The caretaker’s eldest son rushed over to my front porch on the evening of December 29, 2021. As soon as I had pulled aside the sliding door leading onto my front verandah. He mumbled beneath his breath, “Mr. James I’m hungry.” I could barely decipher exactly what he was trying to say. Accordingly, I asked him to repeat himself several times, until I understood the full import of his attempts to communicate with me. I was in the process of leaving my apartment for my evening walk, but I heard him. On previous occasions, such a complaint had elicited either bread, or bread and fried fish, or even money from me. Today, however, I was already late; and the approaching darkness and possibly rain would afford me no special consideration. If I didn’t get out and get back home in a timely manner.
I looked toward the open space frequently used for cooking, and washing pots and other utensils, by the tenants who occupied the apartment on my left. There were still live pieces of coal glowing in the hearth of the small iron stove utilized by my neighbors. So I said to him, “Your cousin just took a large pot off of her fire, why not ask her for some dinner?” I walked towards their front entrance as if intending to make the request on his behalf. Surprisingly, He shook his head vigorously in opposition to my suggestion and warned me to, “Ask her nothing!” He appeared not only to be profoundly embarrassed at such a prospect but also quite determined to prevent it from happening.
His cousins are very poor. They are never able to pay for the electrical credits on time. Because both families share the same meter. Moreover, when the time comes for them to pay their portion of the water bill they rarely have the money to pay in a timely manner. The only kindness I see the caretaker’s family rendering to my neighbors on the left are live coals of fire as needed and nothing more. The caretaker’s eldest daughter would cook and prepare me a delicious dish of contembre and Pona Yam and feed me. Especially when I was down with Bronchitis and Malaria. But I have never seen them sharing food with their cousins. Both of my neighbors ask me for food, and I oblige them with bread, sardines, oil, yam, tomatoes, and rice from time to time.
The caretaker’s family are hard workers. They rise from 3:30 A.M. every morning, make a large wood fire in front of the shed they use for a kitchen, and prepare a very large pot of porridge. Many patrons of theirs come from the surrounding area to purchase a small plastic bag full of warm, delicious, cloying Kenke porridge. The caretaker’s wife also travels as far as the adjoining village of Kato to sell her early morning meal. Whenever she returns by around 11:00 A.M., all her containers are empty. They aren’t rich. But they have enough to support their four children and take care of all their necessary expenses.
What a contrast to my neighbors who live on the left. A family of three most of the time but sometimes there are as many as 8 people there. The eldest girl is now 22, and she has had six abortions to date. Her younger sister routinely plays the whore. She is an attractive slender girl and the caretaker’s family has warned her repeatedly of the inherent dangers of her lifestyle. All to no avail. I have personally pleaded with her not to get pregnant. She thanked me for my interposition. In fact, I even offered her a job cleaning my apartment, ironing my clothes, and attending to any other necessary domestic routine. But she refused. She prefers to spread her legs and work on her back. Her cousin, the caretaker’s eldest son wouldn’t countenance me asking her for food on his behalf. I don’t know exactly why but I suspect it’s prejudice. This is one of the conditions of humanity’s sinful nature that is widespread. It is also ancient. Insomuch that the woman of Sychar was surprised that Jesus wasn’t prejudiced against her.
“So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” (John 4:5-9 NKJV)
For many reasons, Jews were prejudiced against Samaritans. However, although Jesus was saddled with all the liabilities of three thousand years of humanity’s sinful condition. Thanks be to The Lord Almighty, The Messiah was not a sinner. Prejudice is defined in the following way
“an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. Any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable. Unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious group.” (Dictionary.com)
Racism is another form of prejudice that is alive and well even in Ghana “Today I hold a totally different view: racism does exist in Ghana as well as many other African countries. The only difference is that it’s not ‘the direct in your face’ kind of racism but rather a more subtle one. One that is equally if not more disastrous than the kind of racism that exists in the U.S. The general rule however remains the same ‘lighter is better.’ Light-skinned individuals who come from mixed families are generally more favored in Ghanaian society. This is evident right from the preschools to top government levels. Lighter-skinned school children are generally treated better in school and given more attention-both by their peers and their teachers. Most TV and print commercials showcase lighter-skinned individuals in order to sell their products, and many Ghanaian men will quickly admit to preferring women who are lighter-skinned. Having been away from Ghana for a long time, I cannot tell if this trend has changed much, but given the fact that many Ghanaian women still opt for skin bleaching products, I would think that it still exists. As one woman put it in a newspaper article in Ghana, “If you no bleach, men no go call you.” (CIRCUMSPECTE: Ghana’s Strain of ‘Racism’: Ethnocentrism and Religious Identities, January 16 2009, by Jemila Abdulai)
Even the disciples of Jesus were vulnerable to feelings of prejudice. Because they sought to dismiss the pleadings of the Syrophoenician woman who came to Jesus begging for mercy on her daughter’s behalf.
“Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (Matthew 15:21-28 NKJV).
Some people have misconstrued this passage of scripture to claim that Jesus was prejudiced. That belief is far from the truth and merely exposes their ignorance of scripture. Jesus merely acted in a manner that was consistent at the time with Jewish thought and culture, to test her faith. The Son of The Lord Almighty, The Author of life, The Saviour of the world, The Fountain of Truth, The Source of all mercy and goodness. Could not refuse the pleadings of one of His own creatures. Not only did He commend her faith, but He also gave her exactly what she wanted.
The U.S.A. and most European countries have had a long and painful history of prejudice. Most recently in America, some Southern states have enacted laws to make it more difficult for minorities to vote. This is merely an attempt to return to Jim Crow days during which white privilege was pre-eminent. All such activities have their foundation in prejudice.
Nineteen states have passed 33 new laws this year that make it harder to vote, according to an updated analysis released Monday by the liberal Brennan Center for Justice. The report, which covers legislative activity through September 27, finds that:
- Four states bundled together an array of new voting restrictions into single omnibus bills: Texas, Florida, Georgia and Iowa.
- Four states — Arkansas, Montana, Texas and Arizona — passed multiple laws to restrict voting.
- Many state laws hit on common themes. Seven, for instance, imposed tougher identification requirements to cast ballots. Seven states also shortened the window to apply for a mail-in ballots. (CNN POLITICS: Voting Rights Under Attack, by Fredreka Schouten, October 4, 2021).
- All of these enactments are designed to discourage minorities from voting.
- People who have experienced the new birth will do their utmost to ensure. That they are not used in any way to further oppression, discrimination, or any form of injustice. For all such vices are different manifestations of prejudice.
aadventuresinghana.wordpress.com 