Who Is A Northerner To Ghanaians?

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Category: Culture & Tourism

Created on Tuesday, 20 November 2012 00:00

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Who Is A Northerner To Ghanaians?

The Term “Northerner” I believe by convention is referring to the indigenes of the three regions at the upper part of the country. This term invariably is referred to so many ethnic origins occupying the Savanna belt of Ghana unknown to the users.

It is perpetually confusing to a non indigene of this province to concur with the real facts about the north than it is to apprehend various ethnic groups down the Savanna belt. The professors, the high elites and aristocrats in society are no exemption to these basic facts, lest advertently impish with a common obnoxious name as “the three northern regions”. How?

The cardinal classifications of Ghana consist of the Coastal belt, the middle belt and the Savanna belt popularly referred to as the north. But considering Ghana as one, with ten regions to be divided into two main parts, will mean the Southern Zone/Sector and the Northern Zone/ Sector.

{sidebar id=11 align=right}The Southern Zone comprise of Greater, Central, Western, Eastern, and volta regions respectively whereas the Northern Zone will make up of Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions. These are the segregations with natives predominantly residing on each of the regions.

Unfortunately, occupants of the Savanna belt, mostly muslims by religion with different ethnic backgrounds with diverse traditions are known and accepted by convention in the country as “Northerners”. Inexplicably, if there is a Northerner, for the same reason, there must be a Southerner. But for some strange reason(s) unknown to Ghanaians, nothing like Southerners exist to the best of my knowledge. Ghanaians seem to be languishing in a pool of ignorance that remained uncurbed since time immemorial.

Let no one misconstrue this article to mean sectarianism of promoting tribal sentiment, instead, this write up should be considered nationalistic idea of fostering unity in diversity. We have lived with so many misconceptions unattended to by our own actions and inaction to fortify the unitary system of governance by the first President of the republic “Osagyefo” Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Ghana, unlike other sister countries and neighbours is undoubtedly a place where the young do spew invective in the name of democracy, serial callers phone in to radio stations to cast insinuations, castigate and chastise leaders and stop at nothing without qualms. Indeed, this nation is inundated with peace with all credence to our tolerance and decency.

People from the northern belt have ethnicities and tribes just as their counterparts in the middle and Coastal areas. Northern region has numerous tribes with the major ones being Gonja, Dagomba, Mamprusi, Nanumba and Konkomba (There are more others). The Upper East has its major tribes as Frafra, Grushi, Kusaasi (Some others) and the Upper West with Dagaati/Wala, Sisala and Lobi (Other minority ones exist).

This is what is conspicuously unknown to many Ghanaians hence the term “Northerners” to indigenes of these localities. The common thing binding these tribes together is neither language nor tradition but religion. This is the brain child of the commonality in names.

Strangely to the inhabitants of the middle and coastal belts, this revelation is a nuisance to their ears since they have grown from the very infant age through their long study to elitism to know people from the Savanna belt as northerners, it will therefore be effortless describing those (People from the north) as such than the hustle of according each his or her trait.

People in the Southern sector without much effort recognized someone from Otublohum as an Akwamu than a person coming from Nankpanduri as a Bimoba. It is simpler for the “Southerner” to make an Akuapem tribe from the Denkyira ethnic group than to identify a Frafra tribe from Sisala tribe.

So it is to identify easily a Kumawu born Asante by the “southerner” from the Ga in inglisey than the pain of knowing a Grushi from a Lobi. Consequently, the resultant effect is the term “northerners” to all from up there as sometimes referred. (broad day ignorance at bare).

It will interest readers to know that, this confusion in the minds of Ghanaians can be attributed to the religion Islam which call for all believers to bear names that are Arabic in nature. By this understanding, it draws the attention of the “southerner” to everybody posturing Muslim with the name as a “northerner”. This explains why there is “Asante Kramo”, “Fante Kramo” and the likes.

It is woefully pathetic for the highly educated in society who ought to know better fall for this erroneous assertion with the notion that, religion does change people’s tribe.

The question I posed to Ghanaians is that, what will a Fante man/woman who is a Buddhist be called? What will be the name of an Asante who is a Hindu be called? Or an Akyem who is a Jehovah Witness be known? What can be said about the person from Gomoa who is a Christian?

It saddens my heart to be acquainted with how deep Ghanaians are embedded neck down in this fantasy. This flawed intuition led to the accusation of the President as playing ethnic politics.

These exposures are meant to ridicule the mental renaissance of Ghanaians who hold this assertion to phantom the misconceptions, misinformation and misconstruing of ethnicities in our minds.”Northerners”, not like the Akans, as the umbrella body with various ethnic groups under it. Every tribe in northern Ghana has its own language, traditions and cultural practices.

The Gonjas are the only Guans left in the North with their language much more mutually intelligible to most of the languages in southern Ghana than any other language in the entire north. Most people of northern origin practice one common religion by the same doctrines and common names.

