Not born racist, taught prejudice‎

Before racism became a global crisis, it often began in ordinary places like classrooms, playgrounds, homes, and communities. A laugh at someone’s accent, unfair treatment because of tribe or skin color, or the assumption that one group is superior to another may appear harmless at first. Yet these small acts of prejudice become the foundation upon which larger systems of discrimination are built.

Racism, therefore, is not only an international issue, it is a behavior learned and practiced within everyday society.

‎Back in basic school, taking attendance was a daily routine and one of the most hilarious moments of our day.

Why? Because there was always an Ewe or Ga name our class teachers struggled to pronounce not because they lacked basic pronunciation skills, but because some names were deeply cultural or, as we used to say, “too heavy.”

The students who bore such names often became the targets of laughter, mockery, and, at times, intense teasing.

We didn’t realize it back then, we were just kids, enjoying the moment. Even without textbooks, we were taught how to underestimate others. But what we saw as harmless laughter or teasing were actually subtle signs of tribalism, discrimination, and, in some cases, even racism.

‎I need to be very honest with you today because all the honest conversations have been had and yet that culture still lingers, because we have drawn a line between most ethnic groups in Ghana.

‎There have been numerous conflicts that stemmed from tribal comments.

‎The Hutus and Tutsis of Rwanda fought because of divisions and hostility between ethnic groups, a conflict that eventually resulted in genocide.

‎Most of these conflicts have rooted from tribal comments. Now here lies the line that separates our humanity from our history.

‎In 2018, an influential world leader referred to the African continent as a “shithole,” a deeply degrading remark that reduced an entire continent to a stereotype.

That moment reminded us that racism does not only live in history books, it still speaks in boardrooms, politics, and global conversations today.

‎In May 2020 in Minnesota, George Floyd was pinned to the ground for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds over a suspected $20 counterfeit bill.

‎The death of George Floyd sparked conversations across the globe. It was recorded as one of the largest civil rights movements in American history, with between 25 and 40 million people protesting across 60 countries, while institutions and governments scrambled to respond with statements and reforms.

‎Even in football, Vinícius Júnior, one of the most skilled football players in the world, has been reduced to racist monkey chants on the pitch in front of thousands. Antoine Semenyo has also faced racist comments online.

‎Now here’s the part that will make you uncomfortable, and that’s okay because discomfort brings change.

‎It is easy to point fingers at the outside world, but we need to talk, because while we are still outraged by racist comments abroad, there is another conversation happening quietly in a Ghanaian family compound.

‎“Bro, she’s a good girl, but she’s Ewe. Those people are ritualistic, they’re diabolical, and we can’t relate with them. Find someone from our side instead.”

‎Sounds familiar, right? Don’t look at your neighbor. Look at yourself.

‎We cannot fight for Black Lives Matter and still treat our own people differently.

According to an Afrobarometer report released in July 2021, 20% of citizens said they had experienced unfair treatment or direct discrimination because of their ethnic identity.

‎The Ghanaian system has built an architecture of tribal discrimination, and we have normalized it so much that we no longer see it.

And it is high time we called it what it is: prejudice and discrimination.

‎We have gone to the extent of treating someone differently because he speaks Dagbani instead of Twi.

‎We condemn Ga people because of stereotypes about how loud or boastful they are.

The 1992 Constitution provides legal protection against discrimination in whatever form it may take.

Article 17(1) asserts that all persons are equal before the law.

Article 17(2) explicitly prohibits discrimination against any person on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed, or social and economic status.

Article 17(3) defines discrimination as treatment resulting in disabilities, restrictions, or privileges based on the grounds listed above.

Aside from all this, we call ourselves the Gateway to Africa, yet here we are gatekeeping the freedom and dignity of our fellow countrymen.

Tribal identity is our heritage, and that is a fact. But there is a difference between celebrating our culture and using it as a weapon against someone else.

So what do we actually do?

We start small, because that is exactly where it began.

The next time someone in your family compound says, “Those Ewes are ritualists,” or “You know how Northerners are,” you do not laugh. You do not stay quiet either. You say something. Not a lecture, not a TED Talk, just a simple: “That’s not fair, and you know it.”

When you are in a position to hire, to promote, or to recommend, ask yourself honestly: am I choosing the best person or simply the most familiar one?

When your child comes home from school mimicking an accent or laughing at a classmate’s name, sit down with them and have the conversation you wish someone had with you.

None of this is radical. None of this requires a movement or a press statement. It requires something harder than both of those things. It requires consistency in private, when no one is watching, when there is no applause, when it is just you and your conscience deciding what kind of person you are going to be.

Racism was not built in a day, and it will not fall in one. But every habit that is unlearned is a brick removed from that wall.

‎Kwame Nkrumah did not fight colonialism for us to turn around and colonize each other.

‎Here we are, confronting the uncomfortable reality of how discrimination begins in the local classroom and gradually expands onto the international stage as racism.

‎Here’s what I’m leaving you with: racism, discrimination, and stereotyping are not diseases you are born with. They are habits you are taught and habits, no matter how old or inherited, can still be unlearned.

‎“My people, humanity is the only tribe that matters. Let’s act like it.”

REFERENCE:
Afrobarometer Report on Ethnic Discrimination in Ghana

Source: Vincent Doh