HYPOTHESIS:
‘‘When
the national lights goes off in the night, the eyes refuses to shut until a
natural light sets’’.
Disclaimer.
Though
I do not have any background in science, I will not have any scientist test the
veracity or otherwise of my hypothesis between the ‘Dumsor’ and the human eye,
for two reasons.
First
and foremost, because many of our scientists (engineers) have not brought their
expertise to bear in tackling the perennial challenges of erratic power supply
and other technological challenges that confronts us as nation, I am unable to
trust their ability to fairly and objectively assist in helping me verify my
untested statement.
Secondly,
most of our engineers have subjected our poor historian President to cobwebs of
deceptions as regards the real state of our energy situation. Indeed, the
President had believed them until he begun to flinch at the public disenchantment
with his fruitless deadlines.
I
do not need, therefore, a scientific basis to test this. The commonality of the
average man’s experiences is relied heavily upon to authenticate my hypothesis.
In this piece I will not have time for the microscopes, telescopes, barometer
and the likes that barely provide an antidote to critical social challenges.
I
will bank on my own personal experiences and the testimonies of the ordeals of
my colleagues to forge a correlation between the Dumsor and the human eye.
Background.
When
News broke that some celebrities were at the fore front advocating for Dumsor
to stop, little did I expect that it will get to the point that it has gotten.
I would have reckoned that information as one of those stunts but for Lydia
Forson’s characteristic satire.
The
piece, to me, was the trail-blazer. Perhaps, the harrowing cacophony from some
political apparatchiks had played a role in provoking some other celebrities to
follow in the trajectory.
Who
told you Twitter will be left out on this virtual revolution? The platform was inundated
with tweets, retweets and replies, all in the repository of #DumsorMustStop.
Led
by the apostles of social change in the persons of Sarkodie’s and Yvonne
Nelson, the campaign has really lived up to its billing. Not even the elections
in the United Kingdom could prevent the hashtag from trending.
As
a Public Relations and Media practitioner, I couldn’t but monitor the sentiments
that were being poured out in responses to the revolution that some of our
celebrities have started, on the digital platform.
Of
course, some downplayed and even questioned the rationale behind the campaign.
For these group of persons, I am sure their motivation will be nothing but for
the flippant opium of political affiliation.
Be
that it may, I must confess that I was almost drowned in amazement regarding
the number of people who took and
continue to take turns to associate with the sentiments and ordeals that were being poured into the barrel of #DumsorMust
Stop.
My Experiences
I
had a hectic day yesterday. A long meeting with a man I have grown to respect had
taken a toll on my strength and vigor. I left home without light but I was
upbeat about the prospects and privilege of having it. But the contrary was
exactly the case.
Usually,
I determined whether or not I will have light from Mateheko, far as it is from
my residence in Dansoman Sahara.
When
I got home around 7:00PM, the darkness that had accompanied me through my
journey was equally present in my neighborhood.
Whatever,
I needed to do before sleeping had to me done in darkness. I mean I had to eat,
even in darkness.
Not
even my Galaxy Tab could bear with me. It wasn’t patient enough to watch me
sleep. In fact, it had already taken the lead resting after being bailed out by
a dying battery.
Only
God can bear me out. He is the best to determine exactly the time my eyes could
shut. But, what I know is that my eyes was still active even when the landlord’s
cock crows.
Sadly,
yesterday’s incident has not been an exceptional case. The stress and
discomforts that emanate from excessive heat continue to leave me with
sleepless night all day long. I repeat for the purposes of emphasize that when
the national light goes off, my eyes remains shut until natural light sets.
As
I type this piece only God knows the pains I have to endure to make this happen.
My boss in its quest to meet his target in the face of a major economic
challenges coupled with Dumsor, would equally not accept any excuse for my
absence.
I
am therefore compelled to accumulate the stress, pain and the discomfort without
whining, suicidal as it is.
Generally
I
know my story is not any different from the tales of many young Ghanaian
population whose schedule cannot afford them other options than the stress and
the discomfort they always need to endure to make it to work.
May
be, our ordeals and lamentations are not comparable to the financial emotional,
social and psychological stress the barber, carpenter, mason, even to the thousands
of our labor force who had to laid off
to atone for a condition they never contributed in creating.
Recommendations
In
many of my pieces, I have always ended with recommendation. But on this
occasion, I have no recommendation to add as many solutions have been proffered
from all quarters. My only recommendation is for all to join in the #DumsorMustStop
campaign,even the President will be at the vigil.
At
this point, I want to congratulate the celebrities for their courage,
resilience consistence. Their defiance of the Ghanaian culture of silence is highly
lauded..
Sarkodie,
Yvonne Nelson, Lydia Forson, Chase, Akwaboah,Kwabena Kwabena and many but for
space, the average Ghanaian will remain grateful to you for identifying with
them.
Blessings
Samuel
Osarfo Boateng
Blogger/Researcher/Communications
Strategist
