Chiefs must champion the mother tongue in every cultural display. It is sad to see a Ga State linguist doing his official duty and speaking in Twi. This should not happen. The work of a chief linguist is not to translate. His work is to repeat, support, and strengthen the words of the king so that everyone hears and understands clearly. He is the voice of the king, not an interpreter.
The linguist carries a staff. That staff is not just a wooden object. It represents the spirit and authority of the Ga State. When he holds that staff and speaks a different language, he dishonours the office, the king, and the people. He also confuses the youth and embarrasses the elders.
Let us make this clear: under no circumstances should the Ga otsaame (chief linguist) speak Twi or Akan during his official duties. Not because it is easier. Not because visitors are present. Not for any reason. When he is on duty, with the staff in his hand and standing before the king, his language must be Ga and Ga only. Anything else is a failure of duty and a disrespect to the throne.
Some people may say Twi is widely spoken and makes communication easier. But making things easy is not the point. Our festivals, durbars, and installations are not ordinary meetings. They are cultural ceremonies that show who we are. If we allow other languages to take over these events, we slowly lose our identity.
The linguist’s job is to serve his own people, not to impress outsiders. He must speak in a way that touches the hearts of the Ga community. He must use the proverbs, sayings, and wisdom of our ancestors. These can only be fully expressed in the mother tongue, the language of our forefathers.
This does not mean we hate other languages. Twi and Akan are good languages, and learning them is useful. But there is a time and place for everything. The state ceremony is Ga land. On that land, the staff speaks only Ga.
We call on our chiefs, elders, and linguists to take this seriously. Let every word spoken at official events be in Ga. Let the children hear it and learn. Let everyone see that we are proud of who we are.
The staff is not a translator’s tool. It is the voice of the king. That voice must never be silenced by convenience. Speak Ga. Be proud. And let the spirit of our state live on.
Osɔfo Nii Naate Atswele Agbo Nartey
