One of the major problems affecting the Ahanta personality, his or her mental development and self esteem is inferiority complex particularly among those living in Sekondi-Takoradi and it environs. They feel ashamed to openly admit that they are Ahantas. They have been suffering from chronic inferiority complex for a very long time so they have lost it as people with distinct identity. This is affecting our progress and development as individuals and ethnic group collectively.
According to Wikipedia encyclopaedia, inferiority complex is a lack of self-worth, a doubt and uncertainty, and feeling of not measuring up to standards. It stems from psychoanalytical branch of psychology which first appeared in the works of Sigmund Feud and later in the works of of Cal Jung and Alfred Aldler.
Inferiority complex could be developed through a combination of genetic personality characteristics and personal experiences. There are two types of inferiority complex according to Wikipedia encyclopaedia based on the classifications of Alderian psychology, primary and secondary types.
Primary inferiority complex is said to be rooted in young child original weakness, helplessness and dependency. It can be intensified by comparison to siblings, romantic partners and adults. Secondary inferiority complex is just an extended form of primary inferiority complex when an adult experience of being unable to reach a subconscious, fictional goal of subjective security and success to compensate the inferiority feelings. Tribal inferiority complex comes in when people feel that other tribes are better, superior and dominant than theirs. They feel shy to openly admit that they are members of their God placed tribes but rather align themselves to tribes which are perceived to be superior or dominant. Something I feel it’s very sickening and unfortunate on part of some of my Ahanta brothers and sisters.
Inferiority complex is a disease of low self-esteem that can affect race, tribe or an entire geographical bloc of people who might have suffered some kind of oppression and suppression from superior or dominant tribe, race or a nation. When a person is suffering from inferiority complex, that person sees nothing better about his or her own self but rather see everything good about the perceived dominant or the superior figure and would want to measure up to their standards. People suffering from inferiority complex would want to dress, talk, walk and do everything like the perceived dominant or superior figure. They deny themselves and become social renegades on their own lands. They have nothing to pride themselves with apart from living in mirage or shadows of the superior or dominant figures.
In Ghana many tribes are suffering from inferiority complex due to the presence of some dominant tribes and Ahantas are of no exception but what is very strange and worrying about Ahantas is the fact that they are being driven into coils on their own homelands. In as much as I see most of those dominant tribes to be suffering from megalomaniac or the narcissist syndrome, they have succeeded in making other tribes or ethnic groups to look inferior before them. Generally in Ghana there is a sharp line between the Akan tribes and non Akan tribes but there again in the Akan tribes, there are those Akans who see themselves as better Akans than others.
Presently in Sekondi-Takoradi and its environs, Ahanta language is on the verge of going extinct. There are derogatory remarks about being wicked, witches and wizards and a whole lot of unhealthy comments about the Ahanta person thereby making the new Ahanta to shrink into his or her coil by tribes who are rather settlers on Ahanta lands.
In school, the Ahanta child learns about other tribes, their customs and practices. Some language subject teachers have succeeded in wiping away everything good about Ahantas from the head of the Ahanta child but have projected the superiority of their tribes instead. This should be blamed on us for not being able to develop our language to a written one but is it late? I don’t think so. The new Ahanta stands the chance to correct the mistakes of the past and lays and new foundation for the new Ahanta personality. The best thing that happened to me in recent times was when my Auntie handed over to me a copy of Ahanta Bible. I saw hope and future in it.
I keep asking where did we lose the track of ourselves as dignified people with high esteem? Why are we running away from our identity? Colonalism can be blamed in some extent in the past as well as urbanization in recent times but we can still effect the changes that we need to restore the Ahanta pride and dignity. Our towns are increasingly growing in size with influx of other tribes who in recent times seem to have embraced education more than us but that doesn’t make them better people than us since we stand the chance to equally develop and probably be better placed than them. We must first find our worth and pride as people and weave our destiny around it. What I find it very difficult to understand is why our identity seems to be fading away as people unlike the Gas who over the years have had challenges of urbanization too but have managed to maintain their identity and personality. Is it because our Ga brothers are a bit aggressive towards those who seem to look down on them ?
The genes of inferiority complex will never break and we risked being wiped away by low self esteem which has been inculcated in us by rather people who are settling on our lands. It’s time for the new Ahantas to rise with self confidence and believe in themselves. The new Ahanta who finds value in everything positive that has the connectivity of Ahanta personality and spirit . With the advent of youth movements like Ahantaman Youth Association (AYA), Ahanta Movement for Development (Afmd) springing up in Agona Nkwanta and its environs gives me confidence that there is a new Ahanta who understand self worth and pride.
There must be a new Ahanta who knows himself, his worth and pride as a human being as well as his capabilities. As a young Ahanta and a police officer who have had the opportunity to travel some parts of the country, I have realised that the Ahantas are comparatively better and dignified than many tribes who make derogatory remarks about us to kill the pride in us. Our food, cloth, water and lands are better than theirs.
The new Ahanta must believe in his or her own self and his or her talent to place him or her on comparative ladder with others. The new must believe that he or she is equally placed with potentials like all human beings found everywhere or anywhere irrespective of challenges of environments. The new Ahanta must be the one who is conscious of himself and his environments and how to create opportunities to develop him or herself to match up with time. The new Ahanta is one who believes that success does not come on silver platter but rather through hard work, sacrifice, dedication and commitment. The new Ahanta is the one who believes that tribe is not a limitation to his or her capabilities.
Let’s all of us rise to our call as Ahantas. Let’s cure ourselves from the inferiority complex disease and embrace our pride as people with common destiny. We must embrace diversity in politics, culture and religion but we must not forget our roots and identity as people. We should begin to add value to ourselves by curing ourselves from infectious and contagious chronic inferiority complex in order to avoid passing it on to our generations unborn. The new Ahanta should be a symbol of hope bearing the torch of perpetual flames directing the paths of many who will come after him or her. We must rise like the never setting sun in the west and glow beyond boundaries and bring transformation to ourselves and the entire nation.
Never forget the sound of your chief’s drum at the gathering of chiefs as an Ahanta. I am Ahanta, a proud one and so should you.
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