News
Bono language becoming extinct?
There is a growing concern among a section of the Bono people over the possible extinction of the Bono language.
The Bono language, an ancient language spoken by the Bono people, is at the risk of being lost forever due to few fluent speakers remaining, mostly the elderly.
This is attributed to globalisation and the dominance of widely spoken languages like English and Twi.
This situation has pushed some indigenous languages like the Bono language to the margins.
The situation has sparked a call to action for all Bonos to cherish and protect their invaluable heritage.
Elders and community leaders in the region have also added their voice to the issue and called on all who matter to take immediate steps to reverse the trend.
Speaking at a book launch on the Bono language in Sunyani recently, Okokyeredom Sakyi Akoto ll, Vice President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs noted that many young people see little economic and social value in learning their ancestral tongue, opting instead for languages that offer broader opportunities.
The chief observed that most Bono people shy away or feel shy to speak the language outside the region for fear of being ridiculed, a situation he said was very unfortunate.
He then encouraged parents to speak the language to their children at their various homes in a bid to revive the language and bring it to light.
He appealed to academia and other relevant institutions to help document and preserve the Bono language for succeeding generations.
The Chief Executive Officer of Bonoman Institute, a cultural organisations, Mr Ansu Gyabaah, emphasised that when a language dies “we lost part of humanity’s collective heritage. “
He, therefore, called for pragmatic measures to document and revitalise the language.
Mr Gyabaah further added that his outfit was working to preserve the Bono language with initiatives such as the launch of the Bono Bible, adding that effective teachings of the language in schools could go a long way to preserve the Bono language.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament to mark the World Language Day, Colonel (rtd) Kwadwo Damoah called for support and initiatives to have the Bono language recognised.
He appealed to indigenes, especially the youth of the region to speak the language proudly devoid of inferiority tendencies.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani
Member of Parliament for Kpandai constituency, Matthew Nyindam, has argued that he would have defeated the National Democratic Congress candidate if a rerun election had been held, insisting that his loss was a battle against the power of the state rather than a fair contest.
Nyindam explained that his legal challenge to the 2024 parliamentary election was based on irregularities in four polling stations.
He noted that his team expected the court to address those specific concerns, not to order a fresh election across the entire constituency.
According to him, the decision to rerun the election confirmed what he described as a long standing pattern of unfair conduct by the NDC in Kpandai.
He added that he anticipated the chance to appeal the ruling but was surprised when Parliament later declared his seat vacant.
Nyindam stressed that the declaration of the seat left him feeling unfairly treated.
He maintained that he won the election clearly and believed the process that followed was aimed at removing him from Parliament prematurely.
He further stated that the situation turned into a contest between himself and the state.
He explained that running against the full weight of government made the election difficult, as ministers, MPs, chief executives and other officials were actively involved in campaigning, with resources flowing into the constituency.
Despite these challenges, Nyindam expressed confidence in his political strength, stating that under normal circumstances he would have beaten his opponent comfortably.
He added that he ultimately left the outcome in the hands of God, believing that destiny would determine whether he returned to Parliament.
Nyindam concluded that although the experience was painful, he believes it will serve a greater purpose in his political journey.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, has admitted that the party did not achieve its desired results in the Ashanti Region during the 2024 general election but maintained that the region remained the party’s strongest support base.
Addressing the media after a post election review, Wontumi said the party quickly set up a regional committee to investigate the reasons for the loss and to propose solutions.
He explained that a subcommittee was tasked to study what went wrong and recommend ways to improve future performance.
According to him, the committee’s report highlighted both the party’s mistakes and areas that need improvement.
He noted that the party has taken lessons from the findings and is ready to make changes.
Wontumi stressed that he learns quickly and is committed to applying the recommendations.
He emphasized that despite not meeting expectations, votes from the Ashanti Region significantly contributed to the party’s overall national performance.
He explained that the region pushed the party to the final figures it recorded in the 2024 election and still produced more votes than any other region.
Wontumi added that a post mortem of the results would show that the Ashanti Region performed better than others, even though the party fell short of its target.
He described the region’s effort as commendable.
He said the party now understands what voters in the Ashanti Region expect and assured them that the NPP will engage them better and work to meet their needs in future elections.
By: Jacob Aggrey
