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Ghana at 50Fifty years ago, on March 6, 1957, Ghana became the first independent black African nation. Expectations were high. What followed was decades of corruption, political instability and economic collapse. Today Ghana is finally on the road to recovery.by Melvin RhodesGhana turned 50 on March 6 this year. The British colony of the Gold Coast became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957; it was the first black African nation to receive its independence. Within a decade almost every African nation was a completely independent sovereign country. After returning from a recent trip to Ghana, I learned that a person traveling with me had conducted a private survey of everybody old enough to remember, "Which was better, Ghana or the Gold Coast?" Without exception, all replied "Gold Coast." Asked to elaborate, answers mostly revolved around the economic situation. Before independence, they felt, the economy was more stable. One man commented on how in colonial times money was worth something. Others commented on how the infrastructure was better. There was also political stability prior to 1957. This came to an end with the first government, which rapidly became a dictatorship. Within a decade the first president was overthrown in a coup. Many coups and attempted coups followed in the next 20 years, with frequent changes of government. High inflation rates severely affected the economy, and it collapsed in the mid-1980s. However, Ghana is now one of the first to recover from the political cycle of instability that contributed to economic failure. Today the country again has a democratic system of government and is growing economically. The currency has finally stabilized against the American dollar after years of rapid decline. Hopefully, other nations will follow Ghana's recent example. Two movies highlight problems Two of Africa's biggest problems have been accurately portrayed in recent movies. Blood Diamond, set in the West African nation of Sierra Leone (and filmed in South Africa), tells the story of an African man separated from his family and forced into slave labor in the country's diamond mines. The film accurately reflects the violence into which much of Africa has fallen since independence. The Last King of Scotland is another film that highlights the violence and political instability that has plagued the continent in the last five decades. On Jan. 25, 1971, Ugandan President Milton Obote was overthrown in a coup led by the head of the army, Gen. Idi Amin. A seven-year reign of terror followed, in which at least 300,000 people were killed. The economy was also devastated during this period. Uganda, too, is improving, but a significant part of the country is under rebel control. Africa has suffered a repeating cycle. Following an election, politicians become corrupt, taking advantage of their influential positions. This then influences those under them, in the government bureaucracy and the police, to also be corrupt. Eventually, the military intervenes as the politicians will not step down. The military, however, is frequently incompetent, so things only get worse. Eventually, the people demand a return to a civilian government, which then begins a repetition of the cycle. Endemic corruption During my latest visit to Ghana, on one 175-mile journey between two cities, we were stopped by the police seven times. Each time, police officers wanted something, usually a small amount of money that would enable them to buy a meal. More seriously, a recent episode of Oprah Winfrey highlighted the problem of child slavery in Ghana, a practice the police ignore. The program was inspired by an article in the New York Times that showed a 6-year-old boy named Mark who was sold by his parents to fishermen for a small sum. Mark's responsibility under his new "owners" was to keep bailing water out of their boat. Other boys that he worked with were purchased by the fishermen to dive into deep waters and untangle the nets. Many die doing this. It's ironic that the Oprah Winfrey program was shown early in 2007, the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade throughout the British Empire. Following that significant event, the British Royal Navy patrolled the seas along the West African coast for over a century, with the authority to stop the ships of any nation and free the slaves. Slavery itself was abolished throughout the empire in 1833. Ghana today is not the only nation where slavery is back. According to UNICEF, slavery is back in every single African country. It has again become a major problem. Ghana's President John Kufour has condemned slavery, speaking in particular of the custom of trokosi, in which people will give their daughters to traditional healers as payment for services rendered. The president has also apologized for the country's contribution to the slave trade that was practiced throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, acknowledging that slavery would not have been possible without the involvement of the indigenous population. Ghana has improved considerably under the present government, but the economy has still not fully recovered from five decades of mismanagement. The standard of living for most Ghanaians remains painfully low. Fifty years ago the per capita income was higher than in some European countries. Today, many Ghanaians seek employment in Europe, so that they can send money home. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the independent Republic of Ghana is that it has avoided the tribal conflict that has plagued so many African nations. Although Ghanaians still identify strongly with their tribe of origin, they also identify with Ghana as a country. Intertribal marriages are also common and many people live in areas populated by members of other tribes, reflecting that they feel quite secure. Another significant achievement is Ghana's continuing dedication to freedom of religion. Churches flourish in the country. People can frequently be seen reading their Bibles and most attend church more than once a week. Religious services often last for hours. Everybody dresses his or her best as Ghanaians fervently believe that they are coming before God when attending a worship service. They show enthusiasm that is often sadly lacking in many of today's Western nations. However, this enthusiasm for worshipping the God of the Bible does not always change peoples' lives the way that it should. If people took their Christianity more seriously, there would be no problems with corruption or abuse of children. This is how individual Ghanaians themselves can make a big difference to their nation. Those who study their Bibles should be familiar with a passage of Scripture in the book of Romans that encourages Christians to be different. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2). It's not easy to make a difference, to determine that, in the midst of a continent renowned for corruption, you yourself will not be corrupt, but this is what is needed. It's the only way Africa can move forward as people change individually, one by one. WNP
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