You are here: HomeOpinionsArticles2011 08 20Article 216746

Opinions of Saturday, 20 August 2011

Columnist: The Emperor

Ghana Is The White Man’s Plantation

Years ago, I went in search of someone to blame for our predicaments. I was convinced that our woes and sufferings could be traced to a cause! Years of searching led me to the White man’s door. Once there, I didn’t bother to knock. I just entered! In the White man’s room, I saw the ancient map of the continent, which we now call Africa. There were several books lying next to the map! Each one of these books contained information on how the African continent was won. The books touched on slavery, colonialism, apartheid, religion, exploitation and coups d’etat. Also, in the White man's room, I saw a can of gun-powder standing next to a loaded gun. There were other objects, like whips and shackles in the room as well. In the midst of all these objects and things, I saw a portrait of Black men and women being loaded aboard a ship. There were being taken away against their will! In the portrait, a White man appears to be blessing them with a Bible in hand. He wore such an innocent smile! Right there and then, I knew that I had found the one. The one whom I could blame for our woes. The White man!

Blaming the White man for our sufferings came with such delight! It became, more or less, my favorite sport. Hatred for the White man quickly ensued. In my view, the White man was a no good thief and a murderer. The man responsible for keeping us down! Then again, I had seen the evidence in his room with my own two eyes. From then on, I became utterly convinced of the White man’s guilt. I saw him as the enemy of all Black people! One day, I had an epiphany, which got me thinking. I said to myself, wait a minute; slavery and colonialism, albeit tragic, happened ages ago. Of course, the effects of these two evils have yet to fade. However, as Black people, must we continue to play the blame game? And, for how long? Two years ago, Ghana’s presidential aspirant, Nana Akuffo Addo, called Atta Mills professor do little. I am sure that infamous statement hasn’t faded from memory. At least, not yet. Mind you, we live to remember, not to forget. Evidently, Nana wasn't pleased with Atta Mills' performance. He is still displeased! I, for one, was very infuriated, when Nana made that sarcastic comment. It shouldn’t have been necessary. Totally uncalled for!

My reason this; what Atta Mills needs right now isn’t cheap remarks, but rather assistance in the form of ideas. If Nana feels that Atta Mills isn’t doing anything, why doesn’t he reach out to him? This is what brothers are supposed to do, isn't it? Or, is he waiting for Atta Mills to fail so that he could use the failure to advance his political success? To me, Nana is displaying exactly what is keeping us Black people down. Self-interest! Instead of us seeing ourselves as each other’s allies, we are rather in competition with each other. Instead of us working with each other, we are rather working against each other. Europeans could easily unite, and they have! Asians could easily unite. Indians could easily unite. Sadly, when it comes to Black people, unity is yet to be found. And the question is; why? In the United States, for instance, African-Americans are constantly bickering about White people this, White people that. Mind you, the United States have produced more Black millionaires than anywhere else in the world. Sadly, these Black millionaires cannot seem to unite their wealth to uplift the condition of their people. It’s estimated that more than one trillion dollars pass through the hands of Black Americans annually. Still, when it comes to employment, Africa-Americans need affirmative action. Imagine that!

Surely, one would think that with all these monies passing through their hands, they would be wise enough to use some of these monies to create jobs and institutions for themselves, but no. African-Americans are still begging White people to do for them what they can do for themselves. It seems that wherever you go, the story with Black people is the same. If you put a Black man in America, he would beg. If you put a Black man in Ghana, he would beg. As a result of this tendency, the Europeans have little to no respect for us. To them, we are sub-humans who have yet to evolve to their level of thinking. We haven’t proved them wrong! For instance; when it comes to our resources, the Europeans know that they can get them without purchasing. We give our resources to them too cheaply! Ghana’s ridiculous 10% oil deal should ring a bell, amongst others. In fact, Ghana is a plantation, the White man’s plantation. We're all indentured servants! We may have the resources, but the Europeans make the money. Remember, they determine the purchasing prices of our commodities on the world market! Thanks, of course, to our ineffective leaders who have allowed them to do so. They don’t negotiate to our advantage! Now, is it fear or, is it stupidity? I seriously wonder!

Welcome 2 the New age of Consciousness!

Source: The Emperor