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| Akua Djane |
I recently engaged a group of people in a conversation in
which I was lamenting the loss of our culture in Ghana. I made a comment that
today fried rice is considered a national meal in Ghana, to which a young lady
replied that if people wanted to eat fried rice, that was their business. In as
much as I agree with that sentiment, I also think that we need to look at this
at a deeper level. I have no problem with people eating fried rice. The problem
arises when traditional meals, such as plantain and kontomire (a type of
spinach) stew, are downgraded in favour of fried rice. Why should this bother
me? I will tell you.
The rice we consume in Ghana is imported from America and
Thailand. For as long as we promote fried rice over plantain, it means our
plantain farmers (if we have any more left in Ghana) will have less of a
market. And this will lead to unemployment, which can lead to crime. And in the
long run, this can affect me when I am mugged by a young boy who should be on a
farm.
The problem with the world is that we are all becoming so
me, me, me that we forget how some of our actions can affect society as a
whole. Each time a woman in Africa buys Brazilian hair, she empowers the Asian
economy because it is not Africans who are producing these products. Rather
than buy local Shea butter and black soap, which is suitable for the
maintenance of our natural hair, our women in Ghana will wear Brazilian hair
and buy all the products needed to make the Brazilian hair look nice!