Costly Silence

Freedom and justice.

That is what is inscribed on the Ghanaian coat of arms.

Now, allow me to tell you a story about a modern day fight for freedom and justice.

On the 21st of September 2023, the first day of a three day peaceful demonstration dubbed #OccupyJulorbiHouse, Ghanaian citizens took to the streets to express their grievances about poor governance, terrible economic conditions, the silence that follows the multiple scandals of corruption, the ineffective healthcare system that is claiming lives rather than saving them, the burdensome taxes and the general ‘i don’t care-ism’ of successive governments of the 4th Republic. This was my birthday but also the birthday of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President. Talk about poetic symbolism!

The night before, the Police issued a statement that they had filed an injunction to halt the demonstration. Never mind that they had received over a month’s notice about the intention to demonstrate on this day. It almost seemed like an attempt to water down the efforts of what seemed like a rising wave of citizen activism.

On Day 1, 56 protesters were picked up from the start point even before the protest officially began. They were locked up, stripped of their clothes and some of them were beaten. Innocent bystanders were picked up in the haul and detained all day. That opened the floodgates of support and solidarity as lawyers, doctors and online activists donated their time, skills and resources to ensure they were accounted for and released.

With every passing hour of the 72 hour demonstration, hope sprung forth. Heroes and heroines emerged, mobilizing resources to cater for transportation, food, emergency health care, traffic management, waste management and information dissemination. This protest may have started with the Democracy Hub, but it soon became an entire army of youth fueled by a desire for actual change.

It was beautiful to see, this united fight against the canker of the current Ghanaian ecosystem. The synergy was electric. Even the rain was conquered with brass band dancing, raincoats and cups of hot beverages. Others kept the online army in line with ‘check the hashtag’, ‘use the correct hashtag’, ‘if you can’t be on the streets, amplify online.’

The rhetoric was that this ‘noise’ was solely fueled by the opposition, as if to say the only people who would find faults with the government’s track record were those attempting to wrestle power from their hands. Some of them resorted to mocking the efforts of the protesters to call the government to order. It would appear as if they lived in a different Ghana, not the one the protestors were speaking about.

‘You are just being used by NDC to push an agenda.’

‘We are all on these social media streets. We will see your motives soon.’

‘My uncle says I should warn you to stop fueling this thing.’

‘We know where your family lives.’

‘If you get arrested or lose the contract, don’t call me.’

‘What will this achieve? You are just disturbing us.’

These thinly veiled threats, ‘advice’ and reactions are not surprising. You see, for a long time, most of us have been silent. After all, ‘Akola nka opanyin asem’.

Over the years, Ghana has had a culture of brushing the mistakes of adults under the carpet to protect the ‘family name’. Enɛɛ lɛɛ shia sane.

The political leadership of the country is used to us moving on, going silent, shaking our heads and ‘hmm-ing’.

Even when we did speak in the past, it was not loud enough to disturb the carefully curated image of ‘ Ghana- the gateway to Africa and the beacon of democracy’ that our leaders had sold to the world and benefited from over the years.

We were silent when successive governments came in to reset the wheels of development, abandoning projects with no explanation or apology, hampering the growth of our nation with quotable quotes and petty mood swings.

Our children and siblings have been subject to this game of educational ping-pong, with no long term strategy or the resources to back the shortsighted ideas of our leaders. The SHS duration was three years, then four years, now barely two years.

We grumbled to ourselves as our leaders, year on year, failed to address us on significant national issues, failed to show any sense of accountability or solidarity, used mere words to clear corruption allegations, insulted our intelligence and mocked our demands for a better life. After all, Ghanaians ‘have short memories’ and were bound to move on after 7 business days.

We watched our political leaders enlarge their appetites and their bank accounts while our roads, our hospitals, our schools, our drainage systems and our living standards continued to plummet.

We settled for ‘even if you will steal, at least do the work too?’, as if we had somehow made peace with the fact that every politician, regardless of their party flag, would enrich themselves first. Never us, always them.

Year after year, we would post updates on #AccraFloods and yet political appointees responsible for putting an end to this remained at post. Remedies would only be spoken about on morning shows and shoved back into the cupboard until the following year while our loved ones lost their lives and properties.

We didn’t say much as we watched our non-partisan institutions, our pressure groups and the voices of reason in the religious and traditional circles seemingly favour one government or the other. Today, their selective activism and deafening silence in times like these speak volumes.

Dear Christian leaders who are silent in these times, the Biblical prophets of old told the kings the truth, even at the risk of death and imprisonment. They spoke the mind of God, the God who is against abuse of power and oppression of the poor. Jesus spoke the truth to both the religious and political leaders.

To quote Mordecai’s advice to Esther when the Jews were in distress:

“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?””
‭‭Esther‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Silence is too costly.

Our parents are dying not just from diseases but from the emotional burden of losing their savings, of watching their children wallow in unemployment.

Our businesses are collapsing, not just because of the non-existent climate for commercial growth but also from the burdensome, insensitive taxes that suffocate us.

Our hospitals are death traps and with every passing day, our medical personnel flee this country. To make matters worse, we can barely afford to pay for medication, and in some cases like the vaccines for children, the medication is nowhere to be found.

Our rivers are discolored beyond recognition, our tourist sites are an eyesore, our cities are covered in filth and dirt. When it comes to holes that cost a fortune, we are battling galamsey on one side and the National Cathedral on the other side.

If this was an ideal world in which our leaders valued the mandate they have received and the people who delivered it into their hands, our leaders would offer a listening ear, an acknowledgment of our plight, some sort of concession. Surely, they must be seeing what we are complaining about. This is clearly not an ideal world.

We deserve a system that works for all Ghanaians, not a select few. We deserve to dream of a better life right here in our motherland, to have a country in which we and our children can safely live and meaningfully contribute to. We deserve a country with a wholistic 10 year plan, drawn and collectively owned by all stakeholders and not determined by the election-driven whims of political parties.

That is why this protest is special. Strangers usually divided by banter, social, tribal and intellectual differences, have been united by a collective ‘enough is enough’, by pain and frustration. Alliances and friendships have been formed in this fight. Some may have even found their life partners. Nothing like a common enemy to fuel the ‘us against the world’ romance.

Collectively, our voices will be heard. We will not be silenced. Silence is too costly.

We will not be cowered into silence and forced into muted grumbles. We will not comfort ourselves with ‘Ebaahi’ or ‘Ɛbɛyɛ yie’.

We will not be held to ransom by political actors who pledge allegiance to their party flags, who place premium on their party cards and inner circle alliances.

We will not be bullied into accepting crumbs in a country where our leaders stuff their bellies to their hearts’ contentment.

This country will kill you and dance to the wails of your family members. This country will wound you and question the authenticity of your cries. This is why we are making noise.

Ghana must do well. This is why we can’t afford to be silent.