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Opinions of Sunday, 26 August 2012

Columnist: Thompson, Kofi

Long May We Remain A United & Free People

- Living In A Peaceful & Stable African Democracy

By Kofi Thompson

Within the midst of the Ghanaian polity, are a few unfortunate souls, who are so damaged psychologically, that they lack the humanity to see beyond stereotypes. They are our nation's tiny minority of tribal-supremacist individuals.

Such is the severity of their unfortunate condition, that they are unable to acknowledge, and have compassion, for some of those they travel on the journey called life with - whom they somehow perceive to be different beings: people they would rather were set apart from society's mainstream.

Not being able to understand the universal nature of the human condition, they are sadly unable to acknowledge the individuality and uniqueness, of the very real human beings they feel compelled to despise on account of their ethnic origins.

And all that because an accident of history placed those fellow citizens they so despise, at birth, in a part of our homeland Ghana, different from where the aforementioned psychologically damaged personalities hail from. Pity.

Let all those in that tiny minority of tribalistic individuals, who still don't get it, and are trapped mentally in the past glories of parts of our pre-colonial history, understand this basic truth about our country, once and for all: thanks to the foresight and egalitarian outlook of those who founded our modern nation-state, it became a melting-pot of many ancient African cultures - and the crucible out of which the distinct character of our peace-loving society was forged.

It is as a result of that initial good fortune that the vast majority of ordinary Ghanaians, no matter which part of our nation they hail from, willingly acknowledge and accept the individuality of their neighbours, and the right of those neighbours not to be discriminated against, on the basis of the antecedents of their Ghanaian citizenship.

Ordinary Ghanaians from the ethnic groups in all the ten regions of our country, demonstrate that acceptance, by co-existing peacefully on a day to day basis, all over our homeland Ghana, with their fellow citizens.

The message from those who love Mother Ghana passionately, to those pitiable and cowardly souls - who would never dare speak rudely to others if they met them face to face in the real world - who go online incognito, to websites such as www.ghanaweb.com, to heap insults on those they unjustly despise on account of their ethnic origins, is simple.

They must understand that the status of our nation as a unitary Republic of diverse-ethnicity is non-negotiable, as far as patriotic and nationalistic Ghanaians are concerned.

That is why patriotic and nationalistic Ghanaians never hesitate to condemn powerful and influential tribal-supremacist individuals in the midst of Ghanaian society - in whichever strata of society and wherever in our homeland Ghana they are to be found.

It is important to note, however, that no true Ghanaian patriot and nationalist will ever extend that condemnation to whole tribes - for that is something that only the sick-in-mind and the ignorant do.

(Incidentally, let those who go online to places like www.ghanaweb.com, and for political propaganda reasons, insult and deliberately accuse Ghanaian nationalists and patriots falsely, of rather being tribal-supremacists themselves, understand one thing clearly.

Surprising though it might be to them, luckily for Mother Ghana, not many of the ordinary citizens of our nation have the mentality of serfs written into their DNA.

That is why the vast majority of ordinary Ghanaians reject the absurd and antediluvian notion that somehow the powerful and influential in what is a constitutional democracy cannot be openly criticised.

It is not sacrilegious, in the Republic of Ghana, to openly criticise powerful and influential individuals in society - more so when they happen to harbour nation-wrecking tribal-supremacist views.

And when those online cowards accuse some of us of being 'envious' because we condemn their senseless tribalism, does it ever occur to them that perhaps we lack nothing in our individual lives, and perchance are blessed with abundance? What perfidy.

And what nerve and insolence to say the self-assured who elect to speak out boldly against the powerful, somehow suffer from an inferiority complex. What impudence.

Let them spend five minutes in the company of some of us, and see just what sort of stuff we are made of. But I digress - so back to topic, dear reader.)

Luckily for our nation, tribal-supremacist individuals - who exist in every ethnic group in Ghana, it must be noted - are but a tiny minority in all Ghana's ethnic groupings: which is why Ghana will always remain united.

Regardless of what the powerful and influential tribal-supremacist individuals in our midst - and their online lackeys and hirelings - think or say, it is a matter of fact that in their everyday lives, the vast majority of ordinary Ghanaians see the cultural and ethnic diversity of Ghanaian society as a source of strength for our nation.

That is why Ghana will always be one and indivisible. And long may we remain a free and united people - living in a peaceful and stable African democracy.

Tel: 027 745 3109.

Email: peakofi.thompson@gmail.com