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Honorable Senator Donne Trotter, Honorable Commissioner Dana V. Stacks,
Nananom, Niimei, Togbewo, Leaders of the African Community,
Members of the Clergy, Distinguished Guests, Fellow Ghanaians, Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago, I warmly welcome you to Ghana’s 52nd Independence anniversary.
As I stand before you this day, my heart is filled with joy as Ghana made a smooth transition of power in January, 2009. To God be the glory, great things He has done. He so loved the world that He gave us his Son. Who yielded His life an atonement for sin and opened the life gate that all may go in. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice. Let the people rejoice and give Him the glory for great things He has done. This is the song I sing inside me as I speak.
On behalf of us in Chicago, I congratulate the people of Ghana for the maturity of democracy by using their thumb instead of guns to effect a change in government.
Fellow Ghanaians, the state of our Council is very weak. Over the years gone by, the Council was heavily dependent on sponsorship, without which programs could not come on. Often, when our people are confronted with the issue of council, the first question they ask is, “what do I gain from the Ghana National Council?” As I speak, that question is no longer an anecdote. It is now what can I do to sustain the Ghana National Council because it is your face, it is your identity and it is your character.
The Council has been established and recognized all over the world. We are on the calendar 24 x 7, 365 days and for us as a people to loose this identity negate our character. There is no doubt in my mind that the true character of the Ghanaian when questioned always excels. We have been in this situation before in Ghana but we pulled it together through “Self-help” or “Co-operative”. Those of you who were in Ghana from 1983 through 1990s would bear me out. At that time, we were hungry but survived. We were shaken but our faith stood strong, we were down but not out. We were broke but not broken. We were able to turn things around and look at what Ghana is today.
With the current recession all over the world, sponsorship has dried out and we need to pull together as a people to do whatever it will take to sustain the Ghana National Council. I have the faith you will rise to do what is right not for us but for our children.
This day, cannot pass without remembering our first President, the late Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who proclaimed a strong and united Africa. As the cradle lingers on, we have the United African Organization properly established here in Chicago. The Executive Director (Mr. Alie Kabba) has moved us farther into recognition and with the cooperation of the African leadership; we now have 19 African countries here in Chicago forming the nucleus of the membership. This administration headed by myself is a strong advocate of this unity. Today, we are recognizing those leaders for attending our anniversary and we would return this visit to ferment a solid unity.
Now to our Youth, this administration does not believe in field trips alone. We are in constant talk with the UAO to redirect this Council’s activities into programs. Proposals are being written to look for funding from State and Local sources to establish it. There have been some movements to locate some of the groups. The data have been made to create the avenue for its establishment when funding is secured.
This notwithstanding; my advice to you is, you are lucky to be in this part of the world. Now, the situation is, Rosa Park “sat” in the bus so that Dr. Martin Luther King would “run”. Well, Dr. King “run” so that Barack Obama could “fly”. Now that Barack Obama has flown, there is no excuse why you cannot reach the moon. I like the dreams of the future than the history of the past. Make all you can make and be all you can be and Ghana would be proud of you.
This year’s Ghana Fest is tentatively scheduled for July 25th, 2009 at the same location, 5600 South Russell at Washington Park in Chicago. It will be fenced by the Chicago Park District. There have been suggestions by this administration to the Council to explore the possibility of an entry fee. The Council will decide of this proposal but this is just to give you a heads up.
I would conclude by thanking our prime sponsors Western Union, Ghanaweb, Annaka Enterprises and African Spectrum for their generosity. Without them, this event could not have come on. On behalf of the Ghana National Council and the entire Ghanaian community, I say thank you dearly.
Long live the Republic of Ghana!
Long live the Ghana National Council!! God bless you all.
JOHN HENRY ASSABILL
PRESIDENT
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