Of truth and nation-building …Prof. Pobee delivers inaugural GAAS lecture

Rev. Prof. John Pobee, a newly-inducted member of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS), has said Ghana must strive to build a just, participatory, and sustainable society that also values truthfulness.

Speaking at his inaugural lecture in Accra on “Truth and Nation-state Building: A Theologian's Perspective”, the respected academic and former associate director for the humanities programme at the University of Ghana asked politicians to be truthful in their dealings with the citizenry.

“Politics is not only a game of power; it is also fundamentally about truth and integrity…Nation-building without a commitment to truth cannot add up to much in respect to the end-goal of securing a just, participatory and sustainable society.”

Addressing the theme of a just society, he said the country’s limited resources must be shared equitably through planning, priority-setting and wise decision-making.

“Planning limited resources in a way that everyone has a share prevents envy and creates a satisfied and stable nation. Further, wisdom is needed so as to ensure sharing the cake equitably. African governments often resort to ad-hoc responses. They seem to be in control but are just beating the air. That is falsehood in politics and state-building.”

He said a participatory society is one in which every citizen can play a part in building the nation through his hard work, adding that inclusivity fosters love and does not breed instability.

He noted that development is a collective effort, whereby one generation builds on the efforts of another generation. According to him, “This is done when each generation and every individual knows their role and contribution to the nation at the right time.”

Prof. Pobee, who studied at Adisadel College, the University of Ghana, and Cambridge University, said nation-state building is a long walk that goes through stages. “Sometimes the nation stumbles and falls, but it does not give up. It takes time to learn from mistakes in the past and create solutions better suited to its needs.”

Touching on religion, he said: “Whether we are religious or not, agree or disagree with the phenomenon of religion, it is demonstrably a factor in nation-state building and therefore cannot be meaningfully ignored. And also because each religion claims to be a vista on truth, the question of truth and its place in the building of the nation-state is raised in sharp form.”

He also warned of adopting foreign development blueprints and the lack of contextualising solutions.

“Development programmes must be attempts to address the issues which local people -- ordinary men, women, young and old -- speak about with fear, anxiety, anger, excitement and hope. I suggest we call this development from below. Without that orientation, development politics and programmes are a lie, untrue and irrelevant.”

By Dziedzom Atoklo | B&FT Online | Ghana