GROUP A
America
Zambia
GROUP B
London
Ghana
GROUP C
France
Nigeria
If i am to ask African student to choose one country from each category, almost 60% of them would choose the first country in each category. But the question is "why are Africans running away from their motherland?
In the past, African countries like Egypt, Nilotic Sudan, Axum and Ethiopia were places that almost everyone wanted to be. Looking back, we can see a line of legendary heroes. We sat in awe at the determination of the Pharoahs, the Jews, the Akans and the Zulus all show off heroic stature. In more recent times, we have seen Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah and Kofi Annan all capture the population imagination of Africa. But where are the heroes of Africa of today? The continent is crying for heroes to ignite the vision of the African
In the past, Africans heroes were those who died in order to liberate us from slavery, poverty and colonialism. Today, we can no longer tell tales of noble men because we don't believe that noble men eexist. And we really can't be blamed. In the last thirty years, Africa has seen leaders who have clinged themselves to power. We can see politicians unwilling to stand for the truth. In short, one of the reason why the hero has become an endangered specie in Africa is that no one trust anyone anymore.
For much of this, we can blame the media. It has done such a masterful job at "telling them what they want to hear" that almost everyone hears pleasant things and not the truth. And any figure threatening to report the truth is dissected with surgeon-like precision. The media no longer builds heroes, it unmasks them. Gone are the days when read about people dying for the truth. More and more, the average African knows that the person in the spotlight wants money and nothing else.
Another harm is that we are now addicted to Western life so much that we only see those trying to copy these westerners as heroes. And this, I am guilty of. We want to behave like the Beyonce's, the Rihanna's , the Chris Brown's and the Lil Wayne's relegating our culture and heritage to the background. The funny aspect of it all is that when we have successfully copied them, we are praised as heroes
We no longer strive for excellence or originality. We are now in the age of mediocrity, for there is no one to inspire the African to do great and noble things. Now, a student can now a Bachelor in English without reading a single line of Shakespeare, Dickens and Bronte. We lo longer have pride in our language, since most parents prefer to let their children speak English than their local dialect. Teachers themselves look down on students who learn Akan, Ewe and Frafra. Students can no longer spell words like "debaters", "occasion" etc
This may seem humorous but others might simply not believe it. We have become a nation of ready-made cynics, skeptics and critics, where mockery and insult is fashionable and to be richer is the 'in thing'
The solution to these problems isn't easy. It is hard to find someone who can lead us out of these problems. In antiquity, heroes were God-men, in medieval things heroes were God's men. During the years of renaissance heroes were knowledgeable men. But today heroes are self imposed men. Let's look at the man on the street, it is because that is where we would find the real heroes
We must know that nobility is heroic in itself. We must also know that the common man actually does have heroic potential. Let us not cover our faces with masks of deception because no matter what no lie can live forever. And if we glue the mask of deception on our faces then like the New Year's masquerade when the clock strikes midnight, we will take off the mask, and see each other as we really are. And we shall know who are heroes and who are not.
writing by Joseph Yaw Frimpong
America
Zambia
GROUP B
London
Ghana
GROUP C
France
Nigeria
If i am to ask African student to choose one country from each category, almost 60% of them would choose the first country in each category. But the question is "why are Africans running away from their motherland?
In the past, African countries like Egypt, Nilotic Sudan, Axum and Ethiopia were places that almost everyone wanted to be. Looking back, we can see a line of legendary heroes. We sat in awe at the determination of the Pharoahs, the Jews, the Akans and the Zulus all show off heroic stature. In more recent times, we have seen Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah and Kofi Annan all capture the population imagination of Africa. But where are the heroes of Africa of today? The continent is crying for heroes to ignite the vision of the African
In the past, Africans heroes were those who died in order to liberate us from slavery, poverty and colonialism. Today, we can no longer tell tales of noble men because we don't believe that noble men eexist. And we really can't be blamed. In the last thirty years, Africa has seen leaders who have clinged themselves to power. We can see politicians unwilling to stand for the truth. In short, one of the reason why the hero has become an endangered specie in Africa is that no one trust anyone anymore.
For much of this, we can blame the media. It has done such a masterful job at "telling them what they want to hear" that almost everyone hears pleasant things and not the truth. And any figure threatening to report the truth is dissected with surgeon-like precision. The media no longer builds heroes, it unmasks them. Gone are the days when read about people dying for the truth. More and more, the average African knows that the person in the spotlight wants money and nothing else.
Another harm is that we are now addicted to Western life so much that we only see those trying to copy these westerners as heroes. And this, I am guilty of. We want to behave like the Beyonce's, the Rihanna's , the Chris Brown's and the Lil Wayne's relegating our culture and heritage to the background. The funny aspect of it all is that when we have successfully copied them, we are praised as heroes
We no longer strive for excellence or originality. We are now in the age of mediocrity, for there is no one to inspire the African to do great and noble things. Now, a student can now a Bachelor in English without reading a single line of Shakespeare, Dickens and Bronte. We lo longer have pride in our language, since most parents prefer to let their children speak English than their local dialect. Teachers themselves look down on students who learn Akan, Ewe and Frafra. Students can no longer spell words like "debaters", "occasion" etc
This may seem humorous but others might simply not believe it. We have become a nation of ready-made cynics, skeptics and critics, where mockery and insult is fashionable and to be richer is the 'in thing'
The solution to these problems isn't easy. It is hard to find someone who can lead us out of these problems. In antiquity, heroes were God-men, in medieval things heroes were God's men. During the years of renaissance heroes were knowledgeable men. But today heroes are self imposed men. Let's look at the man on the street, it is because that is where we would find the real heroes
We must know that nobility is heroic in itself. We must also know that the common man actually does have heroic potential. Let us not cover our faces with masks of deception because no matter what no lie can live forever. And if we glue the mask of deception on our faces then like the New Year's masquerade when the clock strikes midnight, we will take off the mask, and see each other as we really are. And we shall know who are heroes and who are not.
writing by Joseph Yaw Frimpong
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