"The Trouble With Us"

 I went book shopping this weekend, looking to find a specific something I need; I ended up as always looking in other directions! Among the books I came away with is Chinua Achebe’s “The Trouble with Nigeria”. 

It’s a little book of some 63 pages which I read in 2 hours once I got home. The book was published in 1983 and though it speaks of Nigeria at that time and before, I felt I was reading about my own country. As I read I kept thinking the book should have been titled “The trouble with Us”.

The book is an admonition and a call to action. It’s about all the things “wrong” with our society. There’s a reminder to the middle classes and so-called educated about their complicity in nation-wrecking and responsibility for nation salvaging. It’s also a reminder that there’s still hope and points to lessons yet to be learned. Achebe puts the blame “simply and squarely” on the failure of leadership and while I agree that there’s much to say about leadership and its failures, I cannot help a strong feeling that we all share in that blame.

It would be nice to know what Achebe thinks today, about the things he speaks about in the chapters of his book - Corruption, Tribalism, Indiscipline, False image of Ourselves, Leadership, Social Injustice and the Cult of Mediocrity ... - and their toll on Nigeria (by 1983). 

I am even more interested to know about our own assessment of whether our lessons have been learned and whether indeed we even identify with Achebe’s picture of Nigeria almost 30 years back!

But while I wait, I thought I would point the book to anyone who would like to read it, especially everyone. Alternatively read a review and still read the book anyway!

Let me whet the appetite with some bits from the book;

“... national habits are a different matter; we resign ourselves to them at our peril” –page 2

“why do the good among us seem so helpless while the worst are full of vile energy?” - page 2

“... I believe that although our condition is critical, and getting worse by the day, we still do have a majority, albeit dormant, of self-controlled citizens” – page 28

“as we were driving through Ankwa we heard a siren and performed the appropriate motions of mild panic and pulled up. Three police vehicles- a jeep, a car and a lorry sped by in the opposite direction. From the side of the lorry a policeman was pissing on to the road and the halted traffic.” – page 35 

‘one of the penalties of exalted power is loneliness. Harnessed to the trappings of protocol and blockaded by a buffer of grinning courtiers and sycophants, even a good and intelligent leader will gradually begin to forget what the real world looks like” – page 37

“we have been “blessed” with a succession of leaders who are said to possess impeccable personal integrity but unfortunately are surrounded by sharks and crooks. ...it has always seemed to me that the test of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised” – page 42

“..you have told us that you want our votes so that you can serve us. If we get killed while you are getting the vote, who then will you serve?” – page 51

“in the specific matter of elections we have deprived ourselves of our potential power over politicians by falling prey to ethnicity and other divisive bogeys they conjure up and harness to their band-wagon”- page 52

“while the electorate is thus emasculated by such instigated divisions, the politician will link up even with his tribal enemy once they get to the legislature ...... Witness the marvelous cooperation with which our National Assembly took over accommodation provided for civil servants on Victoria Island; how quickly they pass bills to increase their emoluments, ...”- page 52

Ring any bells?

Who You Yapping At?

The linguist or okyeame is a very important person in Ghanaian culture. Communication between traditional authorities (usually the chief) and others is transmitted through the linguist whose responsibility it is to clarify the messages and render the back and forth utterances in language that is savoury, that can be understood by the common people and also in a manner that is culturally acceptable in order to maintain peace. Call them the real diplomats; the word linguist does not quite capture the role of the okyeame which is more a combination of lawyer, ambassador, mouthpiece, spokesperson, and speaker.

It goes to say that not every other person on the street can be an okyeame or linguist. Their symbol of authority is a staff which must be in hand before they perform their various tasks including pouring libation, delivering the chief’s judgement or welcoming visitors. In carrying out this important role, linguists have been known sometimes to colour messages to reflect their own mischievous ends like say adding a few choice insults here and there or trying to accrue some personal benefit to themselves in a negotiation. Nonetheless, linguists are powerful figures in our society for obvious reason.

A linguist with his staff

The influence of linguists is evident in contemporary society in a variety of ways. In the “state apparatus” the linguist has taken up the title “spokes person”. In our situation the Minister of Information would be the person not the spokespersons elsewhere whose utterances tend to elicit the opposite of peace almost all of the time. In the corporate world they are the PR or Corporate Affairs Officers. At the church, I am not sure what name they carry but I see them either repeat exactly what is said by the pastor or translate. For instance; when pastor goes, “na obree ne hu ase”; church linguist goes, “ose, na obree ne hu ase”. The on-going translates this way; pastor says, “... and he humbled himself” and church linguist goes, “he says, and he humbled himself”. I am sure you get the drift.

The real value of the linguist however is not simply in the dexterity with which their message is delivered. It is that they speak the language of the people. Speaking the language of the people means saying it as the people would appreciate, identify with. Secondly, their word is unadulterated, being transmitted straight from the authority that speaks.  Now hold this thought.

2 of the many important political rallies to be held before Ghana goes to the polls in December were held not too long ago. Screamer after screamer told their supporters either about their exceptional track record or the failings of their opponents. The people cheered when speakers mounted the podium and responded enthusiastically to slogans. The events were reported on the evening news; the teeming crowds cheering, singing and displaying paraphernalia. Successful rallies, by all accounts.

