John Amoah is a Ghanaian veteran and a Fante who believes Ghana’s national Anthem and Pledge must be recited in our respective local languages.
He made the argument that the English understand our patriotic songs more than some sections of Ghanaians do. As a result, he will continue to lobby for the anthem to be sung in local dialects.
“Yes, we like the anthem in English but must also be able to translate it into our local dialects for the benefit of those who never went to school. Otherwise, we cannot call it a ‘national anthem’,” he said.
Mr Amoah further stated that after several visits to the bureau of languages, he realized that there are about 11 languages that every Ghanaian must understand/speak at least one of. Hence, our patriotic songs must be translated into these languages.
“I have translated it into Fante because that is my local dialect. We have received an official translation from the office of the president for these to be taught in schools. Currently, the ministry of education is working on it,” he claimed.
Mr Amoah indicated that for his vision to see the light of day, it needs support from corporate Ghana and patriotic individuals.
Kindly contact SVTV Africa if you want to support or watch the full interview below for his contact.