As part of this year’s Student Council celebrations, Ashesi, in collaboration with Citi FM in Ghana, hosted a talk show on the 20th of March to discuss the issue of leadership and citizenship in Ghana.
The Ashesi-Citi Dialogue, as it is referred to, was the first of a series of deep conversations about Ghana and its future that will be recorded every semester at Ashesi, with the aim to spur people to engage and be more involved in Ghana’s development efforts. This semester’s discussion explored the state of Ghana post-independence, with a special focus on the comparison between the current Ghanaian society and that of the years immediately after independence.
The panelists on the show were Professor Agyeman Badu Acosa, Sidney Casely Hayford, Kathleen Addy and Shedrach Akesse Gyeni, a sophomore at Ashesi. Citi FM’s Bernard Avle and Ashesi’s Dr. Esi Ansah moderated the show. The discussion delved deeper into the problem of insincere leaders and disengaged citizens in Ghana while analyzing the role that the two play in the development of the country.
According to Dr. Esi Ansah, “When people talk of Nkrumah, they look at just the man, but it is important to look at the context around him and move that conversation to here and now. [During Nkrumah’s time] there was something to fight for, but it seems as though there is nothing to fight for any more and maybe that is why citizens are apathetic and not as actively engaged as before.”
Students were also given the opportunity to share their questions and perspectives on the issue throughout the show thus, enriching the conversation and exploring the topic from different angles.
“The Ashesi-Citi Dialogues was excellent and I think we should have more of these on campus,” Dan Poku, an Ashesi student said. “This will be a constant reminder to students to remain conscious about the culture we’re building at Ashesi so that we can make a mark out there not only for ourselves but also for the community at large.” 
The Ashesi Student Council Week is annual event dedicated to celebrating the achievements and contributions of students to the welfare of Ashesi, and to build awareness about the work of the student council. To add to the discussion, follow the Ashesi-Citi Dialogue on Twitter using the hashtag: #AshesiCitiTalks
By Vanessa Amoako '16