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Public Opinion
The Trend of Suicide: we are all at Risk.
Unless one is far from the shores of Ghana or just returned to the country from Neptune, the current trend of suicide in the country wouldn’t be a news. It’s disheartening and threatening to witness the new paradigm of self inflicted death in the name of suicide.
We thought all were swept away after the demise of the one Adwoa who is believed to be the Daughter of an MP from the ruling party in Ghana.
I don’t know whether this is a new form of venting out the frustrations caused by emotional pain and self rejection. What will make a certain 18 year old girl take her life suddenly? What will make a final year student of a reputable community in Ghana take her life? Your guess is as good as mine.
In our part of the world , laymen are quick to play the ‘yese yese’ game and quickly attribute such a sorrowful phenomenon to unjustifiable causes-heart breaks, financial difficulties, emotional and psychological trauma and what have you.
In most communities, people are tempted to blame the victim for his/her woes. When the first part broke up at KNUST, the phrase ‘Arhhh MP ba Paa’ ( Daughter of an MP shouldn’t have died in such a shameful way) became so familiar. And I ask, who should have died?
However, in my egoistic view, I think the remote cause of suicide is yet to be considered by the many people.
The most common form of suicide in communities like the middle East, is altruistic-the death of an individual / a group emanating from too much integration or solidarity to a particular group (ISIS, Alshabab etc).
In the Durkheimian theses, so to speak, I can say that the current trend of suicide in Ghana is egoistically inclined-no or little form of social integration that results in self death. This is as a result of self denial and societal rejection.
According to Emile Durkheim ( 19th century Sociologist) , society is made up of social ties that hold the social elements together, if this is anything to go by, then there isn’t any room for doubt that what ever affect the social bonds does affect the social elements-individuals and groups within the society.
Taking into account the two recent pathetic suicidal incidents in the country-KNUST and Legon, it is obvious the victims involved were completely or partially out of the reach of societal bonds. The death of the former was initially attributed to ‘a failed course’ which was later debunked and the current evidence available attributed her death to ‘broken heart’- a loose form of social bond.
The latter , who happens to be a final year student of the University of Ghana is alleged to have taken her life after jumping off her balcony-so unfortunate.
On a blind side of the ‘Tertiary’s’ share of the recent acts of suicide, there has been reports of other school children (apparently teenagers) boarding the bus to their ancestral abode through the same means. You may ask, why?
In my subjective view, I believe suicide is highly volatile and everyone could be a potential victim. As a student of social science, I use this platform to call on all stakeholders of religious, social , educational and corporate institutions to make matters of social cohesion a priority.
Let’s educate the public about dealing with emotional and psychological issues. The fight is not a one man (generic) fight. Relationship is inseparable from social beings and it’s high time parents take it upon themselves to talk to their wards about their social lives in and out of campus.
It’s time to break away from the hypocritic chains that prevent the older generation from discussing matters of sex and relationship with the younger generation.
These things are really going on in and out of the various campuses yet some stakeholders are silent about the matter all because it is assumed that, it will make the younger generation more promiscuous than previously.
I remember a Pentecost Elder recently raised an issue that the section of the youth that cannot control their sexual urges could use condom. Hey! in this country, the dust on his reputation and that of the church is yet to fade away! You dare not speak of such issues in the public space.
Suicide as a social consequence of loosened societal bond is no respecter of Age , sex, social status, ethnic affiliations , intelligence level, religion et al. Maybe you think the victims were insane and just took their precious lives for no apparent reason. It could have been a brother , a friend or family member , you or even myself. Just understand that suicide is real and we are all vulnerable .
#Let’sSayNoToSuicide
A hero in Disguise
I was so glued to her like a stitch
In her world, mine was the top-notch
She could defy gravity to show love up in the skies
Her grimace depicts the uncertain hope for the unknown futurity
Devoid of family ties, she promised to be a wife
Just like her mother, her beauty was exceptionally nice
Lo, these were imaginaries of the smiling daylight as I take a stroll
Like in the movies, there she sat under the iroko-weeping
Eyes reddened-tears with no signs of abating
From afar I looked and was panting
Who could have left this rose in such an unkept state?
I wondered, pounded and even got bothered!
This Rose deserves better, Lest it will wither !
I was burning with emotional sensation
I saw her like a fugitive without a nation
She had a sight without a vision
Her fate was so rare to expect
Heart felt pains is what she has been through, I suspect
My presence was irresistibly felt
No need to hurt
She now got a new definition of love, compassion and that I respect
Showing her love and companionship restored her smiles
Tears vanished like it never was
From thence, I was a hero in her ever joyous heart.
The Success of Cameroon at Afcon2017, the 5 Important Lessons for All.
photo credit; Google images
1. Money is never enough for success unless it is cushioned by sacrifice. Cameroon came into the just ended competition with haunting memories and hangovers from the Brazil fiasco. Winning bonuses became an issue at the critical moment of the tournament. The players boycotted training a day before their emphatic clash with the black stars. These among other setbacks were enough to see Cameroon off in the first round. Having put their shortcomings behind them, a success story has been told. They did not allow these drawbacks affect their passion for the ultimate.
2. Better be underrated than be overrated on the grounds of complacency which never pays.They (Cameroon) were considered under dogs by many. Most Sports writers and pundits-including myself, least expected the Central African Contenders of the tournament to reach this far. After beating Senegal, Ghana and finally Egypt( countries mostly considered as the powerhouse of African Football ), in a successive bid for the ultimate, sports writers and football analysts now have to redefine who an underdog is in the face of a complacent favourite- like Ghana and the rest , to rewrite their scripts even as sports commentators.
