Accra, Ghana, March 6, 2019//-Today marked Ghana’s 62 years of freedom from British colonial rule. The day is celebrated with parades throughout the country – district / municipal, regional capitals, with the national one at the Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital.
In the colonial era Ghanaians had the Empire Day, celebrated prior to 1901 as the birthday of Queen Victoria who died on 22 January 190. It was instituted in the United Kingdom in 1905 by Lord Meath and extended throughout the countries of the British Empire..
The idea of the day was to remind children that they formed part of the British Empire and that they might think with others in lands across the sea, what it meant to be sons and daughters of such a glorious Empire; and which apprised them that the strength of the Empire depended upon them, and they must never forget it.
Each Empire Day, 24th of May, millions of school children from all walks of life across the length and breadth of the British Empire would typically salute the Union Flag and sing patriotic songs.
They would hear inspirational speeches and listen to tales of “daring do” from across the Empire, stories that included such heroes as Clive of India, Wolfe of Québec and “Chinese Gordon” of Khartoum.
But of course the real highlight of the day for the children was that they were let of school early in order to take part in the thousands of marches, maypole dances, concerts and parties that celebrated the event.
In Britain an Empire Movement was formed, with its goal in the words of its Irish founder Lord Meath, “to promote the systematic training of children in all virtues which conduce to the creation of good citizens.” Those virtues were also clearly spelled out by the watchwords of the Empire Movement “Responsibility, Sympathy, Duty, and Self-sacrifice.”
Empire Day remained an essential part of the calendar for more than 50 years, celebrated by countless millions of children and adults alike, an opportunity to demonstrate pride in being part of the British Empire.
By the1950s, however, the Empire had started to decline, and Britain’s relationship with the other countries that formed the Empire had also changed, as they began to celebrate their own identity. Ghana, being one of the emergent independent countries – instead of Empire Day the country now has Independence Day.
Paradoxically, events after independence have called into question the continuous celebration of the parades. Instead of promoting “the systematic training of children in all virtues which conduce to the creation of good citizens”, school children stand in scorching sun listening to dry speeches from those in government which add little or nothing to infusion of patriotism in the future leaders of the country.
Divisive politics have been the bane of Ghana from independence leading to societal polarisation to the detriment of the country.
The political elite see nothing plausible with the country when their political opponents are in power and systematically indulge in activities to create disaffection for the government as a means to the attainment of political power.
Political scientists see some of the consequences of destructive politics in Ghana since as: indiscipline and lack of civic responsibility among large sections of the people,a destructive media landscape characterised by immorality and political intolerance, ethnicism instigated for political advantage as a means to political power,lack of patriotism, nationalism and a high sense of pride in the Ghanaian identity, corruption,and revenge motivated political policies –allowing institutions established by the other party to fail to justify its incompetence and lack of foresight.
Ghanaian youth need to be infused with positive traits like the existence of national cohesion and tolerance at most levels of social interactions that has eluded a number of African countries culminating in wars, the stable democratic political environment in the country, and the moderate economic gains that have catapulted the country into middle income status, instead of being bombarded with self-glorification of those in power.
The youth need to be psyched up through various educational programmes to gain the appropriate attitude for national development.
Such educational reminders on patriotism and nationalism will galvanised them into action by taking advantage of opportunities available for the good of Ghana.
Independence Day, yes! But enough of political self-praise and aggrandisement. The day should be seen as reflective occasion on the fight against humiliating poverty and hunger; for that matter, the need for rapid socio-economic development.
Queen Elizabeth II said it all on March 6, 1957: “The hopes of many, especially in Africa, hang on your endeavours. It is my earnest and confident belief that my people in Ghana will go forward in freedom and justice.”
By Oppong Baah, African Eye Report
