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Arise Ghana youth for your country
“If ever we needed such a call for our youth,
This is the time, this is the hour…”
The records show that the song or ‘call to arms’ – “ARISE GHANA YOUTH FOR YOUR COUNTRY” was composed by Jonathan Michael Teye (JMT) Dosoo of Ada, a writer, composer and songwriter and recorded by Flash Don and Fori, whilst featuring such artists as Gosh Mello and Kojo Bills as part of the album by the same title in 2020.
The lyrics for the song are:-
“Arise Ghana youth for your country
The nation demands your devotion
Let us all unite to uphold her
And make her great and strong
Refrain;
We are all involved
We are all involved
We are all involved
In building our motherland
Arise Ghana youth for your country
The nation demands your devotion
Let us all unite to uphold her
And make her great and strong
Refrain;
We are all involved
We are all involved
We are all involved
In building our motherland
A funny story is told of how slave trade started on our coasts.
The slave masters berthed their vessels just off-shore and then paddled their boats to the shores with the goods of whiskeys, rum, colourful apparels,guns and ammunitions; negotiated for the purchases of captive Gold Coasters as slaves from the tribal chiefs or local leaders.
Invariably, these tribal leaders always traded or sold off those captured through wars or the strength of their people, both male and female, whilst also offering their own male children to be educated outside in the countries of the slave owners.
This funny story is a reflection of what we are witnessing now amongst the modern-day leadership of this nation – be it politics, tradition or religion, same template. Thus, the crisis that we are faced with and gradually becoming an albatross, a source of frustration or guilt or an encumbrance for the youth, is how do we re-engineer a new culture of leadership – selfless, dedicated, loyal, patriotic, and nationalistic?
How do we go back to the days of yore, when CORRUPTION was so frowned upon in our society and culture, when a GOLDEN BED by a Minister of State under a past dispensation became front-page news in the dailies; as against now when a driver of a CEO of a state institution can brazenly flout cash on social media or young political appointees, can within a short-time in office showcase such wealth; in turn making the older generation think that they made wrong decisions by choosing honesty in public service?
Funny life that now ‘inside trading’ is no crime but purely an issue of equal opportunities, not even when one is in a privileged to know all the facts and opportunities to set up a firm to take advantage and secure contracts?
How can we get it so wrong that we will accept two thousand Ghana Cedis (Gh₵2,000.00) during national elections to vote people into office who would only come to ignore and abandon us after getting elected, until another four (4) years of one thousand, four hundred and sixty (1,460) days –putting this into perspective, the equivalent of one Ghana Cedis, thirty-seven pesewas (Gh₵1.37) a day, taking into account the money taken as ‘vote-for-me-bribe’.
What are you worth as a person, with no dignity, no self-value nor self-worth? Is this how you value yourself?
The future of any nation and a people, belongs to her youth, meaning that whatever investments into development, irrespective of field, be it education, infrastructure, or health, any government undertakes, the real beneficiaries are the youth. Therefore, if you know your real wealth as the INHERITORS OF THIS NATION, GHANA – justified to receive the resources and or properties by legal descent or succession, genetically as a right from one’s ancestry or as an heir – why on earth would any youth of this nation settle for less, especially when the leadership is only holding their positions in trust for the youth?
This is why the song “ARISE GHANA YOUTH FOR YOUR COUNTRY” is such a profound call for a time and period such as now.
It is most important for me to make you understand WHO YOU REALLY ARE AS A GHANAIAN YOUTH and as a CITIZEN of this great nation, Ghana, knowing that CITIZENSHIP carries with it rights and responsibilities as well as mindful of the seven litmus tests for citizenship as (i) loyalty, (ii) patriotism, (iii) nationalism, (iv) character, (v) identity, (vi) culture, and (vii) allegiance.
Now permit me to tell you the story or parable of the ‘PRODIGAL SON’ (also known as the parable of the Two Brothers, Lost Son Loving Father, or of the Forgiving Father) in the Book of Apostle Luke 15:11-32.
The essence of this parable for the new ‘Ghanaian Youth’ is not to become like the ‘younger son’, who said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’
I expect the new ‘Ghanaian Youth’ not to gather everything (that he had by way of asking for his share from his father – Ghana) and travel to a distant country, and there wasted his fortune on reckless and immoral living.
“Remember that when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to do without and be in need. So he went and forced himself on one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He would have gladly eaten the (carob) pods that the pigs were eating (but they could not satisfy his hunger), and no one was giving anything to him.
But when he (finally) came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough food, while I am dying here of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father (Ghana) I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son (Ghanaian); (just) treat me like one of your hired men.”
So he got up and came to his father (Ghana). But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him”.
I have gone to this extent to quote the passage because what has been happening to our youth since the advent of the 4th Republican Dispensation in 1993, the tendency for the socio-religious-political class to take them for granted – not taking their education, health, job opportunities, facilities for recreation, mentorship, and advancements of all sorts seriously; as the advancements of their own children is what is of utmost importance for these classes so that their lineage will continue to rule and lord over the rest of the Ghanaian Youth.
