Amanfuo: “The arrogant beggar|” - A psychotically –demented analysis

Amanfuo, I have been on a self imposed vacation for sometime now, as I felt the ghanaweb site was degenerating into a platform for extreme abuse, vulgar language and shame. I am compelled to post on the site again because of a nonsense article by Bernard Asher, lecturer extra-ordinaire titled “The arrogant beggar” which I consider to be an affront to the nation status. I take a serious view of this article which sadly some readers, probably ignorant in their own right and history have dubbed it excellent. You would also have to excuse my language due to my unfamiliarity with some of the terms. By the way who is the “arrogant beggar” referred to in the article, Sam Ablakwa or the nation Ghana.

Some Black folks and Ghanaians at that have applauded this stinky and nauseating and rated it excellent. These after reading this piece must begin to bow their heads in shame. If it was in the Arab world, the mullahs would be putting a fatwa on him (Bernard).

Now the main thrust of his baseless article is a response to Sam Ablakwa’s piece that it is rather George Bush who needs us (Ghana) and not the other way round. To some extent Sam is right. When Bill shagged Monica, he came to Ghana for a boost and respite. Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and a host of other world leaders have taken this opportunity to raise their profile at home, because Africa is dear to the hearts of many westerners, never mind their ignorance of where it should be geographically.

Bush wanted to build a military base in Ghana and that is a plus for the country. No matter how big and powerful a nation is (setting cold war sentiments aside), you need the attention and support of the so-called poorer nations to survive and in that respect Ghana is important.

Yes Ghana is not economically endowed with the economic base that America has. But unless one is historically bankrupt and illiterately literate, it is not difficult to understand that Ghana and many other African nations have not progressed because of the retrogressive activities of the advanced countries in the past and now. The many coups and toppling of governments and the upsetting of democratic and cultural institutions in Africa are not masterminded mainly by Africans but agents of the west. The big question is if we are that unimportant, why would they not leave us alone? Take the Mann vs. Equatorial Guinea case. You would think that Africa was less important yet this is where the son of a former UK prime minister was hoping to make his retirement money. Africa is richer than any developed country or continent, except that we have not managed well because of these interference, but crucially the siphoning of our valuable resources – the Mobutus, Abachas etc that has kept the wheels of western financial institutions and economies turning smoothly. So for anyone to infer and dwell on their demented view that because a section of a nations citizens, out of their ignorance, conveniently substitutes Guyana for Ghana geographically is indicative of our unimportance is crazy and off their trolley. Where is Bernard’s education gone? Even a primary school child in Ghana can point to where the USA or UK is on a map without hesitation.

Ghana achieved international fame and recognition long before Onimfuo Bernard was born and not during the world cup as he puts it. The struggles to drive away the colonialists, the mature exhibition of academic and political intelligence by leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Busia etc on the world stage, the siphoning of our unique raw material to feed the industries of the west to make its citizens prosper are all worthy of note and were noted long before the recent world cup. Toolegge Bernard, have you read the recent 2007 UN statistics on poverty? In which countries are children most in danger or living below the poverty line? In which countries are the children less happy? Yes Ghanaians may live on a dollar a day, but they certainly do not have to give up on the pleasures of life. Poverty by the way is relative in Ghana. Those who have it buy their BMW’s and spend lavishly on funerals. Can B tell the whole world in which countries does funeral expenses costs more, Ghana, America, UK or where? People in the west are now forced to buy insurance against their burial and funeral costs whilst Ghanaians bury for “free”.

Yes a poor beggar can be arrogant given the circumstances and there is nothing wrong with that. After the second world war, many western countries were so poor that they could hardly feed their citizens. In effect they became poor. They had to beg. The Marshal plan was quickly devised in which some USD13bn was invested primarily by the USA to enable these countries recover economically. When the west cheekily demarcated the African continent, nicked and enriched themselves with its valuable resources, no such Marshal plan was put in place to compensate for the theft. It is therefore not out of place for the African nations like Ghana to secure development funds from the west by whatever means necessary. Unless you have loose bolts and nuts in your head, it is not difficult to note that this is not a typical beggar-giver situation, Konkonte Bernard.

Africa’s partnership with the west has always been built on unequal and unfair arrangements. The trade barriers are getting taller, the loan conditions are becoming dearer and enslaving. But for the few corrupt and greedy politicians, the continent would not be in a mess to the extent that allows pot-cannabised heads as possessed by B to make such senseless assertions about the nation state Ghana.

Once again let me state that Ghanaian lifestyles are worthy of praise not condemnation. There are many Ghanaians around the world making huge sacrifices to the development of these developed countries. They earn their monies and buy their luxury cars. If anyone is jealous and wants to ride a bicycle let them do so and not disturb the peace. When did owning a BMW become the preserve of only the rich? Bernard if you are on state handouts and cannot afford a decent car, do not come troubling Ghanaians. Yes Ghana is building a $30m presidential palace and that Kokoliko B cannot live with. Well bruv you better do because there are many presidential palaces in the pipeline and there is nothing you can do about it. The palace in my view is alright if only the benefits of its usage outweighs the costs. There are far too many useless and costly buildings in the west where many citizens endure and languish in poverty at the same time. The millennium dome is a classic example and this lowly paid college lecturer fails to see beyond his long nose.

Even if Ghana did not export what it has, other countries would quickly step in and Ghana’s output will pale into insignificance. Really? I am glad the ignorant and booming illiterate finds time to put the Ivory Coast in. The raw materials etc from Ghana have in part kept most of the world’s citizens happy, alive and nippy. Yes they might not know where their chocolate has come from (because their governments do not want the truth to be known), that does not distract from the fact that the important nation state such as Ghana provided them and for that people ought to be thankful.

Ghana’s oil find may be that unimportant according to trikonton B in the great scheme of things, but what B fails to acknowledge is that stocks of oil around some parts of the world is in decline (the North sea etc). The planners are not stupid to look up to emerging oil countries like Ghana for the usual supply of survival economic kits. Please B tell us how many western jobs have been created since the oil discovery in Ghana? Which are the most benefiting companies at this moment? And if Ghana was that unimportant, these companies would not sink their millions into the Ghanaian oil economy. As Jerry would say (Springer not Rawlings) academic intellectuality is one thing that should never let its owner go hungry but when that intellect is applied in a way that is not only dangerous but borders on psychosis and dementia, then the knowledgeable and well informed must stand up and rubbish them to the dust bins. Amanfuo, when someone assumes that you live on trees (in the midst of modern mass communication media) and you actually live in posh, expensive houses etc, in an analytical form who looks the more stupid, uneducated, ignorant, recalcitrant and culturally impotent? Is it the educated person to whom it is expressed and presents it in the form of an article or the person doing the expression? Please take your pick.

Ghana is too great and very important to the west and everyone. Yes we might have pockets of conflicts in isolated parts of the country, within a relative context, it is no where near the situations that we have in Kenya etc. Every nation has its own problems. America and Britain has the white supremacists groups to contend with. The UK has had the Irish conflict which is comparable to any ethnic in Africa for years.
We are being insulted today because of our generosity, custom and tolerance of vagabonds, the mis-informed and culturally anaemic persons like my honourable friend B.
So Amanfuo, having presented the true facts, who appears more idiotic in this hulababala of articles, LET’S ALL SAY BERNARD!!!!!
God bless Ghana, the most peaceful place on earth.
Kwame Amankwa