IS THIS GHANA?

      Almost every Ghanaian has at some point in their educational journey written about their country. I recall how passionate we were, trying to find good things to say about Ghana. Even though the only people who were going to read our essays were our teachers, we endeavored to give it our best. We couldn't write about Ghana and exclude this line, "Ghanaians are hospitable". It run through almost all our essays. Indeed during my primary school days, Ghana was a hospitable country.
     Ghana was that place where you could sit in a commercial vehicle and struck up a conversation with someone you had just met. Ghana was the place where you could meet someone on the pavement of Accra and start discussing the latest episode of "Storm over paradise". A place where we would rather talk and argue than resort to violence. That was my Ghana.Today I wonder if we can proudly say that line, "Ghanaians are hospitable".
     For days I have been thinking, trying to wrap my head around the recent happenings in the country.  When I read of the unfortunate butchering of the late Capt. Mahama, for close to a hour I was in shock. To think that an innocent soldier was murdered by a community with the help and approval of the District Chief Executive {DCE Daniel Appianin}  because he was mistaken for an armed robber is in itself annoying. I was wondering when it became an offense to ask for directions or when it became wrong to go for a morning jog.I have not been able watch the videos of his murder or even really read about it. Just the thought of the pain this innocent man might have endured alone is enough to plague my dreams with terror.
     Today the entire country is calling for the blood of the Denkyira- Obuasi people.
But are they really the only guilty ones. What if it was not a Capt who had been lynched but another innocent man. Will the country still be in a turmoil?

 Instant justice for some time now has become the norm for most Ghanaians. Some years back, in my neighborhood a purse snatcher was caught.  Right in front of my flat this man was given heavy duty beatings. This man(the thief) was a guy i knew personally in the hood. And I recall how frustrated I was that I was not there to give him my share of beatings. WHY?  because for almost a year, theft and robbery were reigning in the hood.To think that this was a guy I greeted almost every day was enough motivation for me to want to hit him hard on the head(probably knock some sense into him}. Eventually he was sent to the Police station. Guess what, a week or two later he was walking in the area; a free man. Can you imagine how disappointing this was. It was not surprising then that any unfortunate thief who was caught had to take the beatings of his co-criminals. Because if the law could not deal with them, someone had to right? Well this is how I thought too until I asked a Police officer why these guys were usually left to roam the streets. The answer was pretty simple. Before a thief can be detained, there must be a complainant who will file the complaint and give evidence to support the case. He who alleges must prove it. In the absence of evidence, there is no case. Therefore after few weeks the thief is set free.

     What I'm I driving at? Instant justice is believed to be partly if not largely as a result of the lack of confidence in our justice system. But is the Police the only body responsible for this "lack of confidence in our Justice system? Yes they are at fault. How many people have been arrested for lynching. Because these men that were killed were not captains or "prominent" persons in society, no one fought for justice on their behalf. That notwithstanding, YOU and I are also at fault. If we pursue and insist on what is right, what is right will be done.Thieves are left to roam the streets again, because we are ignorant of the procedures involved. We believe that once the criminal has been apprehended then he must be jailed at all cost. The Policemen are not the complainant and unless they were present they certainly cannot provide evidence to that effect. Usually the complainants do not follow the case. They just send the thief to the station, give a statement and do not show up again. Mainly because they find the process time and financially burdensome. Eventually when the criminal is released they join the masses and cry out, "There is no confidence in the justice system in Ghana". Forgetting that we contribute immensely to that through our actions and inaction. Yes, the justice process is a long and dragged one. Cases can be adjourned among other issues. Does that mean that we should not pursue what is right? What happened to that Ghanaian who would correct the child of her neighbor as though she were her own. What happened to that mother who will go to her neighbor and give her heartfelt thanks for correcting her child. The Ghanaian today will stand by and watch as his fellow human is mercilessly killed. The Ghanaian today will take videos of the lynching of his fellow country man. The Ghanaian today will rather take pictures of the lynching of a man instead of coming to his defense.{I wonder what those pictures are going to used for, Whats-app DPs or screensavers}. A country of heartless and selfish people who will only talk and not boldly stand for what is right unless it affects them directly. 
    Today we must all bow down our heads in shame. We have failed Ghana. Until when will we only talk and do nothing. Oh Ghana!!!!!! The death of Captain Mahama though tragic is a wake up call for us as a country. A number of innocent persons have been lynched because we stood by and watched, because we chose to do nothing. Exactly a week ago, a young lady became a widow. A week ago two kids became fatherless. A father lost his son. A mother weeps for her boy. The life of young strong soldier who has served his country faithfully was cut short. This NONSENSE must cease.

The Late Capt and his Family.