Ok! So let’s start with Dr.
Amoako Baah’s assessment of President Mahama's speech at the UN general
assembly. For once, the good old lecturer made me cringe because I had sat under
him for about two years; acquiring knowledge in human rights, comparative politics,
ethics et al.
I thought that the President’s
speech was well-written and well delivered. In my opinion, Dr. Baah was simply
being petty. I mean how can he think that the President wasn’t passionate
enough about the issues on Ebola when the former had spent 11 of his 18
minutes, talking about Ebola? What the hell
could passion mean here?
Then it occurs to me: What if
we can treat poverty the same way and expect that our leaders should exude such
passion about it on international platforms like the UN general assembly?
What if we can expect the
President to speak about poverty for 11 out of 18 minutes and still think he
could have been more passionate about it?
What if we can make the UN
understand that poverty is also not a West African problem but a problem of the
world?
What if UN, Norway, Obama
and everybody else share the same urgency to help deal with poverty like the
deadly Ebola? What if WHO treats poverty like another of those life-threatening disease?
What if our society becomes
scared of poverty like Ebola? All these radio alerts and broadcasts; these
emergency centres and preparation mechanisms to contain the Ebola virus; what
if we do same to poverty.
My point is this: Ebola is
dangerous, highly contagious, life-threatening and bad for Africa and the world,
but so is poverty. It kills thousands of our citizens every day, it robs people
of a good home, a sound mind and it threatens global peace.
So Bright tells me about a
certain rich man who has vowed never to help the poor for what he considers as
a justifiable reason. He feels even
nauseas at the sight of street beggars.
This same guy in the past
had doled out about a thousand cedis to a young woman selling sachet water on his
street to start something more decent for herself only to return a year and
half later from London to see the young lady looking even more tattered in her
pure water business than she looked before.
That was classical poverty;
deadlier than Ebola and the kind that can take you to hell.
I know all of us have
interesting views on poverty except that what I’m about to share can be a
little more provocative. But I don’t mind because poverty makes me angry at the
world, poverty chokes me to death. Poverty is just as poor as the word Ebola.
If there’s anybody who’s
aspiring to be poor, he’s as threatening as Ebola is to the world.
For God sake why should
people suffer, why should people be born into penury? Why should opportunities,
good life, happiness, friendship, peace of mind, smiles, ambitions, joy, pride,
dignity, self-esteem and ego elude some countrymen?
Why must a girl of about
16 see her face in the mirror for the
first time when she comes to Accra and exclaim “Ei! dei na mɛnyim ti’ɛɛ” To wits: “So this is what I look like”.
I’m sickened by people
begging just so they can eat, I’m frustrated by older folks having to lose
their dignity just so they can keep body and soul together. I’m livid at the
exploitation beautiful young women and handsome young men will have to go
through before they can access a little opportunity and I’m embittered by the
mental shackles that have manacled the brains of a certain group of human
beings simply because they have to spend more time thinking about “Maslow” than
“Gates”.
Why must some have plenty;
live in a country flowing with milk and honey while some have their faces
buried in their hands. Why must some be fatherless why others are tired of
phone calls from London relatives?
Why can’t we all share in
the light of this world, worship the same God, go to the same heaven than have
others live in a dark world of sin and woe.
Like Ebola, woe be unto
poverty!!! And doom to anybody who allows themselves to be poor.
I don’t care where you come
from, I don’t care who your parents are, I don’t care where you schooled but I
hate that you think you may be poor. I have distaste for your hopelessness and
poor ambitions. I will bite your ears
if you don’t start dreaming and thinking of your good life.
Poverty is an enemy of the world; it’s the
unseen terrorist and the threat to life’s harmony.
And oh! If you are a
Christian and you think poverty is inevitable. I have news for you: Poverty is
like a hall in the University of Hell.
Poverty is the real Ebola.
