…………And Our Political Stability.

"I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort where we overlap.”Ani DiFranco. “Peace is not unity in similarity but unity in diversity, in the comparison and conciliation of differences.” Mikhail Gorbachev Recent political discourse, in the media, has been tainted and inundated with insults, malicious remarks and slanderous statements. Every morning, we are greeted with headlines like “NDC are fools”, ‘Akufo-Addo should be careful or else’, ‘UK prime minister is ‘Aboa’ He’s a fool and has no sense. We seem to have lost our ‘political conscience’ to derogatory statements, objectivity to political biasness, harmonious living to insatiable desire for conflict. Unfortunately some of our finest politicians and honorable political figures have been drawn into this whole web of malevolent and antagonistic discourse. Discussions that are meant to educate and inform people about the state of the nation have often generated heated arguments, tensions and insults and have often failed to convey the intended message. This obnoxious behavior has creeped into the media fiber and has become an entrenched trend that is gradually eroding our political and social values. If we continue on this trajectory, we risk losing our political stability and peace. If we are not careful the stable political environment which has taken us years to build could just be lost in a day. Quite unfortunately, the media which is said to have come of age has not helped much in shaping these discourses.

In the light of historical evidence and experience unhealthy and insinuating political discourse in the media have been used as a tool to inflame grievances and accelerate the escalation towards violent conflict. The 1994 Rwanda genocide provides a telling case. A conflict that left an estimated 800,000 Rwandans dead in a space of 100 days. Prior to the genocide, radio stations and newspapers were carefully and deliberately used by the conspirators to dehumanize the potential victims. In Serbia television was manipulated to stir ethnic tension prior to civil war. In former Soviet republic of Georgia territorial disputes were exacerbated by the propagation of nationalist mythology in the media. Yes, it is true that we have come far as a nation and have moved towards greater stability with our democratic institutions and structures but we have not arrived yet. By virtue staging five successful democratic elections since 1992 does not in any way immune us from civil riots and conflicts in future elections. The fact still remains that our fledgling democracy is still in it fragile state. Much as we think we have somehow developed with our democratic processes and institutions there is equally the need to recognize the fact that we have a collective responsibility to protect , defend and safeguard this democracy we have all contributed in building. To effectively do this we must all exercise decorum in our political discourse in the media.

We should all understand that Ghana comes first before any group or political party. Because we have a peaceful Ghana that is why the various political parties and institutions are functioning. If we should lose this nation to civil riots or war what will come of our politico-economic ambitions as a people. Belonging to different political parties and espousing different political ideologies and strategies should not be a dividing factor and a breeding ground for unhealthy political discourse. Our Political differences should not separate us from each other, but rather our political diversity should be nurtured to bring a collective strength that can benefit all of us. Before the entrenchment of democratic institutions we have lived in relative peace and harmony inspite of our cultural and ethnic differences. Why then should we allow our ever-growing politics generate and fuel ethnocentrism. In spite of our political differences we all have a common goal and that is to ensure our socio-economic welfare and wellbeing. The pursuance of political power is for the furtherance of our socio-economic growth and development and this common and ultimate objective cannot be achieved in a political environment marked with chaos and confusion. Follow Ghanaians, our politics should not divide us but unite us against poverty, unemployment, and diseases just to mention a few.

To the political leaders of the various political parties understand that ‘The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.’ (Proverbs 18:21) and ‘A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.’ (Proverbs 11:12).

To our politicians particularly our young politicians ‘Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.’ (Proverbs 12:18). To the followers ‘A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.’ (Proverbs 21:6). But ‘He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.’ (Proverbs 21:23)

To the media, the journalists and serial callers, ‘The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.’ (Proverbs 15:2) ‘Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.’(Proverbs 12:19)

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things’. God bless our homeland Ghana

Daniel Akwasi Kanyam

dkanyam@yahoo.com