The Ghanaian Youth shall always look up to the clarion call for action: “Arise Ghana youth for your country; The nation demands your devotion; Let us all unite to uphold her; And make her great and strong – We are all involved in building our motherland – Ghana”.
Ghana can only fail if the youth, our youth give up their dreams, their aspirations, their future and ask for their share of the inheritance to travel out for strangers to take over their place and RE-WRITE the history and legacies of their forebearers – a great abomination because they will, like Okonkwo, wonder what will happen to their father’s house when they transit into the unknown.
The time to act is now for the Youth of Ghana as the nation, Ghana demands their devotion and they cannot afford to travel out like the ‘Prodigal Son’ and leave the land desolate for strangers to occupy same.
The writer is a land economist & appraiser, sports business consultant and author – (excerpt from manuscript “NATION ADRIFT AT SEA – Ghana In Search of Her Soul, Identity & Values”)
By Magnus Naabe Rex Danquah
A haircut I had about a week ago didn’t go down well with many. Someone quite close to my heart saw it, examined it critically and felt dizzy.
“What’s this?” she proceeded to ask me.
“An international hairdo,” I replied.
She was disgusted, in fact disappointed. The problem with the haircut is that the style is neither Punk, Tokyo Joe nor Show Your Back. If anything, it is a combination of all—and I liked it, for a change.
It was when I bounded downtown that someone called me and enquired whether I was no longer a journalist. He said I looked like a well-fed Warrant Officer.
“Class One or Class Two?” I asked.
Another studied my head as if he was studying physical geography and pronounced that I looked like a boxer who can throw dangerous punches. Still, someone was of the opinion that the haircut didn’t quite fit me, but admitted that I looked like a prosperous merchant.
Commendation
I remember some three months ago, I had a haircut that made two girls fall in love with me. In spite of the fact that the barber was not a graduate, the cut was such that they couldn’t help admiring it. One of them actually ‘checked out’ the style and commended the barber.
The other was more bent on the ‘love matter’ but I was too busy to give her any attention. LOVE!
I was reminded of this when I viewed a premier showing of the latest Sikaman film titled THE POWER OF LOVE. The film kept me thinking. Some of us have long forgotten about what it is like to be head-over-heels in love. When we were students, we had such experiences because there was nothing doing anyway.
We were either learning how stylishly to smoke ‘jot’ or how romantically to fall in love. Anyhow, I was intrigued by this latest movie because of the way love unlimited was portrayed on screen. It took my memory back many years to relive those youthful days when we felt we’d really die if jilted by our lovers.
The storyline of THE POWER OF LOVE is really an exciting one. The combination of love, treachery and intrigue made me feast my eyes intently on the screen, unbelieving the extent the force of love can reach.
Ama and Afua are good friends. But when it comes to matters of the heart, they have different tastes; Ama is content with only her boyfriend (a student) and Afua samples the bigwigs around town. Afua, not satisfied with the shots in town, wants Ama’s boyfriend Joe in addition. She lies to Joe that Ama has often been picked by a man on four-wheels, whereupon Joe dismisses Ama and takes on Afua.
Ama doesn’t realise that it is her best friend Afua who is destroying her relationship with Joe until she catches her having sex with him. She collapses and goes out of her mind from the broken heart. But before then, she had been made pregnant by Joe.
Having escaped from a psychiatric hospital, she roams town murmuring Joe’s name. Heavily pregnant now, she espies Joe boarding a mini bus and runs towards him. Joe, seeing her approaching, quickly disembarks and takes off.
Ama pursues him furiously, and he runs to his home where he finds his bosom friend Frank making love to Afua. He immediately realises the treachery of Afua who instigated him to leave Ama.
He intends leaving the home in disgust and meets mad Ama at the door and embraces her despite her madness. Instantly, she regains her sanity.
Love indeed heals the wounds of the mind and it is the greatest positive force in the world. Incidentally, the greatest negative force is hatred.
Greatest force
Now coming to talk about love, I reiterate it is the greatest force imaginable. That is why a man will butcher his rival to death if he catches him climbing his wife without asking permission; and a woman will go mad if jilted.
It is also for this reason that a young boy who is scared stiff of cemeteries and under normal circumstances would not dare go near one, will this time walk boldly through a cemetery at midnight if that is the only way to his lover’s abode.
The Bible describes love for our neighbours as the surest way to heaven: Love thy neighbour as thyself.
Unfortunately, what Ghanaians are more interested and skilful in is loving the opposite sex. Romance under the cover of darkness is what we understand love to be all about. When it comes to loving our fellow human beings, we are found wanting.
People hate others just because they are of another tribe and do not speak the same native language. Too much grudge-bearing that does not augur well for national development.
War in Liberia, carnage in Rwanda are the results of the absence of love for one’s fellow being. If everybody could express a little bit of love for his fellow being irrespective of tribe, race, politics or religion, Sikaman—and indeed, the world—will be a more habitable place.
This article was first published on Saturday, October 29, 1994
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“Sir,” Ms. Odame said when David Asante answered the call, “my name is Victoria Odame. I’m a teacher at Research School in Koforidua. I would like to come and see you concerning a student called Sarah.”
