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Opinion: Tribalism gaining roots in Ghana’s democracy as a political-dynasty
• No tribe or clan should exercise monopoly in a democracy
With no hard feelings towards any individual or political party, the truth needs to be told. Sometimes, the medicine that will cure someone from his or her infirmity could turn out to be a bitter pill, regardless of who is suggesting it as a remedy. The same is true about truth.
Tribal sentiments or issues in Ghana are very sensitive. It will interest you to know that some Ghanaians will find it very difficult to call a “spade a spade”, with choosing between their tribal affiliations and the truth. They would not mind “turning the other way” when confronted with the truth.
Unfortunately, this false loyalty is not only found in the political arena, but even among Christians. It is sad to add that some people would not mind killing a “fellow Ghanaian” for the sake of his or her tribe.
Instead of tribal sentiments, the following should guide us in our dealings: Firstly, the fact that all human beings come from a common source namely God, who is our creator and by the fact that we are all human beings. Secondly, we belong to the same country.
Thirdly, we belong to a tribe, a clan and then finally a family. So, for anything to work for the greater good, the first and second levels of trace should be at the back of our minds before getting sentimental about one’s tribe.
For most African countries and Ghana, tribalism is gaining deeper roots in every sphere of our lives. When we choose leaders based on tribal affiliations, or the baton of leadership is tossed within one particular tribe, family or clan, it is no longer democracy but a gradual formation of a political dynasty.
Considering the number of tribes in Ghana, it will be unwise for any tribe or clan to exercise monopoly in political democracy. If care is not taken, with time this will create confusion, tension and eventually conflict.
Ghana is one country that has not been spared tribal conflicts over the years. Therefore, to nip these disheartening experiences of the past in a bud, we should not pretend all is well and continue to encourage tribal sentiments in politics, in order not to be taken by surprise.
A lot of countries, particularly African Countries speak highly of Ghana’s Political Democracy. Nevertheless, it is sad to hear leaders with pedigree, who should know better, allow tribal sentiments impede our politics and democracy.
Selecting the leaders of a country should not include: it is the turn of my tribe or clan’s mate to become the next president, he or she is a financier of the party, he or she is loyal to the party, he has held several positions in either the party or a particular government.
Others include: he has been vying for the position for a very long time, he is my nephew, he is popular (even criminals are popular), he is a nice person, he is rich, either his or her parents was a leader and he or she is a known figure in politics so make him a leader. (What has he got to show for his long stay in politics? This is like marrying a bad partner with the hope that after the marriage ceremony he or she will change). That is a huge risk and not leadership traits or qualities.
Unfortunately, in Ghana today, the above criteria seem to be in place for choosing leaders or political leaders. A politician and a leader are not necessarily synonymous; most often than not many people take the two to mean the same. This is why at the end of the day, we all fall victim of “putting square pegs in round holes”.
Political party leaders and members I guess are aware that Ghana as a country is bigger than any political party and therefore their activities and sentiments should be geared towards the development of the country and maintaining peace. When conflict of interest, nepotism, greed, selfishness and segregations get in the way, tribalism gains roots. Members and leaders of every political party should behave or act within the confines of the laws of the country, otherwise these few, will end up putting uncountable lives in jeopardy.
The right value cannot be placed on something until it is lost. Peace is one of them.
By Nicholas Nibetol Aazine, SVD
Writer’s Email: justiceandpeaceint@gmail.com or nicholasbetol@gmail.com
One of the issues we have been grappling with as a nation is corruption, and it has had such a devastating effect on our national development. I have been convinced that until morality becomes the foundation upon which our governance system is built, we can never go forward as a nation.
Our traditional practices, which have shaped our cultural beliefs, have always espoused values that have kept us along the straight and the narrow and have preserved our societies since ancient times.
These are values that frown on negative habits like stealing, cheating, greediness, selfishness, etc. Our grandparents have told us stories of societies where stealing was regarded as so shameful that offenders, when caught, have on a number of instances committed suicide.
In fact, my mother told me of a story where a man who was living in the same village as her mother (my grandmother), after having been caught stealing a neighbour’s cockerel, out of shame committed suicide on a mango tree. Those were the days that shameful acts were an abomination.
Tegare worship, a traditional spiritual worship during which the spirit possesses the Tegare Priest and begins to reveal secrets, was one of the means by which the society upheld African values in the days of my grandmother and the early childhood days of my mother.
Those were the days when the fear of being killed by Tegare prevented people from engaging in anti-social vices. These days, people sleeping with other people’s wives are not uncommon.
These wrongful behaviour was not countenanced at all by Tegare. One was likely going to lose his life on days that Tegare operates, and so unhealthy habits like coveting your neighbour’s wife was a taboo.
Stealing of other people’s farm produce, for instance, could mean certain death or incapacitation of the whole or part of the body in the full glare of everybody. People realised that there were consequences for wrongdoing, and this went a long way to motivate the society to adhere to right values.
Imagine a President being sworn into office and whoever administers the oath says, “Please say this after me: I, Mr. …., do solemnly swear by God, the spirits of my ancestors and the spirits ruling in Ghana, that should I engage in corrupt acts, may I and my family become crippled, may madness become entrenched in my family, may incurable sicknesses and diseases be my portion and that of my family, both immediate and extended.”
Can you imagine a situation where a few weeks afterwards the President goes to engage in corrupt acts and we hear of his sudden demise or incapacitation and confessing that he engaged in corrupt acts before passing or before the incapacitation—and the effect it will have on his successor? I believe we have to critically examine this option to curb corruption.
My grandmother gave me an eyewitness account of one such encounter where a woman died instantly after the Tegare Priest had revealed a wrong attitude she had displayed during the performance on one of the days scheduled for Tegare spirit manifestation.
According to her story, the Priest, after he had been possessed by the spirit, declared that for what the woman had done, he would not forgive her and that he would kill. Instantly, according to my grandmother, the lady fell down suddenly and she died—just like what happened to Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts Chapter 5.
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