I haven't celebrated this huge day in Ghana for a long while. I don't even know how I am going to celebrate it. As you guessed, it's a holiday so most of us are staying at home. Not me. What will I do if I stay at home? Watch the 8th and final independence parade under Mr. Sexy Eyes' watch? Not enough. The man would not find the faces of the hundreds of children who'll have to stand under the scorching sun for hours at the Independence Square sexy. I hope the children see this opportunity as an honour and not a burden. March 6th is a day to honour Sikakrom (or Ogyakrom) and is a more than an opportunity to stay at home and sleep in.
Kwame, how would you celebrate this day anyway? I am telling everyone I meet 'Happy Independence day' and photographing their reactions. The birthday we are celebrating is not for our aunt, or girlfriend, or favorite actor, or best teacher. It's for our country, someone we don't have a personal relationship with. Someone we believe is not treating us well and we'll agree we have not treated well either. It's a day where we are obliged to be in solidarity, even if the Black Stars are not playing.
Last year was our golden jubilee which warranted more grand celebrations. 1 year on, the government is leading us to look into the future with hope. I wonder what the various fora last year produced. Where are the working documents or pronunciations? Is it my fault that I don't know the pillars of national orientation? Yes, there exists something like that Osagyefo. Did you come up with one when you launched the country 51 years ago? Maybe you did not, but your speech has been glorified since then. 'The independence of Ghana is meaningless without the total liberation of the African continent'. What has the present government said that we can quote? Zero tolerance against corruption? Golden age of business? Are those quotes?
It seems we are more interested in the word 'democracy' than 'independence'. We are more interested in littering funerals of state figures with NPP flags rather than Ghanaian ones. We are more interested in holding talk shows to differentiate between political parties than using them to sensitize the public about cleanliness. 'Ka bi ma menka bi amammerE'. We keep on harping good governance and democracy. What use is it stewarding a stagnant business? We have seen this for 16 years and counting, I think we need some structures that will truly drive our socio-economic development.
The day would be used by various supporters of the government to trumpet the achievements of the administration. Chief amongst them would be oil. Kwame, would you call the discovery of oil an achievement? Some see it as a blessing the good Lord showered on us in our jubilee year, others see it as a potential curse judging from how other countries have managed the 'black gold'. I'll touch on oil again in another letter but I like how we are being patient with it. The NPP has served the birthday boy well but has shirked some of its responsibilities many times. There have been countless occasions where we have spent our resources on wants when we should have spent them on needs.
Kwame, I'm still not sure how to fully celebrate this day. So I will engage in what my people are doing to jubilate. Entertainment events, workshops, conferences, parades, and the like. If you don't see me at that particular event, blame the publicity and the traffic. Never mind the fact that I can't be everywhere everytime.
If there is a guaranteed item 13, you can vouch for my presence. Am off to get ready for a special day. Maybe I'll recount the day to you later.
Long live Ghana, Maximus.
PS: Listen to the famous independence speech at this link and reminisce those good times http://ghanaconscious.ghanathink.org/node/389