There is no doubt in my mind that the concerns recently expressed by the Asantehene, regarding denigration of Asante royal embodiments, refer in part to some of the uncontrolled outpourings on Ghanaweb's SIL.
Some comments made on this Forum are legitimate. E.g. calling for accountability where Ghana as a whole has overwhelming public interest in the accountability. Other comments are not. E.g. comments that go to the person of the Asantehene, seeking to denigrate him, his office and Asante traditional institutions. In the process, denigrating the traditional foundations of our country.
On the former, it is reasonable to expect that comments on a perceived failing would be carefully made, with the aim of wining understanding and support for correcting that which is complained thereof. An approach, in my opinion, which is more effective. The latter category of comments are plainly disrespectful, rude and unnecessary. Worse they don?t induce change in what is complained of, they harden attitudes, polarise the country and invite equal tribal backlash.
No one can impose decency and gentlemanliness on anybody. But one can try to appeal to the innate decency and good in all of us. It is on that hope that I appeal that SIL offenders lay off the Asantehene - for the sake of our country.
I notice that there are some die-hard NPP and NDC adherents on SIL, who have made it their good habit not to indulge in the kind of engagements I am concerned about here. I doff my hat to them, and pray that they would provide leadership on this issue. Furthermore, that they would join me in calling for time out on peculiar failing on SIL.
Not exactly shooting the messenger, I am cheesed off with the reporter who reported the Asantehene?s comments. That reporter could have reported the Asantehene?s comments in a better, more diplomatic, language, and would still have conveyed the message. At least, his Editor should have ensured that.
Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.
