“Let us give meaning to the words in our national Anthem”, Pastor Charges Ghanaians

The Ghanaian Community in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada kicked off the celebrations of Ghana’s Golden Jubilee with a well-attended community Church Service on Sunday March 4. The service was held at the Crestview Park Fee Methodist Church on Cavelier Drive in Winnipeg.

Preaching the sermon at the service, the Resident Pastor of the Church, Joseph Seidu charged Ghanaians to give real meaning to the words in our National Anthem. He pointed out that the writer of the anthem had made a passionate appeal to God to “bless our homeland”. In looking at the abundant natural and human resources the country has been endowed with as well as the relative peace and stability that the nation has been enjoying within the sea of trouble and conflict around her, God has indeed answered our prayer to “bless our homeland”. What all citizens of Ghana need to do to thank God for His abundant blessings on our homeland is to take the other lines of the anthem seriously especially the lines asking God to “help us to resist oppressors rule with all our will and might forevermore”.

Resisting oppressors rule, Pastor Seidu pointed out, is not only standing up to political oppression. It is a call and duty upon every citizen of Ghana to ensure that all citizens are not oppressed by hunger, poverty and any other forms of deprivation. He challenged all Ghanaians to resolve to turn on a new leaf during the Jubilee celebrations and the days and years after. “Our actions, henceforth”, he charged, should give real meaning to the cries, hopes and aspirations inherent in the national anthem. “God has indeed answered our call for blessings. We also have a duty to be our brothers’ keepers by being patriotic, hospitable, generous and above all humble. There is no other opportune time to give real meaning and purpose to our national anthem as now”, he concluded.

The Service was followed by a buffet lunch provided by members of the Ghana Union of Manitoba.