Too Much Freedom? Too Much Freedom? Too Much Freedom? Too Much Freedom?
Too Much Freedom?
There’s a popular story about a brave female warrior who after many years of strife finally decided that enough was enough. She freed herself from the clutches of her captors and after many uncompromising battles, they had no choice but to acquiesce to her demands. On that fateful day some fifty-seven years ago, she was free forever. This single act of courage inspired her many sisters who also freed themselves in the years that followed. Yet many years down the line, Africa’s first born child faces arguably her greatest challenge. There are too many examples to buttress the point that Ghana could soon dive headfirst into the pit of anarchy.
Take the recent arrest of hiplife artiste Kwaw Kesse for the consumption of marijuana in public for instance. It has generated lots of debate across the nation, especially on social media. Whereas one group believes he should be freed, there’s another faction who believe the law should take its course. The former group unsurprisingly consists mainly of his colleagues in the industry, who have been quite vocal in their “Free Kwaw Kesse” campaign. This whole episode has brought to the fore the grave problem of lawlessness which needs to be buried before it gets out of hand.
Naturally nobody would want to see a friend or family member locked up in prison for whatever duration – that’s human nature. But the law has to work. For far too long, law enforcement agencies in this country have had their hands tied in the discharge of their duties. The system is so lax that it doesn’t matter how incriminating the evidence is; if you know the right people, you can get away with anything. We’ve heard countless stories of certain groups taking the law into their own hands by either issuing threats or indeed carrying out those very threats. We live in a society where certain people consider themselves above the law simply because their government is in power. They know that no matter the disorder they perpetrate, their party won’t allow them to rot in jail. So as a result, they carry on with their despicable acts unashamedly.
My daily trip to my workplace in Savelugu from Tamale is almost always an adventure. The Savelugu drivers have on their own free will decided that in order to maximise profit, they need to pick more passengers than normal. As a result, they refuse to move unless they have two passengers crammed on the front seat. Forget about safety and comfort, it’s their way or no way. Some of them even get aggressive if you dare question their motive. What are the police doing about this? Surely they’ve spotted this menace, right? Shouldn’t they take action against these drivers? Well, in a law-abiding society, yes. But as you are well aware, we’re everything but.
What’s more, I was quite alarmed when I saw a recent post from ace investigative journalist, Anas Armeyaw Anas where he revealed that the infamous fake abortion doctor –someone he played a crucial role in apprehending – had returned to the very clinic where he was apprehended. This is someone whose transgressions were captured on tape and broadcast to the whole nation. And yet, instead of rotting in jail he has happily returned to his old hunting ground. Why the hospital authorities will allow him back in the first place is baffling enough. I shudder to think what has become of his previous investigations. I don’t believe it’s far-fetched to suggest that many of the culprits nailed in his investigative reports are all free roaming the streets carrying out their nefarious activities.
It’s clear from the above examples (and there are lots more) that our society is, like the title of this piece implies, on the verge of anarchy. That may sound a bit severe but unfortunately that is the reality on the ground.
We’re going to have to start demanding accountability from those responsible for safeguarding our laws. President Obama’s famous “Africa needs strong institutions and not strongmen” speech had many of us – including the decision makers – waxing lyrical for days. Unfortunately those words have since petered out. It’s time to stand up for what’s right. No citizen should be shielded – regardless of rank, ethnicity, religious, political affiliation or fame – from facing the full rigours of law. Last time I checked, Kwaw is still innocent until he’s proven guilty in a court of law. The best his supporters can do for him now is to pray and hope for the best outcome. If the court decides he’s done no wrong, then so be it. If the court decides however that he’s guilty, then he will have to be dealt with the same way that the ordinary Kwaku or Mensah without a hit record to his name is dealt with.
Our institutions need to work; I cannot emphasize this enough. As citizens of a country governed by rules carefully enshrined in the constitution, we shouldn’t have to fall victim to the whims of those who seem bent on instituting their own set of laws. And let’s face it, the acts of a few unscrupulous people can and is indeed affecting the law-abiding citizens negatively. Sooner or later a lot more people are going to become disenchanted with the system and develop their own ways of circumventing that very system. We shouldn’t have to hear things like ‘This is Ghana’ and ‘Fa ma Nyame’ when things go wrong – that’s how we got here in the first place.
The future is bleak for Ghana as things stand. Unless we all do our part to reverse the canker of indiscipline which has taken root in both young and old, then our beloved Ghana will soon slip into a coma with no hope of ever awakening. The time to act is now.
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