If anything at all, the large response to my recent article titled ‘The ‘Ewes Have Bad Body Odour’, the ‘Ashantis Are Thieves’ the ‘Akwapims Are Fools’ & the ‘Fantis Are Lazy’ | Tribalism in 21st Century Ghana’ has taught me that, the increased hostility of Ghanaians towards each other on the web goes beyond tribal sentiments—it springs out from our brutish nature as people.
The problems of tribalism and racism are not far from each other with Ghanaians (black people) always being the first to cry racial discrimination. However, in our little country, we seemingly cannot respect each other and close the various tribal gaps created by historical developments. The sad part of it all is that, we’ve taken the tribal fight and the gross manner we hate each other onto the internet, calling each other names—-supported by unfounded stereotyping.
Before my recent article, my ‘Nigerian’ girlfriend had it at the back of her mind that, majority of Ghanaians hate Nigerians and that is why anytime an article is published about Nigeria or Nigerians on a Ghanaian website, several insults and unpleasant comments are thrown out.
But having read the comments the above mentioned article attracted, she has accepted that Ghanaians do not particular hate Nigerians. Rather, a large number of Ghanaians on the web are hostile towards anyone who they cannot identify as being part of them. It is a matter of if you are not one of us, then you are an enemy. And I sort of agree with the position she has speedily arrived at…
I cannot understand why the different layers of Akans in Ghana cannot accept each other without stereotyping themselves. If the Fantis and the Ashantis cannot be sisters and brothers with equal respect, how can we expect the Ashantis and the Dagombas or the Frafras and the Gas to live alongside each other in total respect?