3. Leading is different from winning. In the early embers of the Game between Cameroon and Egypt, the latter looked much more convinced to lift the trophy and a goal as early as in the 22nd minute was enough as evidence. Egypt haven scored a goal in that minutes, relaxed to their normal game of using the flanks to attack Cameroon on a counter thereby relying mostly on their lone striker, Mohammed Salah upfront. This was not successful enough to see the Egyptians double their lead as the Cameroonians defends was as solid as a rock of Gibraltar and difficult to penetrate. The Egyptians though had a goal to their advantage, the Cameroonians dominated play and dictated the pace of the game even in the first half with an impressive possession of 63% as against 37% by the Egyptians. The Cameroonians had a different mentality of winning and leading as they fought hard to equalize and was later rewarded with a tournament winning strike after all. You might take the lead, but someone else can win. It’s about defining whether to win or lead at the end of every situation.
4. Never sit on your laurels. Of Course every country represented at the Afcon had some target. Some came to defend the title, others too to taste the Afcon for the first time, unfortunately, I must say, others came because they qualified-interesting huh! The last time Ghana won the Afcon, Cameroon had a nil trophy to boast of. However, after 35 years of dormancy on the part of Ghana, Cameroon has come from behind to win their 5th Afcon title and currently a force to reckon in Africa – incredible. Ghana are now stacked at 4th Afcon Glory yet always claiming to be the super-powers of African football with consistent disappointment and an embodiment of national confers drainers year in year out. Never sit on your laurels, do more if you can today because life presents us with at times similar opportunities, it depends on how we define and utilize such opportunities.
5. Nobody is indispensable except nothing. Again, and lastly, if the just ended tournament was technically about player quality, class and form, then I don’t think Cameroon would have even qualified in the first place. Before the tournament, players that have been consistent on their side including Andre Onana of Ajax-Amsterdam, Guy Roland of Nancy, Joel Matip of Liverpool, Allan Nyom of West Brom, Maxime Pundje of Bordeaux, Andre Zambo of OM, chuopo moting of schalke 04, Ibrahim Amadou of Lille were all missing from their squad. It’s is disheartening to note that, the aforementioned players chose their respective clubs at the expense of national pride. As unpatriotic as it may sound in your ears, I doubt not that these crusade of players will be biting their fingers and bow their heads in shame by now.
My take: Be motivated to increase your acceleration not because you can run but because you have to-life is a race. Run faster to out run what is chasing you- dreams, aspirations and goals.
In the pursuance of dreams , winners are those that never slept, those that never gave up, those that never sat on their laurels, those that never built a future around dream killers, those that moved on in midst of disappointments and successful failures.
You can move on in life without some people. Even when they say no! It’s about never quitting even when they don’t believe in your dreams, turn you down and even fail to stay by your side when you needed them the most.
To my beloved country Ghana (better luck next time) and all, this is the success story of Cameroon, a blueprint for all prospective winners of every situation. It might not just be football. In every situation, much more than money, complacency, past glories, just taking the lead, and over reliance on people is required to win. To be a winner, it requires the amalgamation of sacrifice, dedication, commitment and a high sense of duty and this should wake you up at night, and hence, a dreamer never sleeps.
Pen down!!!!!
Photo credit ; Google images
OBJECT IN THE MIRROR
Mirror mirror…You are the one I see and I’m the one you see anytime I look at you. When I’m before you, the world is behind me. You never gave me a second to explain why, just because you are ever ready to retaliate any time I go off the line.
My smiles may get me going , but I go faster anytime you reflect them back to me.
I taught of frowning , and there you pause laughing. As I keep some distance, then I saw you departing. With you, my flaws and shortcomings never go unnoticed. You keep record of every step I take. But I commend you for one thing, in my absence , you never reveal my personality to the world- oh jealousy!
Time is running out-Yes I know ! , but let’s maintain the distance at par. In alacrity, we await the bound of affection so unrelenting and indelible. I am certain that you will never go beyond how far I would go. As I bend , I see you bending too. But I’m happy we remain unbroken.
There is an opportunity in this adversity. That’s the moment you shown me reality. In times of sorrow, rejection and dejection, I help by installing unquantifiable infectious smiles on your face.
Before I could say Jack, you have become an expert in explaining the law of Karma-you made me your carbon copy.
A child figuring how you do so may desire to touch and have a feel of you by trying to going behind the mirror just to see a thin air. I also thought I’ve been deceived a million times because at a point , I did same. As I grow , I remembered what Mum said , ”
Piesie , what you are seeing in there is your reflection and nothing else.
” Thence I remembered what’s inscribed in the driving mirror “objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.”
A new year to perpetuate good course.
We have successfully been ushered into what I May say a much awaited year by many people.
surely, the one true God who began the year 2016 with us has kept his promise by bringing us this far. Yes indeed ! He is the Alpha and de omega God .
No doubts there were challenging moments during the previous year , our lives were spared and that alone is a cause for celebration.
May the year 2017 pave way for divine upliftments and fulfilment of destinies.
2017 shouldn’t be seen only as a year marking a new beginning but rather a change of date that is very imperative as the year makes progress. Such a change shouldn’t militate against our options for success because the inanimate ‘thing’ such as the year is even making progress.
A new year has been activated and so is our ability to explore. Past Glories are but few of our achievements . We should press on till we are given the crown of victory as Apostle Paul rightly said.
Let’s think more positive and less negative for ourselves and others this time around.
I wish you a prosperous new year. Stay blessed.
Piesie Godfred 