Opinions of Sunday, 4 October 2009

Columnist: Komla

Give The Forum A Chance

Just imagine the endless possibilities and the great potential the forum has to offer. The forum could be a great resource and research centre for learning, and sharing of great ideas, and could be a place of inspiration and aspiration to great accomplishment. The forum could be a platform from which political reform and education could echo. The forum could be the engine which propels Ghana’s progress and economic development. However, the way some of us are carrying on in the name of freedom of speech, the forum may never achieve its full potential, and the endless possibilities which exist may never be realized.

As the self proclaimed peace broker for the forum, it is my responsibility to attempt to bring the warring factions to the negotiating table once again to try and reach a settlement in order to secure cease fire, thereby resulting in peaceful and decent forum. From what I can gather from the comments, it appears most of us desire a peaceful and decent forum. It is very comforting to know that, and I am committed to my mission of promoting peace and unity. One of the guys who commented on my last article stated that there is no eminent civil war in Ghana therefore I should cease from writing articles on tribal and national unity, and suggested I take up writing love stories which by the way, I may take up at some point but for now I leave love stories to great minds like Nana Amma and Lola of Washington DC. While there might not be eminent civil war in Ghana, However, I believe there is still a lot of work to be done before we reach the mountain top of a peaceful and decent Ghana and forum. I have said all along that no one can do it alone. It is therefore our collective responsibility to work together to achieve our goal. We should all aim to be part of the solution and not the problem. Remember our thoughts determine our destinies and some of the thoughts being expressed here at the forum are alarming, and if care is not taken, it won’t be long before we see ourselves on the road to all out civil war. Education and prevention is always better than cure.

In my last article I took you on a trip to memory lane. In this article, I would like to invite you to take a trip with me to Imagination Avenue to explore endless possibilities. We are all familiar with the term ‘’the power of Imagination, and ‘The Power of positive thinking. Just imagine the forum without the entire name calling, the insults, and the tribal sentiments. Just imagine everyone being positive and nice to each other. Just imagine each and everyone coming to the forum with innovative solutions to some of the problems facing Ghana. Imagine each and everyone making a resolution to be positive when they come to the forum. Imagine a forum without retaliation. Imagine if we take it upon ourselves to research a particular issue which will be of benefit to Ghana and bring it to the forum for debate. Imagine the possibilities available to those of us who are in the states. Imagine the opportunities available to those who are in Europe. Imagine the technology available to those who are in Asia. Imagine a developed Ghana because of an idea you brought to the forum from Asia. Imagine improved infrastructure in Ghana because of an idea you brought to the forum from Europe. Imagine an industry in Ghana because of an idea you brought to the forum from the East Coast of America. Imagine advanced technological research center in Ghana because of an idea you brought to the forum from the West Coast of America. Imagine a comprehensive customer service in Ghana because of an idea you brought to the forum from the Mid-West of America. Imagine Ghana as a hub for financial institutions in Africa because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana without tribalism because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana without corruption because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana without light offs because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana with good water supply system because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana with 100 percent literacy rate because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana where no child is left behind because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana with good railroad network because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana with a comprehensive road network because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana with a comprehensive telecommunication system because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine a clean Ghana because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine a safe Ghana because of an idea you brought to the forum, Imagine Ghana with a good inter-tribal relationships because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana free of hunger because of an idea you brought to the forum. Imagine Ghana with enhanced standard of living because of an idea you brought to the forum. The possibilities are endless, I therefore strongly urge all of us to put our collective energies into the power of positive thinking and imagination to help the forum and Ghana achieve its full potential instead of calling each other assholes, idiots, motherfucker, and punks. By the way no developed nation was built by its citizens calling each other assholes, idiots, mother-fuckers, and punks. It might interest you to know that asshole brigades, association of idiots, army of mother-fuckers and academy of punks do not build a successful nation.

The point I’m making is that, we have an opportunity here to affect positive change here at the forum and in Ghana so let’s not blow it. Our nation is looking to us and depending on us for its progress and development. I am sure you have more to contribute than the insults and the name callings. The forum has so much potential to influence positive development in Ghana. Therefore let us put it to good use. Our country men would not forgive us if we do not cease the opportunity and the privilege offered to us in the diaspora to bring something good home to Ghana. I am sure we didn’t leave Ghana to engage in the war of division and hatred. What we do here impacts Ghana greatly so we will be doing ourseveles a big favorer if we cease from all the negativity in the forum and use our God given skills, talents, abilities, creativity, imagination and innovation to help build a better forum and Ghana for that matter. Remember the forum is a reflection of you and I, and I’m sure we want to put our best foot forward for the world to see, regrettably so far we are not doing a good job at all. I am therefore appealing to all forumers to help bring about a change for the better. We have become not a melting pot of tribes, but a beautiful mosaic, different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams, and remember things that makes us different makes us great. War is not the answer lets give peace a chance, tribalism is not the answer lets give unity a chance, hatred is not the answer lets give harmony a chance, name calling and insult is not the answer lets give respect a chance, above all lets give the forum and Ghana a chance, you just never know.

God bless our homeland Ghana.

Long live Ghana and Long live the forum.

KOMLA – THE PEACE BROKER– USA