THE LOST OF NATIONAL PRIDE (PART 1)

THE LOST OF NATIONAL PRIDE (PART 1)

[8:41pm, 9/10/2015]

Throughout the independence struggle, Ghanaians were made to believe in their own.

 Dr Kwame Nkrumah throughout his campaign for independence helped to inculcate in the Ghanaian the sense of belongingness and national pride. This was evidence in Dr Nkrumah's Independence Day declaration, when he said,".......the Blackman is capable of managing his own affairs."

To instill in Ghanaians the pride in being Africans, Nkrumah encouraged the use of national costume, and often wore the Fugu (smock) as battle dress and the Kente for formal ceremonies.

Ghanaians had love for local football teams. The love and support for the Black stars was undoubtedly high. The Black star players were made to believe that playing for the country is a service to the nation and not a service for cash.

During the era of I.K Acheampong, the pride of belongingness increased through the implementation of "operation feed yourself."

In contemporary Ghana, citizens have lost their sense of belongingness and pride for the nation. Ghanaians have lost the taste for locally produced goods.

Football fans have developed love for foreign leagues at the expense of our local league. Most surprising is the situation whereby countrymen support foreign teams against

local teams. Football players delight in playing for wining bonuses at the expense of national pride. Ask yourself these questions: Do you have replica jerseys of a local football team? Can you mention the names of ten (10) locally based players?

Furthermore, foreign meals have dominated our market. Ghanaians have now developed taste for foreign meals such as indomie, fried rice, pizza, and a host of others. Question: How many local foods do you eat a day? How many local foods do you know how to cook? We have been indoctrinated to the extent that we see our local foods as inferior and unhealthy.

A little we talk about our taste for foreign wears the better. We delight in wearing foreign clothes and foot wears. An individual who usually look more African in his outfit is described as a villager and outmoded. Some are even labeled as witchdoctors because of

 their African looks. Question: How many African wears do you have?

More so, the creative art industry, especially the musicians and film actors are no more

 interested in projecting the Ghanaian culture. The lyrics and story line of Ghanaian music and movies respectively, seek to promote western culture. In that same vain, music videos which could serve as a vehicle to project Ghana is however used to promote foreign culture.

Furthermore, the speaking of local dialect is growing at a descending rate. Ghanaian parents feel reluctant to teach their children how to speak the local dialect. A child born in Ghana finds it difficult to speak his mother tongue. Even when we manage to speak the dialects, we speak with errors. It sounds bizarre that Ashanti, Ga, Ewe, Frafra and a host of others can neither read nor write their dialect.

Be sincere to yourself, how best can you read and write your dialect?

You are not a Ghanaian because: you are black, or your parents are Ghanaians, or you live in Ghana. You are a Ghanaian because you are proud to be a Ghanaian. Let's start now, drip drop we can build Ghana. Let's project our country. Believe in Ghana, Ghana first. "Ma Oman yi ho nhia wo......"

AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: BROBBEY EDWARD

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