Two
weeks has not pass and the country has been hit by two major
demonstrations, all at the behest of the leading opposition party in the
country.
These
demonstrations have heavily been predicated on the almost bleary and
erratic nature of our power supply and its attendant effects
on Ghanaian businesses and workers at large; alleged corrupt tendencies of
state officials; economic mismanagement, many but to mention the most pressing.
The
factors that have precipitated these two mammoth demonstrations in two
major regional capitals, Accra and Kumasi are not news to me as
evidence regarding most of the claims by the protestors abounds. Indeed, if for
nothing at all I have a first-hand experience on the level of
discomfort the erratic supply of energy is rendering my neighbors and myself.
What
has particularly intrigued me about these two demonstrations
are that placards on which most of the displeasure have been communicated.
Not
only do I get amused by some of these placards, more so some of them get me
into deep thoughts and reflections.
While
some are poignant and thought-provoking, others are clearly caustic and abrasive,
ones that do not auger well for our democracy, peace and national development.
I
hasten to intimate that both of our major political parties are all culpable as
far as wielding unhealthy placards are concern. In fact, I will always parry
attempts by one to create the impression that they have not dabbled in placard
politics which is somewhat injurious to the peace of the country.
Following
these two events, there have been concerns about the kinds of placards that
some of the demonstrators wielded. As usual, the positions regarding the appropriateness
or otherwise of these placards have been varying depending on the political
leanings of those who have opted to comment on the issue in the media.
As
to be expected social media has been a buzzed with images of some of these
placards, comments following which have not been healthy for the democratic
credentials of the country.
TRIBALISM
While
these political banters can be condoned as it has usually been the modus-operandi
of some of these political opportunists, a disturbing twist, spin and trend which
is unfortunately characterizing these debate raises cause for alarm. The
attempt by these political players to rope ethnocentric sentiments into these
debates is most disheartening in my estimation.
Ethnocentric
comments which have been alleged to dominate some of these placards is disturbing
and efforts aimed at arresting the proclivity must be pursued by all
stakeholders.
On
social media, yesterday, there were pictures purporting to be examples of the ethnocentric
comments that were communicated with placards.
Additionally,
most of the post demonstration interviews that were granted in most of the
mainstream media, particularly radio, had given much premium to those placards which were
being bandied around on social media, a development which I thought was equally
unpalatable.
As
expected, the leadership of the demonstrators flatly denied seeing any of those
placards among demonstrators, claiming further that their accusers had generated
those pictures with the aid of Photo-Shop.
While
I am still torn between which sides of the divide to fall for, I think what is
important to me in this piece to condemn in no uncertainty terms the
recklessness in roping ethnocentric sentiments into these demonstrations.
What
I see in this development is a case of having one party either initiating the
process or the other advertising same. As opportunist as these two are, I am left
with no option than to criticize both parties for seeking political points with a sensitive issue like ethnicity.
I
am also unable to absolve the media of culpability in this whole mess, key as
their role in emphasizing the development has been. By appearing to give much attention
and somewhat dignifying development the media has invariably given more
credence to the issue. I thought the media could have avoided this as much attention signals the level of seriousness to which the populace should attach to the issue.(Refer
to the AGENDA SETTING THEORY).
In
Rwanda, the continuous emphasis on ethnocentric comments courtesy the Rwanda media
led to a dreadfully-horrendous civil war between the Hutsi and Tutsi. I allude
to the Rwandan genocide with chill-feelings looking at the level of human and
socio-economic atrocities the development engendered.
It
is to this extent that I condemn the continuous attentiveness of the media to
the supposed ethnocentric placards debates
RECOMMENDATIONS
In
Ghana we have always cherished our rich cultural diversities. It has been the
source of strength. We have attended schools with people across religious, ethnic
political and socio-economic divide without any difficulties. We work in
environment where all those clear ethnic divides exists. Our churches are made
up of all different ethnic groups.If we can cope in all these social context,why cant we do that in politics?
The
1992 constitution has voluminous steeped our cultural diversity in law, making
it illegal for anyone or group of persons to be discriminated on the basis of
their color, gender, tribe, religion or
political affiliation.
In
effect, one is not required morally but the binding force of law compels all of
us not to dabble in ethnocentric tendencies.
It
is in the light of the above that I call on the Media and Political parties to
avoid ethnocentric tendencies for whatever interests therein.
Given the
dangers ethnocentrism can court for the country, I call on the media to
discharge its gate keeping role effectively by shielding any information or
interviews that can feed into ethnocentrism.
Political
parties and their apparatchiks are also cautioned to be temperate and modest in
this respect as doing otherwise can plague the country into a horrendous state
of affairs.
Political
leadership should find avenues of preventing the use of some of those placards
when found to be inimical to our peace and our democratic consolidation.
Ghana is for Ghanaians, not for any tribe
Ethnocentrism can only be a crime
Let’s avoid this;political clime
Togetherness, lets, Subscribe.
By the
way, I wish to share some of the placards that got me laughing. It never means I
endorse the comments, though.
Samuel
Osarfo Boateng
samuelcreasta@gmail.com
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