Building a nation goes beyond everyone’s imagination. One may want to know who a nation builder is. A Nation Builder is any individual or a group of individuals who possesses a firm focus, makes positive and pragmatic decisions and have objectives of the same nature, and who represent the image of their nation, standing against the wrong actions but promoting the good ones in diverse and progressive manner, while influencing others to be part of him through his acceptable actions.
To go further, a nation builder is not the national president or his vice; it is not a minister of any category neither any Member of Parliament (MP). A nation builder is not a king, an ambassador nor any ruler and any decision maker nor the rich nor both; please take note. Millions of people –professionals, the poor, students, God’s servants, the young and old, in nations, particularly Ghana, do not see a nation builder as such. They see the insignificant number of people who make up the central government the only definition of a nation builder. It is not so. As put earlier, these therefore do not possess any ‘firm focus’; they’re no persons to represent Ghana (and any country) anywhere, whenever, however. Not all, they also lack the major prescriptions illustrated above. Even if they do, they manipulate them to their personal good only, but not to the nation’s.
I must therefore emphatically state that a Ghana’s president, any of her ministers or MPs is never a nation builder if he or she lacks any of these qualities and yet never mind to get them as well. I wish to show my genuine interest in the poorest but patriotic man’s actions than any so-called president who act hypocritically, throwing dust into the people’s eyes knowingly. To me, the former is a great nation builder whereas the latter is not. Indeed, to be a nation builder one needs to be ready physically, mentally, intellectually, financially and of course emotionally; because all of these will stand at risk. This is what I term as the challenges of a nation builder which are discussed below.
Firstly taking a nation builder –the president for example, he does not make any decision or take any action whilst in office and go scot free. Any of these stands to be criticised, constructively or otherwise, most at times coated with threats and direct insult which really affect the his creditability as a president of Ghana. This even affects his mere existence and major subsequent presidential endeavours. Aside these, he or she will be greatly disregarded by thousands and millions. Such president who really cares for his people’s needs but not taking undue advantage of his position as president will feel sad, unaccepted, ineffective, less knowledgeable and even “stupid”. There is therefore lack of encouragement leading to low productivity. This is among the challenges a nation builder faces.
Let’s also talk about inadequate resources. Think about human resource, time, and particularly in terms of finance. Like I said earlier, all manner of people can be nation builders but not less than ninety per cent (90%) of these lack enough necessary resources to embark on their productive activities such as organising public meetings like seminars, publications, travelling for educational purposes and establishing even one room as office for management. A good example is this vibrant and dynamic national organization –Advocate for National Development (AfND) currently operating in the University Of Education, Winneba. It has overwhelming plans for the nation within which it finds itself and beyond but has very weak financial standing; likewise other numerous individuals and groups. Moreover, most people do not get chance of involvement (taking part) and lack the source of these resources and support, they become redundant and hopeless. I pray a nation builder does not get as stranded as this. Exactly, for not everyone befits the position of been a nation builder, just few. This is because it takes a lot, but shall be discussed later in this article.
Adding to the above stated challenges is confrontation from telling the hidden truth. Nation builders withstand a lot of fear and panic from political parties and personalities. They influence the law courts with their financial powers to chastise these nation builders (operational individuals and organizations) for their least mistakes committed and even at times without any. They are depressed hence, and put into suspension or even terminated, as per the verdict of the influenced and unfair judges. But these should be no barriers; it is said where determination lies, failure can never dismantle the flag of success.
The general members of Advocates for National Development humbly seek for your support in its key mission of quenching such awkward acts. The organization is committed to energising the youth, particularly towards fostering national development in all parts of the globe through the following: firstly propagating the good name of Ghana, encouraging nationalism, creating public awareness about pertinent national issues, promoting education and creativity among the youth, promoting national peace and stability, promoting human rights and justice, critically thinking and making analysis towards national development, enforcing discipline among the young generation, ensuring accountable governance.
