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Let's grow up, Ghanaians in cyberspace!

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 Source: Okyere Bonna

Many of us find Ghanaweb a great opportunity to contribute to the betterment of our home government in the Feature Article stub. This, many do by providing great suggestions and input for the home government to ponder on. It was only proper that we showed some appreciation. Many have and still do spend a lot of their precious time to do research and investigations, akin to a paid consultant, to address social, political and economic issues facing the country, in their feature articles. It was only proper that readers will diagnose the issues so raised and add to the author’s views or provide counter arguments and come out with alternate solutions or recommendations.

However, many would rather resort to cheap talk and insults that have no bearing to the articles. While some like NANA AMMA OBENEWAA, Oyokoba, Sendero etc., would graciously make time to dissect the issues and comment appropriately and respectfully in the space owners of Ghana Home Page have cautiously and graciously provided to readers in the comment section. On the contrary, and at the same space, many still fight and throw tantrums like babies over tribal issues, that may have no bearing to the article. Why don’t the latter go to the forum they belong in the same website?

As if the host(s) of Ghanaweb knew there would probably be the need for the many who may just want to only speak out their frustrations and engage in their loose talks (or revenge), they have graciously provided a forum for this too [Rumour Mill]. As if this would not be enough another forum is also created, OPINIONS (SAY IT LOUD (SIL) for the many others who don’t fit in this brain exercise or just cannot be bothered with academic debates and discourse.

It is therefore pathetic that some contractors find it amusing to post unnecessary comments to fuel tribal sentiments and insults in the comments section. This complex must cease or be taken where it belongs, not in the Feature Articles. There is enough room on Ghanaweb for this exercise already. I personally find anyone who speaks ill of any other tribe a small mind with some inferiority complex. Aren’t we all Ghanaians? Our various local histories should not divide us but unite us. We should consider ourselves blessed as a nation with such unique diversity. Our motto should reflect, “OUT OF MANY BUT ONE.”

This jealousy of one tribe or another must stop now. Rather we should seek to emulate the good in one another and appreciate the great and rich history and pride of the other rather than bringing them down to our level. We can do better by projecting the positives of each tribe and build on them. The rule must be: If you don’t have anything positive to say, don’t say it all- keep it to yourself.” We must build each other up not destroy ourselves, for we are countrymen and women not enemies. Don’t you think we should have grown up by now, after 50 years of independence?

Are we fools or what? If a small country like Ghana with only a population of 22 million unlike Nigeria with 200 million cannot co-exist peacefully as one and still engage in “tribe nonsense”, then we have a fundamental problem.

One would ask where is the education we received? Are we just playing foolishness or just trying to sabotage our nation?

We should be able to think of Ghana first and offer some meaningful contribution than to go on with these infantile practices of heaping insults on one another. WHO CARES IF SOMEONE IS FROM EAST OR WEST OF GHANA? WE SHOULD RATHER CARE ABOUT POSTERITY AND JOB CREATION.

PLEASE, PLEASE, I PRAY YOU; LET US GROW UP, GHANAIANS IN CYBERSPACE!



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

Columnist: Okyere Bonna