Take You Stand, Beseech God For Right Change

Ladies and Gentlemen, l am a young political activist for Christ. I do not intend to take a stand but this is serious no matter which direction l go in this piece, my aim is to call us all into action to beseech God to heal our nation.

I have been following the political developments in Ghana over the years and it is vitally important to say that to forge ahead as a sovereign country and be more concerned with the welfare of people of our dear country Ghana, we must not only eschew all the destructive political differences and machination that are culturally incorrect and that retard socio-economic and ecological development of Ghana.

I want to say that it is only when it gets dark enough you can see the stars. The crumbling economics, the ecological devastations and challenges we face today as a country, we need to unit as a country and reach forward to enrich the lives of our people. We need to move away from a culture of political materialisms and strive to seek an egalitarian, socially and ecologically just society. Eugene V. Debs stated that when great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. The minority are right. Again, John Dewey once said; the aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education ... (and) the object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth. Now this idea cannot be applied to all the members of a society except where intercourse of man with man is mutual, and except where there is adequate provision for the reconstruction of social habits and institutions by means of wide stimulation arising from equitably distributed interests. And this means a democratic society.

Theoretically, we are democratic nation. But practically, are we democratic and egalitarian, liberal society enough? The health of a nation is measured by the standards of living the citizens experience and how well and flourishing they relate to the whole.

We are citizens have sat too long on the fence. We have seen the sufferings of our people. We are no more a Kingdom where there dominates a heavily influence of a king over a certain territory. Only kingdom colonizes but democracy doesn’t colonize. When democracy colonizes, we called it occupation. Does this analogy ring any bell?

In the words of Aristotle, If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost. And John Winters added that Civilization is the process in which one gradually increases the number of people included in the term 'we' or 'us' and at the same time decreases those labeled 'you' or 'them' until that category has no one left in it. How do the society and Ghanaians feel about our politicians? Perhaps, the unifying perception is that some get richer with lavish lifestyle but the poor and needy continue to be deteriorating and wasting away daily.

Lord Action said the one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the party that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections. I agree. The media blind us many times and opposing parties wept overly about this. Some of us feel compiled as our civil responsibilities to add our concerns to address the political incorrectness and cultural devastations that have characterized our political terrains today.

Furthermore, the divine souls of our people cry everyday and look forward to the sunshine and rains that will fall to blossom their very existence. It is not that we are weak but the political divides of our country is what weaken our inherent potentials. The human life and existence are threatened by the greed, self-gratification, materialism and power garnered by few leaders who seek their welfare, families and those who support or associate with them. These deprived souls are striving to consciousness to one of peace and harmony to get in intimate touch with the innermost core of their being and to know that they have more power than they have ever realized, to know that they can influence what is happening in their body, in their mind, emotions, as well as in the world that they create everyday. Jane Addams said that we have learned to say that the good must be extended to all of society before it can be held secure by any one person or any one class. But we have not yet learned to add to that statement, that unless all [people] and all classes contribute to a good, we cannot even be sure that it is worth having. Few politicians enjoy the good, thinking everyone else does the same.