“Okay, madam. I would be very glad to meet you. How can I make your trip easier?”
“I was going to join a bus to Accra.”
“Here’s what we will do. Take a taxi and ask them to bring you to Accra. I will speak to the driver, give him the directions, and pay him when you get here.”
The taxi stopped in front of the house. The gate opened, and the driver moved to the long driveway and stopped.
“What a beautiful house,” he said.
David and Adoma came out to meet them. Adoma paid the driver as David and Sarah stared at each other.
“Please come in and sit down,” Adoma invited. She served them water.
“You are welcome,” Adoma continued. “We have been waiting anxiously since you called this morning. So please, let’s hear you.”
Before she could open her mouth, Sarah rose, moved to David, hugged him, and sat on his lap. They both broke into tears. Adoma and Ms. Odame also broke into tears.
“Sorry, madam,” David said. “This whole episode has been a very difficult one. But let’s do the proper thing. Let’s hear you first, and I will also speak. I’m sure we need to answer some questions immediately.”
“Okay, sir. I have been taking an interest in Sarah because, although she’s brilliant academically, she seemed to be troubled. Following my discussions with her and some whispers I had been hearing, I went to Aboso Senior High School and spoke to your former colleague, Mr. Hanson. He told me that you were an exemplary teacher who was loved by all, and he also told me about the unfortunate events that caused you to leave for Germany. So I returned to Koforidua with the view to finding the appropriate means of helping to solve this problem.”
“Great. Ms. Odame, I have to thank you for finally helping us to solve this problem. Now, let me state the facts. This is what happened.
“Gladys and I met and got married whilst we were both teachers in the school. Some months into our marriage, she told me that she needed to spend some days with her parents, and I agreed.
“It turned out that she was actually spending time in a hotel with her ex-boyfriend, Simon. This happened again after Sarah was born. I got wind of this and told her that I was no longer interested in the marriage.
“I started preparing to travel to Germany. She pleaded for forgiveness, but I stood my ground. Then she told me that she would punish me for rejecting her.
“She came out later to say that Sarah was not my child, but Simon’s. She went and hid her somewhere, obviously expecting that I would fight to take my child. I was actually going to do that, but my parents advised me that it was almost impossible to win such a fight.
“They advised that, difficult as it sounded, I should leave the child with her because she would come back to me eventually. I have absolutely no problem taking care of you, Sarah. I am taking care of quite a number of kids who are not mine. So that is what happened. My hands were tied. I have been trying to find out how you are doing.
“I kept hearing that you were doing well at school. I also heard that Gladys and her husband were having problems, but I kept hoping that my daughter would at least be okay till it was possible for me to go for her.”
“Sarah, now you have met your dad. You will be free to—”
“I’m not going anywhere!” she declared as she held on to him.
“You don’t have to worry about that, Sarah,” Adoma said. “We have been looking forward to the day you come home. This is your home. Now, you have to meet your siblings.” She called Abrefi and Adaawa.
“Girls, we told you that you have a sister who would join us anytime. Now here she is.”
“Sarah?” Abrefi asked.
“Yes,” Adoma replied. The girls hugged her and took her away.
“Now,” David said, “I think it is time to call Madam Gladys.” He dialed the number.
“My name is David Asante. I’m here in my house with my daughter Sarah. I hear you have told her all sorts of crazy stories about me. I could make life very difficult for you, but I won’t.
“You are your own worst enemy. I don’t think you should be expecting her anytime soon. What do you say?”
Gladys stayed silent for over a minute, then cut the line.
“Food is ready,” Adoma announced. “Everybody, please come to the table.”
Sarah chatted excitedly with her siblings as Adoma and David spoke with Ms. Odame. She kept staring at her father.
“Now, Ms. Odame, after you have brought such joy into our home, should we allow you to go back to Koforidua today, or should we wait till we are ready to release you? I could call your husband and ask permission.
“And please don’t tell me you didn’t bring anything for an overnight stay. There are several supermarkets around here. We can fix that problem quickly.”
“I will beg you to release me. Now that I have been so warmly welcomed here, I already feel part of this home. Koforidua is not that far away, so I will visit often.”
“Well, let’s see what the kids have to say. Ladies, shall I release Ms. Odame to go back to Koforidua?”
“No!” they shouted, and all broke into laughter.
“Ms. Odame, I will have mercy on you. But we are going to do something to make it easy for you to visit us. My wife wants to show you something. Please follow her.”
Adoma led her to the driveway as the others followed. They stopped in front of the car.
“This is a Toyota Corolla 1600. It is very reliable and good on petrol consumption. We are giving this to you in appreciation of your help in getting our daughter back to us.
“And here in this envelope is a little contribution to help you with maintenance. And here in this other envelope is a gift to help with your children’s school fees.”
As she stood, stunned, and stared from the car to the envelopes, David put his hand around his family.
“Let’s leave her to take a look at her car. Ms. Odame, one of my drivers will drive you to Koforidua and leave your car with you. We are waiting inside.”
By Ekow de Heer
