9-days after Ghana turned 50, im just getting this piece of info….shame on me!!!…where have I been……talking of the definition of being CURRENT tokunboInfos about Ghana:
- Ghanageek talks about it,
- Wikipedia gives some history,
- the BBC talks of the architect of Ghana’s Indepence, and gives us some pictures of the celebration.
I hereby give Ghana my kudos and a big BOW!!! I never knew – now I know. On two occassions-3 and 2years ago, I had been to Ghaha-Kumasi, to the KNUST, with the first two letters “K” and ”N” referring to Kwame Nkurumah. I enjoyed my trips, took many pictures and made many friends for keeps. What attracts me to Ghana is the peaceful environment – its almost in the air, and everybody just walking peacefully, minding their own business, no wahala – compared to Lagos-state hustling-life-style. If Ghanians were white, I would have said my observations had a reason, but considering they are as black as I am, some even blacker, I remember I wondered “what is the secret of this people“. To be entirely honest, there are a whole lot of things that Nigeria can learn from Ghana…lesson#1 is: how to line up at a bus-stop. I was so surprised to see a tall man lined up behind a child at a bus-stop. The thought that crossed my mind was, if this could happen in Nigeria. I remember an instace I wanted to enter a taxi(504 station wagon) on the campus. Being the first in the line, I wanted to take the front seat. After I sat down, the driver had to inform me that I was to go sit at the back. Asking why, he explained that sitting arrangement started from the back. I had to go verify such info from a Ghanian friend-who confirmed it to be true.In fact, the level of public orderliness that I saw in Ghana was the most amazing. Perhaps amazing is an over-strong word, but for the fact that black people like me could choose to live in peace, I mean PEACE in their own land, while we(Nigeria – the giant of Africa) are living in pieces, a lot of thoughts ran through my head. I stayed for 3-weeks on each of the 2-occassions I visited. I looked around for jalopi cars, but all I could see were decent looking cars and houses. Not that things were perfect, but I didn’t expect Ghana and Ghanians to be ‘so far off’. I was so surprised to see a well-dressed, as in decent looking bus-conductor in Kumasi. I thanked God that I did not just dress up in a t-shirt. I would have felt ashamed of myself. He wasn’t hustling for people’s luggages, he wasn’t shouting curses to passengers and other bus-drivers, he wasn’t hanging on the doorway, he had a sit in the bus, he sat down, he wore a shoe and socks - he was just himself. In fact, he even had a disc-man and shaking his head to the beats he was listening to. I was so surprised to find decent 14-seater buses. The most interesting part was that we sat in three’s on a row. I compared what I saw to the 4-5 per-seat overload that has become a norm in Lagos state. The bus-conductor was so respectful that I had to go ask a friend if things were like this everyday from a friend. Having lived abroad myself for many years, seeing such a sight in Africa was truly a surprise, while comparisons ran in my brain with where I was coming from.
Not that things were extra perfect, but too many surprises hit me right the face in Ghaha – considering they were happening right here in Africa. How I wish other African nations can take a leaf or two and emulate.
Emmanuel.K.Bensah
April 2, 2007
Thnaks for your comments about Ghana, but it would be great if we sorted out our energy crisis. Strike that: energy policy mismanagement!
Bassy Blackborn
March 15, 2009
You are very right, that is Ghana for you. but nigerian will still stay the Ghanains never know how far. Even here in Europe, this same Nigerians are the one saying Ghanians are as foolish as white people. Nothing to do about nigeria and Nigerians. whether the once at home are worst or the once in western world I dont know. How churches are doing in the life of Nigerians?