POEM: Greedy politicians and Ghana@53

We beg as always we do

Why so?

Are we that blind?

When will we learn?

Are we a race that can manage its affairs?

Despite all the lands

The mineral wealth

The human resource base

But still we beg

We worship leaders who beg

And hail them for putting us on the map for this

Eventually, over half of these monies disappear into their pockets

Under fictitious names and that of their friends and family

They buy boats and houses as well as luxury cars

And claim these are from friends

They buy our oil fields for a song

Probably with our own monies

Oh Ghanaian taxpayer!

Can you not see?

That the leaders ye follow are selfish and greedy to the point of avarice

Shame they have none

Respect they will get

For this is what the African is all about

The greediest and most domineering will get our praise

I lie down and cry every night

Wondering when we will hold our own among the nations

Hold our leaders accountable

And deal with them when they commit crimes no matter how insignificant

Just so others will not follow in their steps

A lesson to all who silently scheme behind the scenes

When will we get leaders who will think about us first before satisfying their appalling tastes?

I cringe when these people mount podiums

I silently watch in dismay as their followers follow blindly, singing their praises

No questions asked

No challenge to their lies

No counter to their misleading ways

Oh Africa!

Until we begin to hold our leaders accountable

Until such time as we begin electing leaders with high standards

We will be doomed into begging

Never making ends meet

Never getting past any set targets

We will take two steps forward and four backwards

Never thinking outside the black box

We will continue electing leaders who will grab our wealth and then annoyingly flaunt them in our faces

Who easily forget that these were stolen from the very people whose livelihoods they pledged to improve

Our leaders will buy our bungalows with our money

Get hotels by their house, a shopping mall across from their street and all we’ll do is be silent and praise them

Because we have no principles

Leader after leader rob us of our wealth and we stand by and watch

This trail will continue because we see nothing wrong

Accountability means nothing

And instead of looking to our leaders we look to the world for salvation

What a mentality!

Ghana is 53 years

What have we got to show for the minerals we mined all this while?

The toil, the sacrifices, the hardships, the coups…..

Oh Ghana!

Art thou cursed?

Kwame Mepeasem

kwamemepeasem@yahoo.com