The disintegration of the Ghanaian society: Are we losing our Culture? Nanaba Writes

“Always make sure to greet, when you come into contact with any member of the society” emphasizing on the elderly person were the utterances from my mother. This was literally a norm a young one would embrace while growing up in Ghanaian society but it appears that these norms have been hit to the rock and are no longer in existence.

This disheartens my heart and I keep asking myself; Is this the Ghanaian society we always boast of or things are falling apart?? Over the years, we were each brother’s keeper. We offered helping hands to people who were in need but in recent times, Ghanaians do not even care about their brothers anymore. The aged are no longer recognized these days. I am staggered at how we bypass the elderly which is popularly known as “mpaninfo)” in the Akan language, with luggage without going to their aid. Selfishness and envy have become a daily bread.

Ghanaian society is more materialistic than adopting our indigenous culture, values, and norms. Respect was one value we cherished a lot in the olden days but now, it is very common and usual for a young one to disrespect the aged.

We used to hear an adage in the Akan language that goes like this, “Daakye as3m nti na wohunu nnipa a na w’ay3 no yie” which means Treat everyone well, for you do not know what the future holds. This has turned out to be a difficult task for Ghanaian youths.

Modernization they say has been good. On the other hand, is the repercussions on the lives of Ghanaians. Apparently, our culture of traditional marriage is in looming danger…. The “white wedding ” which is for the Western world is what Ghanaians have imitated.

Gone were the days, people lived for the longest years but what do we see Today??
The mortality rate in the County keeps escalating. I can recall when my elder sister could not bring her partner, who was known to be her husband to be to the house for introduction simple because of the fact that they “just met”. Everything seems strange and different in today’s world….

When we talked of “aketesia” which simply means a noble lady in the past, it was an integral value every woman ascribed to. It was an atrocity to find a woman unclothed but now it is common to find thousands of women who prefer being naked even though they are in clothing.

I thought preserving one’s virginity was a treasure in the Ghanaian setting, seeing all these being turned into an inverted pyramid makes me perturbed and I can always see tears welling in my eyes.

Here I am today, with nothing to brag about in my home. The Ghanaian empire is in crisis.

Feature By: Francisca Nanaba Amoako