Opinions of Sunday, 22 October 2017

Columnist: Angel Ofoe Coleman

Who is responsible for our national colours?

File photo: Ghana flag File photo: Ghana flag

One African said, a nation which does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for. Colours for that matter has the power to convey and communicate positively or negatively to our very existence.

This bring to mind as to who is responsible for our national colours, is it the Presidency, parliamentary, judiciary, or Madam Theodosia Okroh's family.

Madam Theodosia Okroh, designed the national flag and was adopted in the year 1957 and flown until 1962, later reinstated in 1966. It consist of the Pan African colours being Red which represent the blood of our fore Fathers who fought for independent from the British.

Gold stands for the rich mineral of our country. Green also symbolises the country's rich forest and natural wealth. The black star in the centre of the gold signifies the hope of pan Africanist such as Dr. Julius Nyerere, Dr. Thomas Sankara, and our own Dr. Kwame Nkrumah whose memorise we hold in high esteem.

But now, which colours do we fly in the sky for our dear nation? I personally see red, yellow, and green with the black star in the centre of the yellow. If I may ask, what does the yellow represent? Even with what I see, the colours are not in uniform. Some are deeper than others.

The story is not different when we go to our schools, companies and even our State institutions.

What went wrong? What are we supposed to do to make sure that the right thing is done?

If Madam Theodosia Okroh spent her precious time, designed this beautiful flag as a symbol for her nation by a way of showing her love for our mother Ghana, and today's generation which you and I have abandoned for another. I hope we are not saying to the designer, “your efforts are useless “if not, then we have now adopted new colours for the nation which someone must let us know.

Whose mandate is it that our designed colours are flown and maintained, so we will have nothing apart from the adopted or accepted colours?

If red represent the blood of the people who fought for our freedom, then, why shouldn't we value and honor those bloods? Why don't we take the yellow which was not part of the design to bring back the original color which was gold? If green was the symbol of our rich forest and natural wealth, I think the vegetation's colour must be used and the hope of Africa (black star) in the centre of the gold.

To Whom It May Concern let us be proactive, for mother Ghana is watching.

By: Angel Ofoe Coleman

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