In the absence of law, law is absent, so shall it be in the absence of peace

The focus of this article is to contribute to peaceful co-existence, specifically through promoting peace during elections.

It is vital that we work, fight, and contribute to peace and unity in our environment, society, and everyday lives.

War undermines peace, and peace exists because of war. Across various continents, war-torn countries—whether Sudan, Ukraine, Russia, Palestine, Israel, Syria, or Afghanistan—are engulfed in conflict, each striving to assert their perspectives through violence.

Yet, peace is light, and light shines over darkness, which cannot comprehend it. The darkness of war shall not overcome the light of peace.

In our society, we face worsening economic conditions, social media fueling a lack of empathy, rampant egoism, organized fraud, a blurring of truth and lies, and corrupt leadership. These problems, coupled with expensive education, high illiteracy rates, intellectual theft, crime, poverty, tribal clashes, and nepotism, paint a bleak picture of our current state.

As I wrote in my book Philosophical Blade – A Diary of Poems:

“Painting the soul in tainted colours. Where death itself is living its life.”

We are compromised, impure, and tainted by these societal issues. Only when we overcome war, poverty, corruption, and fraud, especially among the youth and leadership, can we declare ourselves truly alive.

These challenges create what I call the “DEAD POOL” of society. We have become slaves to these vices, and peace is the antidote we need to free ourselves. Solutions such as demonstrations, dialogues, forums, seminars, and focusing on youth leadership are essential. Spreading the right information is key to change.

However, efforts to address these issues often face opposition from corrupt leadership. These leaders, fearing exposure, may resort to character assassination, spreading false rumors, or sabotaging progress. They aim to suppress the righteous and maintain the status quo through various forms of pressure.

“Let languishing eyes fall on trembling hearts.”

The “languishing eyes” are those who witness societal challenges but do nothing. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. If you witness these issues and do nothing, you become part of the problem.

The “trembling hearts” are the vulnerable and oppressed, terrorized by the powers that be. Dictatorship is not the answer—democracy, with free and fair elections, offers a path to peace.

As we approach the December 2024 elections in Ghana, we must continue to uphold our nation’s legacy of peace. Ghanaians have a proud history of avoiding civil wars, and we must remain a model for Africa in peaceful elections.

As a Ghanaian native, now naturalized Swede, I believe that despite our differences, we must “call a spade a spade” in finding solutions for peaceful co-existence. Quoting Nobel Peace Laureate Dag Hammarskjöld: “The pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years in either victory or defeat.”

As an “Ambassador for Peace” (awarded in 2008 in Oslo, Norway), I feel it is my duty to promote peace, unity, and justice, not only in Ghana and Sweden but across all borders.

“The burden of my life is that I become a living symbol in all that is best in contributing my quota to the progress of humanity, peace, unity, and justice.”

Let peace reign. Let peace be our guide.

In conclusion, remember:

“In the absence of law, law is absent. So it is with peace, for in the absence of peace, peace shall be absent.”

Aku Angela Tarras-Wahlberg, email: akutarraswahlberg@yahoo.com