Our Independence Is Meaningless-Diaspora Reflection

Congratulations to the people of Ghana and all well-wishers in our 49th independence celebration. All the past government have contributed their quotas to bring us this far. Ghana has been recognized globally as the gateway to African and beacon of democracy. We are almost half a century as a nation and that is certainly a feat worth celebrating.

But as we do that lets pause a minute and reflect the challenges that have bedevilled us since 1957. Nkrumah made it clear that our independence is meaningless unless it is linked to the liberation of the entire African continent. It is arguable that neither have we been liberated politically nor economically and so applies to all of Afrca. The trend of development suggests that we shall even fall from grace to grass and this is a big worry to me. Look at our track record;

1. Persistent underdevelopment, excruciating poverty, hopelessness and malaise

2. Very weak and moribund national institutions

3 Ramshackled and misguided leadership, disgruntled opposition and dejected population.

4 Tribalism, nepotism and the mother of them all corruption

5. A neo-colonial economy largely controlled and manipulated by the whims and caprices of western capitalist interest.

6. Mental slavery and lack of confidence in our worth as a true breed of the maker. In our subconscious mind, we feel inferior! Everything from outside our country looks good; everything produced in Ghana is inferior.

7. Brain drain!!

8 Civil strife, ethnic cleansing etc.

The list is just endless. The tigers of Asia have shown the way. What have we got to offer? As I keep reflecting these issues, a number of questions keep engaging my mind that demands urgent attention.

For instance, is Western democracy the best form of governance for Africans? Will Africa ever be able to stand on two feet and offer a different paradigm to the world? Will there ever be an end to civil strife, poverty, AIDS, corruption etc.

As we remember our 49 years of existence, we wish to engage your mind on these issues. Let?s debate them. Do we have a chance? Ayekoooooo!!!

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.