The records show that the song or ‘call to arms’ - “Arise Ghana Youth For Your Country” was composed by Jonathan Michael Teye (JMT) Dosoo of Ada, a writer, composer and songwriter and recorded by Flash Don and Fori, whilst featuring such artists as Gosh Mello and Kojo Bills as part of the album by the same title in 2020.

The lyrics for the song are:-

“Arise Ghana youth for your country

The nation demands your devotion

Let us all unite to uphold her

And make her great and strong

Refrain;

We are all involved

We are all involved

We are all involved

In building our motherland

Arise Ghana youth for your country

The nation demands your devotion

Let us all unite to uphold her

And make her great and strong

Refrain;

We are all involved

We are all involved

We are all involved

In building our motherland

A funny story is told of how slave trade started on our coasts.

The slave masters berthed their vessels just off-shore and then paddled their boats to the shores with the goods of whiskeys, rum, colourful apparels, guns and ammunitions; negotiated for the purchases of captive Gold Coasters as slaves from the tribal chiefs or local leaders.

Invariably, these tribal leaders always traded or sold off those captured through wars or the strength of their people, both male and female, whilst also offering their own male children to be educated outside in the countries of the slave owners.

This funny story is a reflection of what we are witnessing now amongst the modern-day leadership of this nation – be it politics, tradition or religion, same template. Thus, the crisis that we are faced with and gradually becoming an albatross, a source of frustration or guilt or an encumbrance for the youth, is how do we re-engineer a new culture of leadership – selfless, dedicated, loyal, patriotic, and nationalistic?

How do we go back to the days of yore, when CORRUPTION was so frowned upon in our society and culture, when a GOLDEN BED by a Minister of State under a past dispensation became front-page news in the dailies; as against now when a driver of a CEO of a state institution can brazenly flout cash on social media or young political appointees, can within a short-time in office showcase such wealth; in turn making the older generation think that they made wrong decisions by choosing honesty in public service?

Funny life that now ‘inside trading’ is no crime but purely an issue of equal opportunities, not even when one is in a privileged to know all the facts and opportunities to set up a firm to take advantage and secure contracts?

How can we get it so wrong that we will accept two thousand Ghana Cedis (Gh₵2,000.00) during national elections to vote people into office who would only come to ignore and abandon us after getting elected, until another four (4) years of one thousand, four hundred and sixty (1,460) days – putting this into perspective, the equivalent of one Ghana Cedis, thirty-seven pesewas (Gh₵1.37) a day, taking into account the money taken as ‘vote-for-me-bribe’.

What are you worth as a person, with no dignity, no self-value nor self-worth? Is this how you value yourself?

The future of any nation and a people, belongs to her youth, meaning that whatever investments into development, irrespective of field, be it education, infrastructure, or health, any government undertakes, the real beneficiaries are the youth. Therefore, if you know your real wealth as the INHERITORS OF THIS NATION, GHANA – justified to receive the resources and or properties by legal descent or succession, genetically as a right from one’s ancestry or as an heir – why on earth would any youth of this nation settle for less, especially when the leadership is only holding their positions in trust for the youth?

This is why the song “Arise Ghana Youth For Your Country” is such a profound call for a time and period such as now.

It is most important for me to make you understand Who You Really Are As a Ghanaian Youth and as a Citizen of this great nation, Ghana, knowing that CITIZENSHIP carries with it rights and responsibilities as well as mindful of the seven litmus tests for citizenship as (i) loyalty, (ii) patriotism, (iii) nationalism, (iv) character, (v) identity, (vi) culture, and (vii) allegiance.

Now permit me to tell you the story or parable of the ‘PRODIGAL SON’ (also known as the parable of the Two Brothers, Lost Son Loving Father, or of the Forgiving Father) in the Book of Apostle Luke 15:11-32.

The essence of this parable for the new ‘Ghanaian Youth’ is not to become like the ‘younger son’, who said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’

I expect the new ‘Ghanaian Youth’ not to gather everything (that he had by way of asking for his share from his father – Ghana) and travel to a distant country, and there wasted his fortune on reckless and immoral living.

“Remember that when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to do without and be in need. So he went and forced himself on one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He would have gladly eaten the (carob) pods that the pigs were eating (but they could not satisfy his hunger), and no one was giving anything to him.

But when he (finally) came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough food, while I am dying here of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father (Ghana) I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son (Ghanaian); (just) treat me like one of your hired men.”

So he got up and came to his father (Ghana). But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him”.

I have gone to this extent to quote the passage because what has been happening to our youth since the advent of the 4th Republican Dispensation in 1993, the tendency for the socio-religious-political class to take them for granted – not taking their education, health, job opportunities, facilities for recreation, mentorship, and advancements of all sorts seriously; as the advancements of their own children is what is of utmost importance for these classes so that their lineage will continue to rule and lord over the rest of the Ghanaian Youth.

The Ghanaian Youth shall always look up to the clarion call for action: “Arise Ghana youth for your country; The nation demands your devotion; Let us all unite to uphold her; And make her great and strong - We are all involved in building our motherland – Ghana”.

Ghana can only fail if the youth, our youth give up their dreams, their aspirations, their future and ask for their share of the inheritance to travel out for strangers to take over their place and RE-WRITE the history and legacies of their forebearers – a great abomination because they will, like Okonkwo, wonder what will happen to their father’s house when they transit into the unknown.

The time to act is now for the Youth of Ghana as the nation, Ghana demands their devotion and they cannot afford to travel out like the ‘Prodigal Son’ and leave the land desolate for strangers to occupy same.

****

By Magnus Naabe RexDanquah is a Land Economist & Appraiser,  SportBusiness Consultant  and Author  – (excerpt from manuscript “NATION ADRIFT AT SEA – Ghana In Search of Her Soul, Identity & Values”)