Opinions of Monday, 24 July 2017

Columnist: Ananpansah,B Abraham

When 'we' glorify mediocrity: Case study of Rashida Black Beauty

Rashida Black Beauty won an award for Viral Video of the Year at the Jigwe awards Rashida Black Beauty won an award for Viral Video of the Year at the Jigwe awards

I think it was a misrule...A false step in procedure-procedural ultra vires; lacking substance. It was a case of plain hypocrisy and manifest absurdity. Society 'must' have committed an error of law on the face of the record. Society must be crazy!How? Is that how cracking down mediocrity and societal pettiness can be as complex as the phenomenon mediocrity itself?

If not, how can the court of public opinion rule in favor of Rashida Mohammed(Satirical So-Called Rashida Black Beauty)! The media was the presiding judge. Leading the war to justify profanity and debase womanhood. I disagree with the ruling. Give me my pen and book let me tell you why.

Rashida has caused more public harm than good.She is a typical example of the 21st century societal nuisance. She has misled many innocent souls.Others are encouraged to try same act without shame. After all,society emblazoned their mentor with the title of a star. That "silly girl" must be condemned beyond condemn(the weedicide). Her crime is equivalent to first degree felony. Zuweira on the other hand,is light to many young girls out there. She has inspired hope in many.Even my unborn daughter in God's care is inspired. That my girl must read science!

rashida (sorry, I used a lower case 'r' to start your name and a sentence-grammarians have the right to come after me), has been adjudged a rising star overnight. Her Facebook page has hit 4k likes from the last time I checked. She is probably the most surfed for on the local Internet. The 2016 Jigwe award winner is suddenly a brand,thanks to her desire to popularise unchasitity. Fame be what? Keenly reading comments on popular online portals, many have called on her to join the movie industry where her pathetic body can best be used to serve the desires of the lost generation. Huh! Where are the men of God to save society?

On the other hand,her direct opposite,brilliant Zuweira Mohammed of Tamale Senior High School is striving to make Ghana proud much the same way as Prof.Mariama Ewurama Addy of blessed memory, first woman professor of Science in Ghana did...She wants to be more of Dr.Letitia Obeng, first female scientist in Zoology.

Zuweira was recently adjudged the best female contestant in the just ended 2017 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ). What a girl! I admire her soo much,even more than Romeo admired Juliet (hey!just hold it there, not what you think). I mean I admire her mustered courage and brilliance. She has clearly defied societal odds,and is an inspiration to many girls daring to 'dare'.

And the media and public just went silent on her...Little was said about her on popular portals and social media.Google could provide me very little information about this 'young brain'. Her story is not out there as a testimony. She was not a subject on social media. Meanwhile,'Malafaka' or is it 'motherfucker' is enjoying a comfortable lead on the media and Internet cruising towards cracking down societal moral values."Boys boys" are just discussing her on social media.'Chai!

A friend in trying to reconcile the issues wrote,"bad news sells faster."I immediately responded,"We sell bad news faster." We are publishing and popularising the negatives for the younger and unborn generations to come and consume.

It's crestfallen,and even more so that this is happening at a time when our country is investing heavily in science in a bid to cure the inequalities in science and its related fields of study...The inequalities in gender related issues in science; the inequalities between developing and the developed countries in science, and science related subjects.

We have collectively identified that our lagging behind in development is mainly because,we lack encouraging,motivating and innovative young scientist to steer the wheel of development.Resources' and potential's remain untapped.

Countries such as USA, China, UK, India,Brazil, Russia,Japan,Germany,France,Italy and Spain did it with science and continue to dictate the pace in science and its related fields. A country like Japan became the world's second largest economy for a long period until it was overtaken by China and India,thanks to its traditional innovation and products in the electronics and automobile sectors. It has the 3rd fastest rail in the world with a top speed of 275mph(442.57km/h).

We can choose to be motivated by the giant steps of these counties or continue to engage in pettiness and worship mediocrity. The media must take this country of ours very serious.Concentrate on healthy issues.Your actions and inactions can either break or make this country. You must not always sell, but excel with the nation by shaping the national discourse along relevant issues.

It's our common future that is threatened.The children are watching and learning every step of the way.

Let's not turn around and chastise them as 'useless' after making them. People in the humble nature of Zuweira Mohammed must be celebrated whilst acts of the devil as that of Rashida Mohammed misplaced as black beauty must be anathemized.

God bless!