Growing up as a child, I always wondered why my dad was never shouted at or punished in someway whenever he broke a plate at home. I thought to myself, was this man not to blame for the same crime I am shouted at when it was committed? I also wondered, even after committing such a "heinous" crime he still enjoyed all the best part of the chicken soup on Fufu Sundays. Why was it so? As a young man now, I sometimes blame our inability to question authority or even hold them accountable for their wrong doing on the mystery of my father and the broken plates ( I am still trying to unravel that mystery). Sometimes I wonder if there would ever be a "successful" uprising in Ghana where our demands for accountability can see the light of day. One, some of us grow up in the "broken plate" mentality and are even afraid to question ourselves thoughtless of questioning our "higher ups". Two, we are too busy whitewashing our "Ghanafuor y3 hospitable and peace-loving" gold medal while we suffer in poverty. Some of us are also busy making babies because in the absence of electricity, sex is one great form of entertainment- that's on the lighter side. Here comes the amazing part; just like Fufu Sundays, our leaders who we can't hold accountable enjoy the ramparts of our economy and even have pet names for them- ex-gratia, rent allowance, petrol allowance and the like. We must demand accountability come what may. We must break free from our timid psychological make up. Our children's wellbeing and future depends on it. Posterity will painfully judge us if we don't realise our power as the people.
THIS IS A RANDOM AFRICAN THOUGHT- EDWIN LAMPTEY.
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