Opinions of Saturday, 26 March 2016
Columnist: sirarticle.blogspot.com
Ghana, the acclaimed gateway to Africa, is my beloved motherland. I am proud to be a native Ghanaian. "I am not Ghanaian because I was born in Ghana, but because Ghana was born in me" - drawing inspiration from a famous quote by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, our pre-eminent founding father. For if I had the chance to be reincarnated after my death, I would still want to be a Ghanaian.
I recently read online that some 38 foreign nationals, including Americans, British, Spanish etc. have naturalised as Ghanaians. This evidences my profound assertion that Ghana is probably the best place to be in the world.
Paradoxically, many Ghanaian folks migrate to Western countries in dire need of wealth while Ghana remains the country of limitless opportunities. Yes, our nation may have its shortcomings yet it is arguably the best place to be on planet earth. Here are the 7 salient reasons to validate my remarkable pronouncement:
(1) Hospitability is our prime hallmark.
You have obviously heard that, "Ghanaians are hospitable." Ghanaians are hospitable, at least towards foreigners. We are mostly friendly and welcoming to visitors or guests because that is a part of our cultural make-up. In fact, we are warm-hearted, neighbourly, accommodating and open-handed. Any average foreigner can attest to this attitude of ours.
(2) Ghanaians are rarely satirical.
The Ghanaian citizenry possess an atypical sense of satire in everyday life. Satire is in our blood and we sometimes play it carefully. We literally mock our wayward politicians on a daily basis, with the aim of demonising them and exposing their evil deeds.
On social media especially, we often resort to biting satire of our unjust, wicked and corrupt system. And virtually no guilty person or institution can escape our sociopolitical satire. For satire enlightens the masses in unusual ways.
(3) Ghana is the land of real peace.
Okay, Ghana is the most peaceful country in Africa and beyond. Ghanaians abhor mass bloodshed. Look! Religion may have separated us, ethnicity may have disconnected us, politics may have divided us, and wealth may have classified us; however, we still coexist with one another in peace and togetherness.
(4) We have a stable democracy.
Thank God Ghana has never experienced any civil war unlike most African countries. Though we have had several military interventions in the past after our independence; we now enjoy a stable democracy, where the people are sovereign under the rule of law in a free and open society with constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms.
(5) Economic opportunities abound in our economy.
Ghana may be the small West African country with insignificant presence in the world economy. Yet economic opportunities in various sectors of our resilient economy really abound. Why migrate to the Western world to seek greener pastures when you can make much money here like Sarkodie, Bola Ray, Despite, Nduom, and the like?
People may claim that the Ghanaian economy is in the doldrums due to acutely unfavourable economic conditions. But with priceless passion, efficiency, hard work, smartness and innovation; one can make a rare fortune in the course of time. Need I say more?
(6) Ghana is a modern secular society.
Should I say religious and cultural pluralism exist in Ghana? Well, Christianity, Islam, idolatry and the others are all guaranteed by Ghana's 1992 Constitution. In Ghana, everyone can practise his faith without fear since Ghana is neither a Christian country nor an Islamic nation. We are a modern secular society or a pluralist state.
(7) We have a prestigious cultural heritage.
Ghana boasts of a variety of prestigious cultures. The Ashanti Kingdom in particular, has gained worldwide recognition for its lasting, dynamic and especial nature. Indeed, a chunk of the Ghanaian people are true bearers of high Ghanaian culture which is inseparable from our national spirit.
God bless mother Ghana...