This might explain the reason why there are some resemblance in behavior, tonalities and dresses.

Ghanaians generally accepted the term “northerners” with recourse to the long standing history between the people from the savanna belt and the middle belt. This can again be traced back to the colonial masters whose effort made some indigenes look more superior to others in other to skew their agenda, which they finally succeeded living Ghanaians with an everlasting scar in the minds.

It becomes sturdier to recognize a person from the savanna belt who assumes a Christian/English name like their counterparts in the South as a”northerner”.

Therefore, it can be concluded with all conviction that, the term “northerners” is more directed to people with Islamic tradition than the people coming from the savanna regions. That is why a person in Zongo cannot be distinguished from an indigenous person from the savanna belt.

I request to demystify these believes and concepts that, everybody including the Whiteman is born first into a Country, then region/locality and finally tribe but later make a choice that will redeem him/her to salvation by aligning to one particular religion.

There is no such names as “northerners” or “the three northern regions” instead a Dagomba, Gonja, Frafra, Grushi Sisala, Wala just as Kwahu, Bono, Ga, Ewe, Asante, Krobo, Akyem, Fante, Akuapem etc and the three regions at the north. Verily, I know quite well that, time is required for Ghanaians to come to terms with these facts, but hoping that, “little drop of water make a mighty ocean”.

I write with all respect, decorum, etiquette and civility to all ethnic groups in the country. Whether from the North, South, West or East, we are all but Ghanaians with one destiny and a common goal. I pray for an undaunted PEACE for Mother-Ghana in election 2012.

Kashaa Nuhu This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Otabil saga: ‘Religious leaders are not God’- Kpessah Whyte

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Category: Religion

Created on Monday, 19 November 2012 00:00

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Otabil saga: ‘Religious leaders are not God’- Kpessah Whyte

A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana says the head pastor of the International Central Gospel Church Pastor Mensa Otabil was not measured in his reaction to a controversial political campaign advertisement which had his voice ridiculing the free Senior High School policy by the opposition NPP.

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Bawumia Charms Legon Students

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Category: Politics

Created on Monday, 19 November 2012 00:00

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Bawumia Charms Legon Students

The Legon Campus of the University of Ghana was thrown into a state of excitement when NPP Running Mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia stormed the campus as part of his ongoing youth tour to familiarize with the students and general university communities.

Dr. Bawumia, who arrived on the Legon campus after similar tours of the University of Education, Winneba, Mampong Campus and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST) over the weekend, was met on arrival at the entrance of the university by hundreds of enthusiastic students.

{sidebar id=10 align=right}The tour commenced at the Teachers Fund Hostel (TF) and proceeded to Pentagon where Dr. Bawumia toured various blocks at the old and new Pentagon buildings, shaking hands and interacting with excited students in their blocks and rooms.

From Pentagon, Dr. Bawumia ascended the Legon hills to Commonwealth Hall where vandals, in their thousands, welcomed the NPP Vice-Presidential candidate by cheering and singing for several minutes before being addressed by the NPP Vice-Presidential candidate.

Speaking to the students, Dr. Bawumia noted that the upcoming election was about the future of the youth and the nation.

“It is very obvious that we cannot continue on the path we are going. Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP recognizes that if this nation wants to achieve the heights we dream about, we cannot do without investing in the lives of our youth and ensuring that the youth are supported and encouraged to make maximum use of their innate abilities and that is why we have decided for example to make secondary education free so that money would be eliminated as a barrier in education at least up to that level and that is why again we have said that our whole vision is to transform this economy. Without transforming this economy, we cannot be competitive globally, we cannot create the desired jobs for you when you graduate and certainly we cannot make life decent and comfortable for you”.

The mood was even more electrifying when Dr. Bawumia arrived at the UGEL hostels. The students, upon seeing him and his team approaching, quickly moved to meet him and conduct him through a virtual procession of the various blocks and floors at the facility.

Students, both male and female, trooped in their hundreds to welcome the NPP Vice-Presidential candidate and take photographs with him.

Dr. Bawumia, speaking at the end of his tour of the hostel, reminded the students that the facility was put up during the erstwhile Kufuor administration with funding from a consortium of banks and indicated that it was through the growth of the economy and the banking sector in particular, between 2001 and 2008, that allowed for such initiatives to see the light of day.

Dr Bawumia’s next stop was Volta Hall, the wholly female hall. The ladies enthusiastically cheered Dr. Bawumia as he moved from block to block and room to room to interact with the students.

From Volta Hall, Dr. Bawumia moved through Legon Hall to Mensah Sarbah Hall where he went through the same routine of familiarizing with the students.

