At the birth of Ghana, on, March 6, 1957, when Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, led the patriots and freedom fighters to, lower the, Union Jack, and hoist the, Red, Gold, Green and Black Star Flag of the Republic of Ghana, all lights shone in the direction of a nation that was birthed with a common identity based on the one and only true God – the Creator of the universe.
When the venerable composer/musicologist, Philip Gbeho, out of divine inspiration and approval of Kwame Nkrumah, lyrically introduced, God, as the first word of the National Anthem, there is no denying the fact that, Ghana was going to be a nation that would allow all of God’s human (not animal) creation, “So, God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27), to have a common egalitarian identity as far as human/earthly existence is concerned.
Of course, in the egalitarianism of the nation, people would be allowed to develop their God-given talents/gifts, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17), to the extents that their abilities and creativity can carry them – because on Judgement Day, “… we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10), to give personal accounts of our stewardship or lack of it while sojourning in the earth realm.
That is to say, at birth, Mother Ghana’s womb was oiled with the oil of, National Cohesion and Unity in fulfilment of God’s divine and original purpose for the creation of the geographical entity called Ghana.
Chapter six of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, under the caption, “The Directive Principles Of State Policy”, Article 35, Clause (5), states: “The State shall actively promote the integration of the peoples of Ghana and PROHIBIT (emphasis is mine), discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of place of origin, circumstances of birth, ethnic origin, gender, religion, creed or other beliefs”.
Article 35, Clause (6) states: “Towards the achievement of the objectives stated in clause (5), of this article, the State shall take appropriate measures to … (a), Foster a spirit of LOYALTY (emphasis is mine) to Ghana that overrides, sectional, ethnic and other loyalties:”.
Throughout Ghana’s existence, our tolerance for our collective existence, has become an envy to many nations that have allowed the bait of, sectionalism, to sink them into deep waters of war/death/strife/destruction.
Ghana’s secularism (which does not take away the God-factor), has allowed the nation to live above the petty religious bigotry that has killed nations.
Since Independence, and whether we have had civilian or military governments, none, has ever dared change the lyrics of the Anthem and thereby remove the God-factor because any such move would be met with cataclysmic defiance from the People of Ghana in whom real POWER resides.
No matter the Religious Faiths, ALL Ghanaians sing the Anthem and mention God without any form of reluctance nor disobedience.
In like manner, ALL Ghanaians recite the National Pledge and reiterate the God-factor with the last line “… so help me God”.
So, if ALL Ghanaians believe in the ONE and ONLY God, wherein lies any unnecessary appetite to wage a religious war when the soul of the nation is not calling for it?
Our Educational Systems and Communal Living Systems, have allowed ALL Ghanaians to live and bond together without discriminatorily flying the inflammatory flags of the, “Them and Us”, syndrome – so why should we do so now after 66 years of our existence as a bastion of acceptable political peace?
So, when desperate politicians decide to start stoking religious bigotry-laden flames just to suit their evil craving for political power (not to better the lot of the populace, but to, create, loot and share the resources of State), such politicians must not be tolerated at all.
As the 2024 election year grinds steadily towards us, and as the clock of desperation ticks faster for politicians who are extremely desperate for power, there is no denying the fact that some persons are going to be fouling the airwaves with stench emanating from dark hearts/minds.
At NO point in time should well-meaning and right-thinking Ghanaians sit idly by and allow a handful of tunnel-visioned myopic political chimney sweepers to blow this nation up in fire and smoke because they are craving for the soot of the chimneys they sweep and live in.
Where the light of God is; the devil finds his space in there to only destroy but, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Till the end of creation, the light of God shall forever overcome the darkness of Satan.
Ghana has been praying since March 6, 1957, for the Almighty God to “bless our homeland Ghana and make us great and strong …), and because “The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16b), the prayers of the righteous men/women who fought for Ghana’s Independence, the prayers of generations of yore, the prayers of the current generation, and the prayers of future generations, shall not be allowed to go to waste because of the evil desires of petty “politrickcians”, who use trickery and evil wits to win power and end up doing the will of the devil.
GHANA SHALL NOT DIE; GHANA SHALL LIVE TO DECLARE THE WORKS OF THE LORD!!!
May God continue to bless our Homeland Ghana into eternity. Amen!!!
Samuel Koku Anyidoho
Founder, Atta-Mills Institute For Transformational Leadership
&
Student Of Political Theology.
