Akwaaba. Rings a bell?

Well, it was supposed to be a warm and pleasant way of welcoming someone to your abode, albeit the Akan way.

For many years, it was one of those words that was synonymous with a new arrival at the Kotoka International Airport. I have been back and forth between the old Terminal 2 and, in more recent times, Terminal 3, where new arrivals were met with that very hospitable word. Little did I know that it was supposedly an issue.

The word Akwaaba was not connected enough with respect to the customs and traditions of the “owners’ of the land where the Airport was sited, and did not do enough to enhance the local dialect called Ga.

Enter Oobake.

Until last week, I had never come across that word. Never. And this is someone who has lived in Accra virtually all my life. Never do recall Nii Armah or Naa Akushia, my Ga Friends of over 30 years ever mention that word.

What I have found perplexing is the fact that they themselves had never heard the word before until last week.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with ‘pushing’ the language or traditions of a community anywhere in the world, and Ghana is not an exception.

In a country where over 46 languages are spoken, with 9 of them written and studied in our schools, one would argue that is a tard too late for a conversation that has literally dominated the airwaves.

How did we get here, though?

I have seen the lengthy write-up published by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, literally vowing to pursue this conversation to its logical conclusion.

Hear her.

"The Ga people, as the custodians of the land on which our capital city stands, have every right to raise legitimate concerns about the preservation and promotion of their language and cultural identity.

As Minister, I remain fully committed to ensuring that our cultural heritage, traditions and linguistic legacy are respected, protected and preserved for generations to come. 

In this regard, I assure all stakeholders that the government will engage widely, listen attentively and pursue a balanced approach that honours the Ga-Dangme heritage while safeguarding the unity and inclusiveness that define us as Ghanaians. Let it be clear. The preservation of Ga culture is not in opposition to national cohesion.

Rather, it is an integral part of our collective identity.

Together, we shall continue to uphold our cultural heritage while promoting unity, peace and development across our beloved nation.”

That sounds like a very strong defense of the traditions of the Ga state and its language which is fair.

After all, she represents the interests of the Region in government, and that’s fair play to her. Now this is the conundrum for me.

When did the Greater Accra Regional Minister, a member of Parliament representing Shai Osudoku and all the leading officers of the Ga State, realise this as a challenge?

When?

Accra is the capital city of Ghana and represents the interests of as many people, including the government.

The city has become overly cosmopolitan since the years of independence, with as many tribes settling in here for greener pastures and more.

The 2021 population stats reveal that the indigenous Ga people now make up less than 30% of the population in the Greater Accra Region. Other tribes have clearly moved in here.

Again, the airport is a point of entry for everyone and not only members of the Ga Ethnic group.

If the Airport represents the interest of every Ghanaian since the days of its construction, how is the choice of language now an issue? Are we now suggesting that everything in the National Capital should be ga in outlook and make up?

There are so many communities in Accra without Ga names, and no one has blinked an eye.

There are so many streets in Accra named after people from walks, including expatriates, and no one has raised a finger.

The irony of all this brouhaha is the naming of the airport after a traitor called Kotoka, who is not Ga.

This man conspired with elements in the security services and overthrew Africa’s Greatest of all time in Dr Kwame Nkrumah. I have found that despicable and atrocious to say the least, and this has been tolerated all these years.

I have personally called for the renaming of the Kotoka International Airport for years, but it looks like the Authorities, including the Ethnic Champions, were very comfortable with that.

Between the name of the Airport and a very pleasant ‘Akwaaba’, which one should really be an issue?

Or is this only the tip of an iceberg?

Is it not sad that on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport, there is a shameful absence of Ghana Airways?

Get to the arrival or departure boards and you will notice the likes of Air Maroc, Rwanda Air, EgyptAir, Kenya Airways and more.

As a state, we found a very farcical way to turn a national airline into a restaurant and have wickedly sold a greater part of these Airport lands to cronies, so-called developers and more.

The Regional Minister is not aware of these, or is that not important?

I respect the need to project local culture, but Accra is surely not for only Ga’s.

As a nation, which is so backwards in terms of development, it's pathetic these issues find their way to the airwaves.

There are countries that were way behind Ghana at the time of independence, but are now light-years ahead of us in the developmental conversation.

Singapore is a classic example. Our President is there literally selling our potential to a country of a little over 5 million people with no known natural resources, but has so many billionaires that the combined resources of only 5 of them(billionaires) is more than the total budget of Ghana for 2025.

These are not the conversations that find their way into their everyday lives there.

I have my doubts if this agenda is even being pursued by many a Ga man or woman.

Bread and butter issues should be the biggest challenge to the leaders of the Ga State.

Jobs, opportunities and more.

Would Oobake put kenkey on Nii Akwei’s plate at lunch?

What have these so-called Ga leaders done to transform Accra and the region beyond selling a piece of land to ten people at a go and pocketing the funds to live in plush mansions and drive expensive cars, and failing to empower their own?

One only needs to visit the traditional heartlands of the Ga State to appreciate this pain better.

I hope we do not get to a point where there is a fatwa to stop the speaking of any language in Accra aside Ga, name the airport and every singe building after a Ga, name all streets in Accra after Ga’s, only Gas to contest Parliamentary seats, only Ga’s to be named MCES’, naming all Ministers from the Ga ethnic group since the Ministries are all cited on Ga Land.

I also look forward to the renaming of all children born in Accra with Ga names since they were born on Ga land.

As for the Media, I expect the landlords to issue the strongest of statements to run every programme in Ga.

After all, Oabake would not be enough to promote the Ga culture and traditions.

The protection of the customs and traditions of every tribe or ethnic group is important for the generations unborn, but the tone of the conversation in this country can sometimes be obnoxious, to say the least.

The writer is Kwame Dwomoh-Agyemang, host of the Morning Show on Class 91.3fm.