“When we talk about transforming this economy, we know what we are saying because we have the track record. It was through the competent management of our economy and the commitment to doing things right that saw us transform the HIPC economy left to us by the NDC in 2001 into a middle income emerging economy as at the time we left office in 2009 and with oil resources we are promising to do even more when you give you mandate to Nana Akufo-Addo come December 7th,” he said.

Source: Daily Guide Ghana

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Don’t Put Your Vote On Autopilot – Otabil

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Category: Politics

Created on Monday, 19 November 2012 00:00

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Don’t Put Your Vote On Autopilot – Otabil

Pastor Mensa Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), has said the best way of knowing which candidate to vote for in the forthcoming general elections is to look for those who have been preaching the same campaign message repeatedly and constantly throughout.

“This is so because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” he explained.

Dr Otabil, who was delivering a sermon entitled “Your Vote” at Christ Temple, the headquarters of his church at Abossey Okai in Accra yesterday, said the question Ghanaians should pose to themselves before voting should be, “Does this person deserve my sovereignty?”

{sidebar id=10 align=right}“Since 1992 when we started this democratic dispensation, I have always voted for different parties and different candidates. It is an insult to put your vote on autopilot,” he said, receiving a thunderous applause from the thousands who had gathered at his feet during the first of the usual two services on Sundays.

He explained that since supporting a political party was a more serious issue than supporting a football team, people should consider all the life-affecting implications of surrendering their sovereignty in the form of voting before doing so.

According to him, supporting a football team was just a matter of entertainment, but lending support to a political party could determine the food one would eat.

“I am a supporter of the Great Accra Hearts of Oak. Until the bones are rotten, we never say die…I am a supporter because my father was a supporter…However, when it comes to politics, it is not entertainment because my vote for someone can affect my life,” said the man who was sent to the cleaners by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) last week for calling some of the party’s errant members to order.

The NDC had allegedly pieced together various lines from different sermons of the respected cleric to form a continuum of a campaign message giving the impression that he supported the party’s position and had intentionally recorded that campaign message for it.

The scriptural bases for yesterday’s sermon were Proverbs 1:10-15 and Acts 1:21-26. He briefly dwelt on Proverbs 1:14 reading, “Cast in your lot among us,” which is about armed robbers recruiting others to join them through an election.

On Acts 1:21-26, he talked about the election of Matthias, a man who defeated Joseph Barsabas (Justus) in a keenly contested election to replace Judas Iscariot, who had committed suicide following his betrayal of Jesus.

Pastor Otabil said “Matthias won but we never heard of him again, so as a matter of fact, someone can win an election and do nothing…Paul wasn’t [elected] but he did so much.”

“It’s not about wearing jerseys, it’s not about symbols, go beyond party names, go beyond party adverts, go beyond slogans.

“Don’t exchange your votes for temporary benefits like T-shirts, chicken, small money, sheep, etc. You can actually vote for a party that can punish you but because you see it as Hearts of Oak [a team one supports], you will always be there,” said the 53-year-old pastor, whose voice cuts across religious barriers in Ghana.

He said since political parties always came with proposal to do things for the electorate, “if they don’t fulfill the proposal, punch them, don’t let anyone take your vote for granted because the winning proposal will shape the destiny of this country.”

According to him, “a nation becomes what its citizens vote for” and so if Ghanaians did not make intelligent choices, God would not come and rule Ghana for them.

He said the Biblical injunction “touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm” was not applicable to leaders in democratic societies like Ghana since they held elective offices whose sovereignty resided in the electorate.

“The president is the choice of the people. He is not the elect of God. The people elect, and God recognizes it. When we bring this to God, he recognizes it; he may not even approve it. So the fact that God recognizes it doesn’t mean he approves it.

“So if they elect anything, God will recognize it. Many theologians believe the election of Mathias was wrong,” said Dr. Otabil, a man who has shepherded his ever-growing flock for the past 28 years.

Pastor Otabil, a member of the National Peace Council formed under the Kufuor administration, said any time his wife, Joy, asked him which party he was voting for during an election, his usual response was “I don’t know, make yours and I will make mine.” For him, voting “is not what your tribe or anyone else wants but what you want.”

He called on Ghanaians to “vote for your dreams and aspirations and never allow politicians to take you for granted. Don’t let them think they can sing you, dance you or T-shirt you for your vote. Vote for the best interest of the nation.

“Look at the future you want, think about your life and ask which of them will help you. Which idea best fits into your vision?

“Which of the proposals will help us get to a better place? Your vote should not be fixed at any election time. If every Ghanaian thinks that way, our politicians will stop distributing T-shirts and composing songs,” said Dr Otabil, a member of the Institute of Economic Affairs, an Accra-based think tank presidential debate committee.

When he was about leaving the pulpit and retiring to his office after the sermon, he paused briefly and said, “I think this one should be put on radio,” as if to say “and not what the NDC has on radio as me campaigning for them.”

By Sylvanus Nana Kumi

Source: Daily Guide/Ghana

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