Waiting for Thy gracious word.
Longing for Thy voice that cheereth;
Master, let it now be heard
I am listening, Lord, for Thee
What hast Thou to say to me?
Methodist Hymnal
?You necessarily require a convivial atmosphere with good wine and good food to compensate, if only momentarily, for the grinding toil of the years gone by. The last thing you need on such an occasion is a killjoy who will dampen the atmosphere with any unpleasant thoughts.
?The truth is that your invitation inferred that in addition to good food for the palate, you craved for some food for thought from your Guest Speaker. And food for thought, as you perfectly know does not always come coated in honey, so I hope you will understand if what we say also secretes some bitter taste in the mouth. I take comfort in the knowledge that I am in the midst of a hardy bunch of journalists who are steeled to grapple with reality?.
King Osei Tutu II
Asantehene
King Osei Tutu II, Asantehene?s speech at the 19th Ghana Journalists Awards in Accra was as comprehensive as it was poignant and as climactic as it was humorous. He opened up his speech by analyzing the expectations of the society on the role of journalists, but wittingly charged ?development journalists? to ?discern and defend the national interests?. The theme was? Using development to discern and defend the national interest.?
Looking back into history, he averred that humanity had been moulded by the pen and sword. While the sword had conquered territories and nations, the pen, that is, the ideas flowing from it had shaped our thoughts and enabled civilizations to develop the systems of governance that made humanity different from other creatures. Recalling that the pen was mightier than the sword, he wondered, rather humorously, why any moment Jerry John Rawlings fired a ?verbal missile?, the ink in the pen dried up. He touted the role of Komla Dumor and his unique contribution to Ghanaian journalism while he was alive.
As the fourth estate (coming after the executive, legislative and judiciary), he charged the media to use information effectively, remembering the notion that ?facts are sacred, comments are free?. He explained the problem created by the misuse of information: nations going to war; governments falling; powerful companies collapsing and individual reputations are ruined ? all on the basis of wrong information.
The role of the media during the struggle for independence was very commendable.
Democracy had never been a barrier to any nation?s pursuit of the national interest, and the countries whose model we are pursuing, provide adequate guidance.
Accountability, he charged was not a synonym for vilification and wanton destruction. It was rather a desirable exercise to hold people to account for their actions, based on facts. Accountability was the lofty goal of every good journalist. What was ?national interest?? While the United Kingdom or the United States of America had permanent interests not friends no matter who ever occupied Number 10 Downing Street or the White House, we in Ghana had to hold on to a tight rope, relying only on our Black Stars. But what happened when our ambitions were ?shattered?, as was the shambolic Brazilian experience? We got thrown back into our political ?pigeon holes of NDC, NPP with others moaning from the periphery?
It was unfortunate that ?the wheels have turned again, with the economy in decline, and the cedi wobbling?. Recognizing the crucial role of the cedi in the economic stability of the nation, he urged Ghanaians to ?remove it from the realm of partisan politics and place it as an issue of high national interest.?
On education, he charged the nation to stop using our children as pawns in the battle for the copyright of 3 ? year and 4?year SHS tango. In the end, our children would suffer and as this year?s WASSCE showed, 50% failure could not be ?acceptable?, He cited the role of his own ?Otumfuo Education Fund? which had so far assisted 7,000 Ghanaians, supported deprived schools with requisite infrastructure, and had given incentives to teachers, encouraging them to work in deprived parts.
He wondered why Ghanaians were prepared to live in filthy environments that brought in their wake cholera, noting that elsewhere filth is turned into wealth.
Our sympathies would go to our neighbours in West Africa who had been afflicted by the Ebola disease, but we ought to keep praying that it was not useful to argue which regime was more corrupt than the other, as if to say corruption was irresistible. He gave the anecdote of a man who sought to bribe a police officer in order for him to ?discipline? an antagonist. For media men and musical artistes, the idea of ?payola? or ?soli? could be a disincentive for hard, honest work.
The success of men like Osei Kwame Despite, he hoped, would ginger other investors to venture into the business to build a strong and economically viable media. But the myriad of problems identified require solutions. The Otumfuo felt the solutions lay at the feet of the President. This is how Otumfuo put it: ?The solutions, I have to say, lie in the bosom of the man, and only he can provide the answers. So I say unto the President of the Republic in the seminal words of the Methodist Hymn: Master speak, thy servant heareth? Everybody hopes, and wishes, it does not take too long for a response-from the President.
In the end the wild acclamation sent signals that the message had been well-received. He did not need to be forgiven for not helping the appetite of the audience; he had rather whetted it, and they could ravenously enjoy their food and wine.
Reading the piece, Kwabena wrote: ?Nice speech; thought-provoking. Captain E.K. stated: ?I?m truly feeling inspired; my confidence is renewed?. Someone said the speech was enchanting and free-flowing
Africanus Owusu?Ansah
