“Sakawa” to some people, simply means deception. It was “originally” used to describe the activities of fraudsters who engaged in acts such as using the credit card details of foreigners, mostly Americans, to make purchases online. Lately, “Sakawa” has assumed a new meaning. Now, it is being used in relation to “blood money” rituals, or what is popularly known as “sikaduro” in Akan.
The reaction of the public ever since “Sakawa” gained prominence has been one of great disapproval. Among the numerous questions being asked, the main ones have bordered on what has possibly accounted for the high incidence of “Sakawa”?
The phenomenon itself continues to assume different forms, prominent among these is the attachment of spiritual and ocultic practices. But why go into the spirit world to make money? Greed and avarice cannot be discounted in the quest to make quick money. Some individuals have ended up in either internet fraud or “blood money” rituals because they sought a means of meeting a certain expectation or attaining a certain goal.
In relation to “Sakawa”, for the people involved, using such means as fraud and “blood money” rituals often happens to be a status quo so far as the circles to which they belong to are concerned. In most youth sub-cultures such as gangs and cliques, performing acts such as these is necessary if one is to be fully accepted or considered a thoroughbred. But the issue is the public interpretation of the phenomenon.
Without giving much thought to the complexities involved in the choice people make in life, the public keeps stirring all sorts of explanations for the phenomenon. The reasons being given stem from the thought that most of these guys have a quest for ostentatious life-styles. Reasons like this may not altogether be wrong but there is so much more, than meets the eye.
In the first place, why would these young boys dream of ostentation? Is it not because that is the picture of success and successful people they have been presented with? For some young people their involvement in this criminal and deviant acts stem out of a search for an identity and uniqueness. The “Sakawa” feats chalked would earn them the respect and praise of their peers. In their own little world, they will be celebrated. We may not care two hoots about them but in their circles this would draw them praise.
The incidence of “Sakawa” also presents a case of some misguided young people who out of naivety are wreaking havoc on themselves and society. There are many cases of people who have either died or gone insane through “ blood money” ritual.
With the high incidence of “Sakawa”, the reputation of the nation is being dented. For transactions over the internet, Ghana is being blacklisted. Considering the fact that we are losing the youth to acts such as “Sakawa”, the future of the nation is being threatened and jeopardized. We also risk having a nation where real power would not lie in the hands of the elected government but crime lords. The problem in part lies with the break down of social institutions especially the family. Something has gone awfully wrong with young people in the modern Ghanaian society.
With the high incidence of marital instability and divorce, the training of children has been seriously undermined. The family is in the centre of this process of socialization and its role is very fundamental. The role of social institutions such as churches and schools can even be considered as being auxiliary to the family’s role. Thus with the family in “tatters”, the whole process have been thrown out of gear and young people have ended up with very questionable value systems and moral codes.
In “Sakawa” we have ample evidence of the failure of social institutions especially the family. Young people have been left all by themselves with no attention and little support. Vulnerable and gullible, as they are, they are being preyed upon by some unscrupulous elements and needs to be rescued.
The manifestation of the “Sakawa” phenomenon is a wake up call for all of us. We need to act quickly before the situation gets completely out of hand. If it does, we would have ourselves to blame. Besides, there is the need for us to consider issues from the viewpoint of the principal characters, that is, those involved. Otherwise most of what we say would only be mere speculation with which much can not be done to address the issue. In the end we would continue to grapple with such social ills.
BY ISAAC KARIKARI, A TEACHING ASSISTANT AT KNUST.
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