It is an election year and what are politicians promising us today? Would their promises reflect practical application of what Jane Addams admonished us about? Are people only want to make name or they are more compassionate about what they can do for the suffering Ghanaians? People in Ghana complained about economic hardships and are more concerned about food at the table for their families, health care, quality and affordable education, secured society, social justice and religious freedom. Change is good but what people fear is the impact of the change. In our political history, we have seen real overwhelming change which majority embraced and we have also experienced an “invented or what l referred to as experimenting positive political change. Whatever the last positive or invented change, was based on human mobilization adrift to one direction, does the change contribute to the common good of society, improved standards of living, and economic and social justice of our citizenry? Only God can change sunsets into sunrises and any change invented by man motivated by prestige, social status, greed and injustices cannot withstand the test of time. The NDC has her past and is gone. NPP mobilized innocent Ghanaians for what was politically known as “Positive Change,” which l believe worked well for their agenda. Instantly, some Ghanaians welcomed this artificial change and saw it in their jubilation as being the darkest clouds bringing the heaviest showers of blessing. After the first term under NPP administration, some Ghanaians say, let us give them another chance because they were made to believe they inherit debts of their predecessors. Excuse sustained. Second term’s end is just few months away. My only question is what is our current debt amount and how much has NPP incurred to date and what legacies are they leaving the next president if not retained? Are they ready to tell Ghanaians how much they have disappointed them? You cannot be rated from the bench until you are put in charge of people and material resources to render your stewardships. How is NPP going to give account of themselves, or is it through a presidential palace they built? I believe fellow Ghanaians are not interested in being reminded about the messes of NDC and the pains of the past. They are more interested in the reality show of NPP stewardships. It is very easy to pull your opponent down when you are not in his shoe and worse of all; it is very difficult to win your opponent back to acknowledge your mistake after you stood in his shoe. I questioned myself can change be sustained? The only change that can be sustained is the one that faithful Christians beseech God to provide for their maintenance and sustenance. It is a big embarrassment to give out our national assets to foreign company to man for us because we are incapable. This clearly demonstrates that our highest education, leadership qualities and freedom become meaningless after independence, it is a shame to see arm robbers killing people to make a living; it is a disgrace to see politicians indicted in drug trafficking or tons of controlled substance seized and missing. It is an insecurity of a nation to see many evils being birthed daily; drug abuse, unemployment, substandard education and unequipped graduates, prostitution on the increase, and dishonesty and incarcerations of political opponents, tribal politics, inhuman assassinations, moral decadence, indictment of political leaders for sexual immoralities and adulterous misconducts, misappropriation and embezzlement of state funds, sales of Ghana passport. The serial killing of hunchbacks, lack of practical and punishable accountability standards, nepotism on family, and political lines and many other societal evils. Should we blame poor academic standards on TV viewing by our school going age populations? To some extent yes to Dr. Kwame Danso as carried by Ghanaweb Tuesday Aug. 19 2008 in Kumasi during the launch of “Teen World Magazine.” If you cannot treat a patient, do not try to diagnose the patient. Are we going to blame our children for action, policies and decisions that they have not formulated? Is it our negligence or theirs? Is it not a collapse of and signs of failed educational policies? If state can implement comprehensive educational policy for television viewing, every parent would encourage their children to learn through TV programming. So because we failed to do so, they watch anything that is shown. I used to watch or listen to the “what do you know” programme but l don’t know if that and other educational programmes still exist. I know here in America the statistics on TV watching is alarming. However, how may household in Ghana has TV, Mr. Lecturer and Dr. Danso? A graduate from US would be highly respected because of credible educational policies than anyone with a first degree who comes here and is asked to start over or take series of tests. If Ghanaians can pray and see any substance in either NDC or any other trustworthy parties and empathetic presidential candidates, l encourage them to follow their divine discernment and not listen to anybody with high political standing.The NPP National Chairman, Peter Mac Manu urged Ghanaians on Monday August 18 2008 with Ghanaweb caption “Let’s say no to Sankofa” at the NPP Annual Delegates Conference in Sekondi referring to NDC. “Beware of their deeds, cunning lies and sugar-coated promises.” Faithful Christians, it only takes me few minutes to write this piece. However, it pears my soul when l look over the issues that confront our nation today. Do you have to put your trust in your party and candidates or God? Our job description is this and it is very simple and clear. Pray for our nation for God to heal our lands. The bible says if my People, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, seek my face, turn away from their sins and pray, l the Lord will hear them in heaven and heal their land. Arrogance cannot position us in leadership rule, but humility does. To fervently seek the Lord to heal our land through prayer is to take up our job description seriously and in humility. Because humility exalts a nation but pride brings a nation down. I do not say Christians but prefer to use faithful Christians because prayer is a faithful assignment and continuous responsibility. This is our democratic responsibility. E.B White said Democracy is itself, a religious faith. For some it comes close to being the only formal religion they have. A name of something, they say denotes the nature of that thing. So l urge the NPP to change their name “kukrudu” because that translates to mean “earthquake” in Ga language and every earthquake is disastrous. They are dangers to our survival. The country is facing challenges and suffering comparable to a natural disaster like earthquake can bring. NPP has such insurmountable tasks of fixing all the devastations the kukrudu “earthquake” caused in Ghana for the near eight years mandate given them. Time is running out. It is irreparable devastating damage witnessed in the lives of Ghanaians for such a short time period. If you are faithful prayer warrior, l invite you to take your place and share tears for our country. Tears are often the means by which we see God's rainbow of promises and no trouble can come so near that God is not nearer and to those of us who suffer, be rest assured that Jesus is no security against life's storms, but he is perfect security in them. Pray for discerning spirit to vote for the right person who care about your suffering and compassionate about healing the devastations ravaged by the careless and senselessness of man.

Pray a fervent prayer for peace, honesty and integrity for all our politicians and ask God to take away the evils, sufferings and heal our land. Grace and peace to you all. God Bless Our Homeland Ghana.

Raymond Bokor USA. [email protected]