and democratic,” According to the President, "the future we are building is situated on the grounds that our forebears broke. In the future these children who marched here today will be depending on our attitudes and actions. The successes and failures of these nations belong to all of us."
Perfectly so. All hands must be on deck now. We must look at issues from a national perspective instead of colouring them as either NDC or NPP matters; and stop the deliberate tweaking of issues to bury the truth Commentaries that unconsciously kill enthusiasm among the youth should stop. We must rather use positive language, student unions must once again be vibrant and help like the days of the June 4 Revolution when people left classrooms to carry cocoa beans and repair rail lines.
We must make Ghana proud without any reference to our political affiliations, religious backgrounds, gender or ethnicity.
Ghana has scored many firsts. The first African nation to provide peace-keeping forces to the United Nations, the first country in the world to receive Peace Corps volunteers, the first country to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup among others. Last year, it was the first to open it’s borders for the provision of humanitarian needs to transit to the affected countries in the fight against Ebola. It is not too late. The wakeup call is now.
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