Opinions of Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Columnist: Isaac Ato Mensah

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day and pockets of excellence in today's mediocre Ghana

Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah

Reading the transcript of the “Fellow Ghanaians” address “No. 17”, delivered Sunday makes one see clearly that our society is run largely on presumption, anecdote and superstition.

It is obvious that when you have jettisoned scientific methodology, but active Coronavirus cases have gone down, then only Providence has spared this nation, not withstanding the effusions of POTROG and his advisors.

If you drink Mahogany juice regularly in ghana for one year with the aim of preventing malaria, and you do not contract malaria, it does not necessarily mean that Mahogany juice prevents malaria. Period.

And anyone who says otherwise is plain ignorant.

What POTROG was really admitting to was that in spite of our disordered ways rather than adherence to routine scientific protocol we appear to have a declining number of active cases.

Respectfully, what else were you trying to prove, Mr. President?

In ghana today, the all-pervasive mediocrity has been exposed as leading the nation only in one direction – the way of retrogression; down an abyss.

The few pockets of radiance that remain are, however, holding their own; and they are rare to find.

One personality who appreciates credible output has invited writersghana.com to deliver our blog posts as podcasts.

Another, a former expatriate, who established a college department is bemoaning the dumbing down of training as an insipid and clueless mediocre corps have taken over the management and introduced a very poor attitude to faculty development and student training.

“Everywhere you turn, they are there, the ghanaians, strutting about and messing things up” my mentor will say, without being surprised in the least.

Our livid expatriate will not rest until she has restored order.

But we have a word of assurance to relax her nerves: when the students are ready the teacher will appear…..the students know where to find the teacher.

We have enough strong evidence of Middle School Leavers in the civil and public services of bygone years whose body of work surpass present day masters degree holders and PhDs, trained in this same hallowed land of ours.

On Sunday, back at Sakabo University, Blebo-We, Sakumo, where I received my training, our reflections centred on ghana, and why the teachers of old did not make so much noise like we see and hear today.

A Nigerian friend once observed that listening to Kwame Nkrumah’s speeches, our first President always sounded inspiring with soaring cadences and thoughtful pauses.

Where did Nkrumah learn to deliver such excellent speeches?

Surely, Achimota moulded him, and he also subjected himself humbly to rigorous mentorship.

Happy Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day to all Fellow Ghanaians, all Africans and all people of African descent.

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