Dead river gods

When we were kids, all kinds of stories were told to us about the spirits that lived in the rivers.

In most communities, all forest groves around rivers were revered as sacred sites that hosted fearsome river gods.

These river gods were said to be responsible for rainfall, fertility, increased crop yields, and farm productivity.

In most cases, nobody dared to harm a tree or desecrate the precincts of these rivers.

Some time ago, a benevolent international non-profit organisation wanted to tap a river to provide potable water for a water-stressed community.

The chiefs and the people told the non-profit organisation that they had consulted the oracle, and the river god told them that anyone who tampered with the river would be killed!

In fact, the 'obroni' and his partners had to pack their machinery and leave the village after trying unsuccessfully to convince or pacify the river gods so that they could allow for the provision of potable water to this village.

Now comes the deadly galamsey (illegal mining), and it is clear that all the stories told about the river gods are just cunningly devised fables meant to prevent people from cutting down trees around the rivers.

It had wisdom, even though galamsey has proven that these ancient gods are:

1. Dead,
2. Poisoned by cyanide and mercury,
3. Snoring, or 
4. Bribed with galamsey cash.

If these river gods are truly alive, let them rise and help now, or forever remain beneath the polluted River Pra and the host of clean rivers taken over by the greedy chiefs, their subjects, and politicians.

The writer is a banker, media practitioner, and a lecturer. He can be reached at: maxinus.attah@gmail.com