A happy Ghanaian woman and child: Artwork by Peter Asare
We are in a generation of disobedient children comparing
to our time. We, the people born between 1940-1970 in Ghana, are the most
blessed ones. We are awesome people and our life is living proof.
While playing and riding rented bicycles, we never bothered to wear helmets. We played Oware, Ampe, Kwaakwaa (Hide and
seek) asosor, tumatu (Ghanaian games) and skipping rope, etc,
without thinking about television, video or computer games.
After school (those days, we went to school two times a day)
we played until dusk but never watched the world (Television) by locking up
ourselves in a room. We played only with our real friends, not with www.com
friends.
If we ever felt thirsty, we drank tap water or stream water,
bottled water didn't exist but there wasn't any Ebola or pneumococcal
meningitis We never got ill even after sharing the same juice or sweet
with four friends
We were happy after our
fufu, kokonte, etsew, ampesi. (Ghanaian dishes.) There weren't
any fried rice or 'foes chicken.' We ate rice and chicken only on special days.
(Christmas, New Year, Easter, etc.) Even then, we will go anywhere with our
fresh chicken legs, head, and wings in our hands, for everyone to know that
we've eaten rice.
Nothing happened to our feet after roaming and kicking balls
made of rags barefooted. We never used any health supplements to keep
ourselves healthy. We used to create our own toys. Our parents were not rich
but they never chased after money.
They just searched for and gave only love. They were proud to
see us around them. These days parents are chasing after money and riches that
they ignore the presence of their kids.
We never used to share our emotions by
using emoticons, DVDs, Play Stations, X-Boxes, video games, personal computers, the internet, web chatting, but we had many good friends and communication was face
to face.
We used to go to our friends’ home unannounced and enjoyed
food with them. We never had to call them and ask for their parents’ permission
to visit their home.
Loving people were near to us, so our hearts and souls
were happy. Hence, we never required insurance policy or fake spiritual
support.
We might have been in Black and White photos but you find
colourful memories in them. The ultimate is that we are unique and the most
understanding generation because we are the last generation who listened
to our parents and also the first that have to listen to our children.
I am proud to belong to that noble Generation.