Who is a Ghanaian?

Happy Wednesday!

Since last year's Independence Day, I have been struggling to respond to a thought that's been on my mind: what exactly does it mean to be Ghanaian?

Because let's face it, is the Ghanaian a person born within the confines of Ghana's modern borders? Well, not necessarily. The James Gyakye Quayson citizenship case made me understand that our constitution doesn't grant automatic citizenship to a person born within the country.

It doesn't even define who a citizen is much, as it more or less says you need to be of Ghanaian origin to be a Ghanaian - creating a funny "chicken and egg" situation.

Yet, when I often observe people talk about Ghana and Ghanaians as a whole, I see them talk about our hospitality, mineral wealth, agricultural resources, diverse languages, fashion and what have you. And while these are true, I think those are mere expressions of this identity, and may not be the core of it.

A year on, I'm setting out to analyze our national identities - the flag, coat of arms and anthem - in search of that essence of Ghanaian-ness. Because perhaps, that's where our problem begins.

Let's start with the Coat of arms. In primary school, we learn about the coat of arms having the following meaning.

• The upper left quadrant displays a sword and staff, symbolizing traditional authority.
• The upper right quadrant features Osu Castle, representing the national government.
• The lower left quadrant depicts a cacao tree, signifying our agricultural wealth.
• The lower right quadrant showcases a gold mine, representing our rich mineral resources.
• A gold lion in the centre signifies Ghana's connection to the Commonwealth.
• The crest features a black star of Africa, symbolizing hope and unity.
• Two golden eagles support the shield, representing strength and vigilance.
• A motto inscribed below that reads: "Freedom and Justice."

Up next, everyone's favourite, the flag. We learn that

• The red in the flag represents the blood of those who died in the country’s struggle for independence from Great Britain
• The gold represents the mineral wealth of the country
• The green symbolizes the country’s rich forests and natural wealth, and
• The black star is the symbol of African emancipation.

As I think about it, I kind of get what the founding fathers wanted to communicate - pride in what we have as a people. Yet I urge you to reflect: Do these descriptions truly inspire you? Do you see yourself in them as a Ghanaian? For me, I see don't. Yet these are meant to represent the identity of the Ghanaian people.

I argue in this edition of Ponder that the flag and coat of arms do not unfortunately speak to us as a people. Hear me out.

Yes, they speak about the country's land and wealth, but kind of ignore the people and its values. We only get a taste of that in the Freedom and Justice inscription, and maybe in the eagles and black star.

We're perhaps too focused on the pride of what we have as a people that we're forgetting who we fundamentally are. And that made me ponder, where can we uncover a truer representation of our character and being as a people?

That, my dear reader, is where our beloved anthem comes in. Do you realise that no matter how angry you are about the country, the anthem gives you goosebumps and a sort of pride each time you hear it played? It emboldens you, dare I say.

Just look at the first verse of our anthem!

God bless our homeland Ghana 
And make our nation great and strong, 
Bold to defend forever 
The Cause of Freedom and of Right; 
Fill our hearts with true humility, 
Make us cherish fearless honesty, 
And help us to resist oppressors’ rule 
With all our will and might for evermore        

This, ladies and gentlemen should be the starting point in our search for our identity.

The Ghanaian is the person with traits described by all 3 verses of the anthem. Bold, humble, fearlessly honest, blessed with gifts of mind and strength of arm and most importantly, perhaps, a person who fiercely resists oppressors’ rule with all their will and might neither today nor yesterday, but for evermore.

These values of boldness, honesty, solidarity and what have you, I argue, should be the cornerstone of our national identity, woven into our education systems, public spaces, and daily lives.

They should reflect in what we're known for, from Kente to Banku, Azonto to Adowa, Frafra to Nzema and beyond. Yet, they should also extend to how we raise our kids, our way of life and how we set up business structures/policies. It is only when these values take root in all places - from villages to cities alike - that we can truly fulfil our national promise.

So yes, we are Ghanaians, the black star of hope and honour. We're bold yet gentle. But no. We don't succumb, we can't be bullied and we won't beg.

Happy Independence Day dears!

About Ponder

Ponder is my attempt to share my random thoughts with you to inspire you, cause you to challenge your thinking and even make you laugh (Hopefully).

With ponder, you get to explore Minimalism, Christianity, Science, Graphic Design, an annoying appreciation of detail and out-of-the-box thinking. You get to explore all of these from the perspective of an African.

There’s more on my website: joshwordey.org/blog