Next to these, there are other important duties of a nation builder. Consulting; consulting individuals of different social class, so as groups of different purposes of establishment. This forms the concept that no one is a repository of knowledge and wisdom. A nation builder should be able to approach and to be approached any point in time, when the need arises. A nation builder should never boast of perfection but ensure complete submission in the face of humanity in general. This aims at soliciting concrete ideas towards ensuring the betterment of any situation or thing beyond one’s ability; obviously, not all will be within one’s mental ability, looking at the substantial obligations entailed in building a nation. This too encompasses people of all classes, as a way of bringing up the young nation builders. They (the young nation builders) hence stand at acquiring more and putting more into practice. All of these boils down to the fact that building a nation is no man’s job but a cooperative work.
Then again a nation builder has to ensure acts of a progressive nation. Many acts account for a sinking nation; likewise, many are the things we do which do not actually ensure national development. For example, as a nation builder finds himself in the mist of people, he should act to ensure absolute peace by respecting everyone and eschewing unnecessary confrontation, shouting at people and raising insult. More so, upon reacting to unsupportive arguments, comments, suggestions, and policies, whatsoever, whatever criticism should be a constructive one and all responses should be strictly healthy; otherwise there will be conflict, harsh revenge from parties. A nation builder is expected to play these and other responsibilities, directly or indirectly.
However, he or she (the nation builder) is expected to shun others things. For example he does not have to react towards attaining one party’s advantage against the other. In other words, neutrality should always be a hallmark to every nation builder. A nation builder always stands at losing his personality as such, as soon as any chunk of unsafe side-taking takes place in any of his actions. In case of addressing any difference, a nation builder should avoid favouring any single party involved. I want to make it clear to you that neutrality here does not mean you do not take or accept any suggestion from one side. It does not even suit well that way; side-taking should be with strong and convincing reason(s), still holding the voice of neutrality.
Other aspects can be environmental. No nation builder should embark on irresponsible disposal of waste materials. They must be kept inside dust bins, buried or burnt. When in a vehicle, waste should be kept inside the vehicle but not to be thrown on the road. Any person who does this is not a nation builder.
Other acts can be in electoral process. A nation builder should always ensure the principle of “one man one vote” but should never think of doing anything contrary. He should not refrain from voting during election. Note that this ideology (of refraining from voting during election) is never found on the nation builder’s mind, all things being equal. Nation builder do not plan with law breakers to break laws, to run away with ballot boxes. A nation builder does not speak under the influence of money, power or authority, either been a judge, lawyer or an electoral commissioner (or an officer), heads of educational institutions, an employee and employer, not a police. As police officers, lawyers and judges in Ghana overlook questionable issues on robbery, vehicle licensing, rickety but operating vehicles, driving license, unfair trial, injustice, people see them as great nation builders, but in actual sense, they do not possess a bit of love for the country -SHAME UNTO YOU ALL!!
Consider these too: Refraining from hiding guilty folks and their questionable characters and refraining from bribery and corruption, embezzlement, slander. There are countless dos and don’ts when the tone of national development is heard.
To my fellow nation builders, when children, the aged, the voiceless or the disabled cry, they share their drop of tears on our laps and palms. They seek their countless needs from us in our own different ways. Many individuals stand out to champion the course of such wonderful endeavours. I call them Agents of Nation Builder. They work out of willingness, with passion in peculiar procedures. These agents should consider certain things; firstly, one’s self in terms of sociability, emotional control, tolerance, level of external control, courage and others. These will be the fuel to move our vehicle. Afterwards, one has to plan the way forward. These plans are the wheels around which all activities revolves.
In building a nation, there are also several areas that need to be touched: the economy, health, education, science and technology, the government, many others. It is after noticing these that one become objective towards his work as a nation builder, otherwise he or she is verily likely to fail. But failure should be out of our process. A nation builder stands for progress, success for himself, for others and for the nation as a whole.
Opening one’s heart to building a nation is nothing but a tedious task that one still needs to pay heed to. A nation builder still stands out in the lot. The mission shall surely be fulfilled! Our Country Our Pride!