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Time indeed changes – Ghanaian ‘burgers’ are no longer venerated in Ghana since the outbreak of coronavirus

Coronavirus Screening File Photo

Thu, 9 Apr 2020 Source: Rockson Adofo

Many years back, and until the killer novel coronavirus (Covid-19) rearing its ugly head in China and spreading like a wild summer or harmattan bush fire across the length and breadth of the globe, Ghanaians living abroad, called as "burgers", were highly respected when they went to Ghana. However, with the advent of the fatally devastating virus, originating from, and first affecting and infecting many in China, and then spreading outward to other Western countries, Ghanaians residing abroad are more likely to contract the virus than those living in Ghana.

From practical observations and doubtless confirmation, Ghanaians and foreigners returning to Ghana for whatever reason are carriers of the virus to infect those living in the country. Since this finding came out from the testing of those entering the country and being forced into compulsory self-isolation and quarantine, the Ghanaian "burgers" have lost the respect and pampering given to them previously. They have rather become like anathemas in the eyes of almost everyone in Ghana, including even members of their own families back home in Ghana.

Indeed, time changes as the bible well says it in Ecclesiastes 3:1:8.

A Time for Everything:

1 There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

4

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Now is the time for Ghanaian "burgers" to be stigmatised and rejected. There is nothing that anyone can do about it since it is in fulfilment of God's plans going by the bible verses just quoted in verbatim above. Although deadly and scary the virus is, its outbreak has come to teach the Ghanaian "burger", the Ghanaian government and Ghanaians in general bitter lessons while opening our eyes about the need and urgency to be farsighted to take intelligent decisions, be proactive and possibly, be self-reliant in many basic things as much as we can.

At the moment, a person living in say, the remote Kumawu-Abotanso "Twebidi" is 100% safer from contracting the Covid-19 than the Ghanaian living abroad. How indeed time changes, either for better or for worse. Many are probably the "burgers" wishing if they were currently living in such a remote area in Ghana where Covid-19 may not dare reach, than living in the whiteman's countries, the origin and the hotspots of Covid-19.

We need rethinking, the way Ghanaians in particular, and Africans in general, become too lazy as to fail to develop our own country or continent but to always see the whiteman's land as a greener pasture to attract us to go with intent to fleece them. If we are capable of doing our own basic things, will some white scientists always use Africa as the test ground for their nuclear weapons, vaccines in clinical trials and a dumping ground for their waste products and inferior low cost goods from especially China?

Ghanaian burgers, please do not feel rejected and dejected by the actions of our fellow Ghanaians back home towards us. They need to protect themselves from premature death by them not attracting the virus through their physical or social interactions with us. They are right to adopt that approach since we are in the moment of survival where he who adopts to the conditions of the environment he or she finds him or herself, will survive this deadly virus.

While observing all the helpful government advisory instructions to stay safe and alive, we should not forget to approach God Almighty in prayers to come to our aid to rid the world of this lethal virus suspected to be man-made through laboratory engineering.

Columnist: Rockson Adofo