Culture is an expensive and a generous thing that all man kinds behold, regardless of their gender, race, greed, ethnicity tribe etc. The discovering of one’s culture could come through an act of conquest, excitement, hunting and many other ways.
This patten of life hence is established by various ancestors whom once upon lived and passed on this lifestyle to their younger generation’s. Therefore, the relevance of culture cannot be undermined. culture is a tool of motivation, to some its more than religion and to many is a way of lifestyle that keeps them together. Culture can also be related to the way a group (s) of people live; so therefore, it would be unfair if any group of people, society tribe is denied of such way of living.
Culture is defined as the way a group of people live and interact. Culture is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups. Culture is often originated from or attributed to a specific region or location on plant earth.
Security however is the traditional realm of strategy and power. However, after the post-world war, some independent state still battles to overcome internal conflicts and civil unrest regardless of the state’s security architectures and arsenals. Power dilemma could also be considered a key factor in some of these internal conflicts, civil wars, neither would the power, strength and influence of conflict preneurs be over looked.
Over the past few days in the Northern Region of the republic of Ghana sixteen region, a wife, mother, sister, friend, aunty to others embarked on a CookATHon journey in order to win a prize for her nation and people, or in an attempt break the world GUINESS record in cooking. This singular act of an individual by, name Failatu Abdul-Razak (Chef Faila) decision has brought many kind hearted people together.
The northern region has not known peace and stability since the early 1990s till date, and though all state security apparatus has been deployed in an attempt to bring a lasting peace to the region, the conflict seems not to be resolved. Conflict by nature is part of the human existence and whether we like it or not there is always a likely form of conflict in everything we do, therefore its existence cannot be over emphasized, but could be managed through other means of conflict resolution mechanisms. There are some many forms of conflict resolution mechanisms, some were likely introduced during the states attempt to maintain peace and some others might come after we are long gone.
It is to stay that the state and other peace building bodies had exercised all forms of peace building skills naming from mediation, negotiations, arbitration, accommodation and other form, but I employ that the mechanism of culture and security should be nexus to others used to determine the fate of the people of the region. For over a week during Chef Faila’s contest, I have seen various titled holders, chiefs, target groups, the aged, youths, farmers, employed and unemployed people whom from various tribes with possibly different political background and religion background brought together their beautiful culture display to support one of their own. The act of love exhibited cannot be undermined again for evil. The drum bits of times have far gone and the time for unity to rebuild is now. I need not to bother readers with all the antecedent that had hovered over the northern region for close to three (3) decades or more.
The structure of peace can still be established within the hearts and minds of the people of the northern region. It is on this note I ask humbly ask that all forms of political power play, social forms of violence, structure violence, and physical violence amongst others should seize for peace to ruin.
I hereby call on all Traditional, Religious, Political leaders to sacrifice a little more of they time to nexus culture and security to bring peace to the people of the Region. I finally wish Chef Faila and her team and not forgetting all the beautiful people of the northern region the best of 2024.
RIGHTEOUS A.K SEMAHAR
CENTER FOR PROTECTION OF CIVILAINS AND HUMAN SECURITY, GHANA (CPCHS)
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