Former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Prof. Kwame Karikari has urged all citizens to actively engage in promoting developmental issues.
Prof Karikari also urged the citizens to contribute meaningfully to the progress of the nation.
Speaking during the STAR Ghana Foundation’s Akoto Ampaw Citizenship Dialogue held in Accra on Wednesday, February 19, he said “Anybody can be an activist,” he said. “From a footballer to an artist, a canteen weaver, a basket weaver, a musician, or a poet—you don’t have to be the greatest scientist. As a musician, you could be an Ephraim Amu, an Anampe, a guitarist, or even a philosopher. But one thing you cannot be is a criminal.”
The keynote address for the event was presented by broadcast journalist and General Manager of Citi FM, Bernard Avle,
Speaking on the theme “Inter-Generational Dialogue for Active Citizenship: Lessons and Opportunities for the Future,” Mr. Avle encouraged activists to leverage their platforms to advocate for the well-being of the Ghanaian people.
“You can’t be a citizen if you don’t appreciate community so it is not an imported concept. citizenship is not alien to the African. We’ve always understood it and we’ve always manifested it just that we manifested it differently.”
“In modern times when we talk of citizenship, political action, participatory democracy, civil society and community support are all elements of citizenship as it is conceptualised today,” he added.
He further stated that “If you can’t use that knowledge to liberate your people, you don’t really know it because the only purpose of knowledge is usability. Go back to your hometown and say, okay, how can I use this to help the farmers in their farm gate pricing? How can I use this to unlock markets for them? That’s the true purpose of knowledge. That’s what an activist intellectual does. Not to come on city breakfast show, news file and just speak English.”
Mr Avle also urged activists to recognize the power they hold as convenors and use it responsibly.
“I see society and media together. They must understand and harness it. Convening power is very, very important. If you have access to politicians, don’t use it to ask them for scholarships. Bring them and ask them hard questions. That’s what convening power is. Bringing different groups together.
“You are the only person who can call chiefs, politicians and all these people together into the same room. It’s a very powerful thing that you have,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of community-based collaboration, urging citizens to work together with a shared understanding of their rights and responsibilities.
“Citizens must be interested in community-based collaborations. Community-based collaboration is very important. It is a collaboration and not competition.”
“Now this is very important because if people, if we need to be on the same page, one of the most difficult things to do is to lead people who don’t understand where you are sending them.
“We have to go back to communities and do engagements because that’s the only way people can understand where we are taking them.”
“Today I’m glad that somebody who did not occupy a political office, elected office, (11:54) is being celebrated,” he added.
