Sidney Kpani Addy is someone I'd refer to as a cyber-colleague. We met on a cyber forum - googlegroup named Ghana Leadership Forum (GLU) - http://groups.google.com/group/glu-ghana-leadership-forum?hl=en. We've never met face-to-face before but I'd say, we know each other. He and others reacted to an article titled "Let's make Akan Ghana's official language -- Samuel Adjei" posted on Myjoyonline - http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/201011/56016.asp - See comments and other reactions on the topic on myjoyonline - http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/comments.asp?contentid=56016 and you'd have an idea how thorny this issue is among Ghanaians. For fairness and reporting principles, i'm not editing my original post to the forum so please forgive my errors:
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Mblaa Sidney,
You are one of the men I hold in high regard on this forum but when it comes to the issue of tribes, you lose a lot of marks. Whatever has made you form such harsh opinions about Akans and particularly Asantes might have been really bad experiences and for that I can understand you. I'd even go further to apologise on behalf of my ethnic group and tribe for the evils we have committed.
Sidney, if you would be a little honest, you'd realise that it is not the Akan/ Asantes who are totally guilty of these "sins". In fact, we are all guilty in some way (and that is not to say we are all partakers) and as such must all repent. While I would not attempt to make excuses for some of the despicable comments some of us make about other tribes, I'd say you are trying to create a mounthill out of a mole hill. We all have to be a little bit more tolerant and understanding of people who make stupid and ignorant comments and even avoid stereotyping. i have friends across the tribes and funny enough have witnessed each of the tribes being stereotyped and slandered when those friends from a particular tribe are not around. My Ewe friends say all sorts of things about Gas behind their back and are even polite to talk about Asantes when I'm around. My Ga friends also talk about Ewes. Asantes talk about Gas, Ewes, Northerners, etc. What i find intriguing is how we all think all Northerners are the same people and think alike and sometimes even think they all are Moslems. In the same way, I have found it intriguing that some non-Akans can't even differentiate between Asantes, Kwahus, Akyems, Akuapems, and even Bonos.
We've all grown up with our prejudices but must be careful not to allow them to enslave us because not all Gas, Ewes, Fantes, Frafras, Mamprusis, Krobos, Asantes, Kwahus, Akwapems, etc are what we thought they were.
There's no deliberate orchestration by Akans to force the speaking of Akan down the throats of non-Akan speaking Ghanaians. If we are not careful, we will be making hasty generalisations to score points and will wake up one day to realise we didn't help matters. Our children should not be made to grow up with such prejudices. Like you already know, I am an Asante married to a Ga/Ewe woman. what are my children? people in my family have married across the tribes and I'm not an exception. we have to be careful not to blow these things out of proportion - there are of course issues but they are not as bad as you are trying to paint them Sidney.
Sidney, who says we (Akans/ Asantes) also don't get unfairly labelled and insulted. I see all these as prejudices that will die off with the passage of time - indeed, they are on their way out already so let us avoid putting them on life support.
We have and will continue to offend one another as a result of our prejudices but we must be careful not to blow things out of their true proportions.
To me, what is paramount is Ghana and how we can get it on its feet. Things are not getting any better and those issues affecting Ghana do not discriminate based on tribes. whether we are happy with the way things are with regards to tribe, we have no choice now. We have been forced together as Ghana and we would have an almost impossible task trying to change it. It is less stressful to live as one people with a common destiny so let us try and make things work.
I'm looking forward to meeting you in person next time you come to Ghana.
Cheers!
Kwasi
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