  

Elsewhere the chiefs gathered with all their subjects, dressed up in glamorous regalia to welcome the visitors with good news. All necessary protocols done, the real business begun- the talk. Only “developmental” projects bring the chiefs and peoples together with government officials like this so the substance of the talk was nothing new. The chiefs, aided by thick spectacles and with faces not more than 5 inches away from the text from which they read laboriously, thanked the officials and ask for more. Government officials followed similarly, reminding the people of the many good things done already and many more to come.

All these events come to me via TV thanks to news reporters and media houses. I watch the faces of the crowds and community members when the speeches, especially those that are read from scripts and palm-size tabs are being delivered and ask myself; who are these “high ups” talking to? Except in a few distinct cases the medium of communication is the English Language. True, I know that  the English language  is the official language but  is it not rather more like the language of officials? Ever wondered what the “official” language in your hometown is or indeed the “official” language of the woman that sells koko (porridge) on the street?

Now, unfreeze that thought ... slowly.

akuyaafriyie@gmail.com

Gunning for President

The motherland is gearing up for elections so promises of a Betterer Ghana, Free Education at all stages for all, Jobs for all and of School Tankase and plans to change portions of our constitution are about.

I figure now that the coast is clear for declarations of both level-headed and doubtful aspirations, all in gargantuan proportions (ye-e-s, had to get it out of the way) of the type relating to making the world a better place, I should make my intentions known.

I mean to make a pitch for president unless of course the law of my land makes a turnabout, which is not entirely unlikely. But that kind of thing usually happens when the end of the road is so conspicuously and most definitely nigh, on paper that is. And since that is not exactly the case out here yet, here’s what I offer.

Um, before that ... my plans are rather modest and since I have a feeling I will be tolerated no more than a year at best, also rather brief. Besides I am quite certain the Chief Project Monitoring Executive’s job will be redundant in the near future; so to the point.

                                                                               

If I am president:

1.          I will have no spokespersons. It's rather tiring having to clarify myself repeatedly and clarify or justify other people’s utterances disguised as mine.

2.          Any countryman or woman of sound mind heard referring to the motherland as the gateway to Africa will pay a hefty fine. While we may take pride in being the most fertile destination for castoffs or the most cooperative sibling when it comes to facilitating access to family inheritance, we couldn’t possibly be seen bragging about that. 

 

3.          An elite group akin to the celebrated Seals who paid the terrorist an unwelcome visit will be established within a month of my presidency. Black Seals, they will be called. Their only targets would be Presidents who develop a phobia for front door exits and their job would simply be to give the sluggish presidents a quick and painless trip to nothingness. This presidential escort’s job comes with lifetime immunity. 

4.          Eligible presidential candidates would have permanent home addresses (as in liveable, living there, owning it sort of thing). While every effort will be made to house retiring presidents (if they so wish) and to make them comfortable for as long as they live, properties made available for their use will remain properties of the state. And that’s that. Case close.

5.          A public officer who uses or has to use the expression “we need to” or variants of it, twice on the same matter will be summarily dismissed. Obviously no progress would have been made in the space of time between the two statements.  It’s tough enough not to have a plan the first time.

6.          Jubilee House (now Flagstaff House) will live up to its name. It will be the joint for retirees where they will be treated to 3 square meals a day and music of their times all day. The senior citizens will spend their time playing Council of State, Oware and doing whatever else pleases them. They will also guide visitors around the museum which would be relocated there. All sitting presidents and ministers would be required to visit The House at least once a month; that should help keep them in line.

7.          The concept of Friday Wear as a day to go African would be scrapped. What does it mean to be African, live in Africa and have need to dedicate a day on which to wear African? There’s something nuts about it. Invitations to events that require guests to be in “formal wear” i.e. suited will be forbidden.

8.          The term international will also be used sparingly and only in relation to international affairs and relations. "Locally international" entities will no longer be recognized. The false impression easily gets to our heads.

9.          No educational establishment would be allowed to register names that include incorrect spellings of words that already exist in the languages we use and for which no more grammatical considerations are required. The informal ways of the entertainment and mobile texting worlds has no place in education. Last time I checked "kollege" had yet to arrive.

10.      All schools; public, private, whatever else in between would study the following subjects compulsorily at the primary level. History of the motherland; where we are coming from and I don’t mean the sky story. The Motherlands Territory, i.e. what is ours or rather what is left of what was ours that we must defend. Social Skills; the ways we relate to each other on the motherland so we don’t confuse “hi” with any of the motherland’s expressions. Schools claiming to be running foreign curricula would not be exempted. Naturally these subjects would include tours around the motherland supported by the tourism ministry with coerced input from industry players. What? They should be doing this already! Also all learners should have toured at least 3 regions by the end of upper primary to know the motherland, its peoples, culture and terrain. Okay this is a tough one but still.
       By the way, schools with no playgrounds will be closed down. Football pitches will not count for playgrounds.

Gosh, did I promise to be brief? This sort of thing gets easily out of hand, doesn’t it? Now I see how my forerunners get carried away. Ten is a tidy number anyway so I will keep my promise and end here. Before I get off though, one final thing;

                                             

There will be no presidential commissions or parliamentary committees to consider any of the above. Too much of everything is bad as is often said and that includes... you know, consultations and the like.

Now, let's see..... bother! I’ll never make president with this anyway so what’s the fretting about.