THE PRAYER

The Prayer

A typical JSS Morning Assembly routine involved standing at attention to either say the national pledge, sing the national anthem, or if the teachers were in a good mood, both! That was the only time everyone made a conscious effort to stand still before being spotted for fidgeting too much.
Singing the national anthem, however, eventually became a thing of the past after the JSS phase passed by. Unless of course, there was a Black Stars soccer match which gave an opportunity to momentarily remember our prayer to God to bless our homeland.

As I watched a programme where people were being asked to sing the National Anthem, I could not help laughing when I realised just how many gaps were in the lines of the 'altered versions'  most people sang. Either time had caused them to forget the words, they just did not know of the anthem at all, or they were not aware of the import of what was being sang in the first place.
Not too long ago, as I tried to sing the anthem myself to test whether the lines were still fresh in my memory, one thing struck me.
'What makes this song more than just a mere few lines put together, accompanied by rhythm? '

Let us take a walk through the lines of this anthem, and maybe we could come up with an answer.

GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA...
Our anthem starts right with a prayer to God, asking Him to bless our homeland.
No matter where life takes us, the fact that we were born Ghanaian will never change. Home has a way of always being home, in spite of change
How often do we see Ghana as a home and not a distant entity unaffected by our words and actions?
Better still, how often do we involve God in everything we do, making Him the focal point and not the last resort?
This great beginning of the anthem serves as a reminder to keep calling on God on our nation's behalf.

AND MAKE OUR NATION GREAT AND STRONG...
What constitutes greatness and strength?
Our ability to serve and to remain unbroken even in the toughest of circumstances is a true sign of being great and strong.  A nation cannot be strong by itself if her own people do not exhibit a willingness to stand firm on her behalf even in the most 'hopeless' of situations. The only way Ghana can shine as the great nation she is meant to be is if we render our service to her and do whatever is required of us, which includes striving to be the best Ghanaian there could ever be, in our own little corner.

BOLD TO DEFEND FOREVER THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM AND OF RIGHT...
Standing for our rights does not lie in being arrogant or defending wrong morals. Being bold rather gives us the opportunity to be the difference, no matter how 'odd' we may look, as we stand for what is right.
A city's defense will forever be weak if its watchmen give in to fear and selfishness.
Our freedom begins with the decision to liberate ourselves from the attitude of complaining and holding on to our past.
Ghana is looking for people who will have the courage to stand up for her, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic or political affiliation. Can she count on you?

FILL OUR HEARTS WITH TRUE HUMILITY...
True humility is always a refreshing aspect of character to find in a society where people increasingly seem to believe more in a title  than the depth and responsibility behind the title. Pride has a way of blinding us to things that truly matter. Imagine a society where everyone's vision is clear enough to see when their neighbour goes wrong, so he or she can be corrected in love. Even better is when the one being corrected accepts it and makes himself or herself better, in the awareness that accepting corrections does not make you weak, but rather better and wiser.

MAKE US CHERISH FEARLESS HONESTY ....
'Let us call a spade a spade. '
This statement has gradually become basis to speak without caution, in the name of being candid. Fearless honesty however seeks to paint a picture as it is, whilst still remaining constructive. Instead of using our words to tear down, we could use them to build up the good till it just does not seem profitable to do the wrong thing anymore.
Fearless integrity is greatly tested especially when no one else is watching. In the absence of supervision, will we still have the discipline to do what is right?
Choosing to be a man or woman of integrity always comes at a cost, but is always worth it, even if it is in the long run.

AND HELP US TO RESIST OPPRESSORS' RULE WITH ALL OUR WILL AND MIGHT...
Resistance begins with an inward decision to stay resolute even when all else crumbles. Bringing this line to life begins by refusing to budge to changing standards and morals, and also making the effort to listen to others when they have something to say, and treating them with respect.
If Ghana would break out of marking time, it begins with our fortitude of will to push her forward until she becomes the star she is meant to be.

FOREVER MORE.
That is what our commitment should be to our nation. Not just today, tomorrow or the next couple of months, but always, now and forever more.

I am tempted to add an Amen to this piece, as I realise that this anthem is not just a song to be sung, but a heartfelt prayer which when constantly said and acted out will go a long way to build our relationship with not just our nation, but those around us as well.

Let's stand at attention together  then, and utter this prayer with pride...