One of the reasons why I love public transport in Ghana is because of what one gets to learn about people's attitudes and opinions within the short period that one shares that space and circumstance with them. I am often the silent observer, watching, listening, never joining in the general conversations that often come up among passengers.
This morning, en route to Kasoa from Achimota, the radio of my 33-seater-with-minimal-leg-room was tuned to (most Ghanaians can guess which frequency) 104.3 FM, and the subject of the discussion was the previous day's soccer match between Ghana and Egypt.
My attention kept drifting between John Grisham and everything else and at some point I heard a reporter seeking the thoughts of the public about the match. After a brief interview with one pedestrian or trader who just happened to be female, I heard the following comment from a male voice two or three rows behind me: "Na obaa nso diɛ, dɛn na onim fa futbɔl ho? Ghana paaa! (tr. What on earth could a woman know about football? This country!)"
Note that all the interviewee had said was that it seemed to be in the nature of the Black Stars to relax once they had scored a goal or two and were in the lead - a simple statement that one could choose to agree with or not.
My first instinct was to immediately let this man know that he had just won the Macho-Simpleton-Of-The-Moment award but when I turned around I realised it would not be worth the effort.
But the bigger issue for me was this - how many more people in Ghana, in 2009, think like my fellow passenger? Ghana has had female sports analysts for a while now and the country has women'snational football team which is, to whatever degree, recognised internationally.
I was somewhat consoled by the fact that none of the other passengers expressed any amusement whatsoever at the statement of this ignoramus. Usually, such an expression would mean that they shared his opinion. I still worry, though, that he is surely not the only one in his generation or any other, with such thoughts.
Is it a wonder, then, that the President will have a hard time achieving his manifesto's aim of a minimum 40 per cent representation of women at Conferences and Congresses of the Party and in government and public service; the promotion of increased female access to education, health, employment and other socio-economic infrastructure and services?
