My Charge: WHERE ARE THE (WISE) MEN?? Are the wise men really on vacation in Ghana or we just don’t have wise men courageous enough to be counted? Is there a leadership vacuum created by the nature of our politics? The above questions in my respectful view summarize the views expressed by the Presbyterian Moderator in a sermon not too long ago. As I listened to excerpts of the sermon as captured by the Media, I could only recall a private discussion I had with a senior Seventh Day Adventist pastor somewhere last year when he was visiting my family in Kintampo around the same issue of Leadership in our Country. In our interaction he asked a question that hit me real hard; “why do politicians think the rest of us are foolish?” Then quickly he offered his well clothed opinion about the Supreme Court verdict on the Presidential Election Petition with the remarks; “I thank God we all watched the proceedings in court live on national television. No matter what the judges said, we are convinced of what we are convinced about.” In fact as I thought of My Charge this week, I could only recount that Men of God also have express views and opinions about happenings in the Politico-Socio-Economic milieu. After all they are affected too. But do we have enough Men of God boldly sharing their thoughts? Or better still how often do we hear them air their views? Interestingly in Biblical times, it was the Men of God who offered the most critical voices to either Kings or Queens or Both – the Political Order of the times. As a nation we seem to be losing the strong moral and difference making voices when it matters most thereby allowing the manifestation in the truism of Emperor Haille Sellassie; “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” Even in our country, one can easily recall the very strong voices of come men of God in the very hectic days of military censure and brutalities on free speech, movement and association. So why have we lost these very strong voices in this democratic era which is eventually creating the kind of environment that promotes disorder and retrogression. Where are the Men to make a difference? Many have tried but ran back to their comfort zones as a result of the tongue lashing and words of abuse following their public commentary. Others have restrained their lips from airing any view at all on public matters for fear of suffering what others have suffered for venturing to speak. Yet for others, they see all these public matters as worldly issues that should be left to the followers of Mammon. Well, men no matter their calling are called to duty and responsibility. The last thing any man worthy of being called the MAN would want to be described with is to save your hide and merely attempt a gossip. When the shit hits the fan, some men run and some men stay to clean the mess. Those are the men worthy of being called MEN. Ghana is all we have. We must collectively confront our challenges and deal with them or live with them to our doom. There seem to be much of shirking of responsibility in this country. No one is more Ghanaian than any other. And for sure, no one should have a greater gain or loss than the other. We must come to terms with the fact and reality that this is where our creator placed us and for whatever reason known to Him alone, we must make it worthwhile here. We cannot keep quiet and expect others to speak. We must endeavour to speak also. Perhaps these other words of inspiration from Haille Sellasie would be befitting; “What we seek is a new and a different way of life. We search for a way of life in which all men will be treated as responsible human beings, able to participate fully in the political affairs of their government; a way of life in which ignorance and poverty, if not abolished, are at least the exception and are actively combated; a way of life in which the blessings and benefits of the modern world can be enjoyed by all without the total sacrifice of all that was good.” Let each and every one of us take up the challenge of speaking and acting from our various corners and see if we won’t succeed in defeating our common enemies of GREED, CORRUPTION, FILTH, UTILITY SHORTAGES, HIGH COST OF LIVING, POWER UNRELIABILITY, POOR HEALTHCARE/SANITATION, UNEMPLOYMENT/UNDEREMPLOYMENT etc. We can collectively make Ghana work again!
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 22:38:42 +0000
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