My fourteen year old son recently commented that the wigs worn by Legal Practitioners in our country, look "wierd". Honestly, this is something I have always felt too. But, hearing this from my young son, made me realise that it truly is time for change. Change, that will let his young mind know, that the Lawyers and Judges in his African country are proud to be Africans as they perform ther duties. Change, that would leave no doubt in his young mind that as an African, there is every reason to be proud of being African. Change, that would let him know that he must never try to be something he is not; like wearing a blonde wig; given that he is an African and his hair is not blonde. Change, that would let him know beyond any doubt, that Africans have their own identity which we are proud of, and which we exhibit in our work, even in the highest offices.

It is independence day today. For me, it is challenging to think of us as being truly independent, when our most senior Legal Practitioners dress like we are still in colonial times.

I ardently believe that it no longer suffices to sit back and watch a problem persist. Therefore, I have resolved to write this detail to appeal to the legal fraternity for their cooperation, towards changing this long-standing, but perhaps now a tradition to be changed.

We have fine Lawyers in Ghana who do a great job on all our behalf every day. I believe they have a significant role to play in building a sense of pride and identity in the mind of every growing African child. No African child growing up in this era of the 21st century, should see our respected Legal Practitioners wearing blonde wigs. Indeed, the damage this can do to their sense of pride and identity as Africans is untold, and does nothing for their confidence as young, growing Africans. How do you explain to an African child of today, who we are all trying to raise to be proudly African and confident, why grown men and women playing such a key role in society, are wearing blonde wigs and seemingly glorifying the colonial era?

I believe the time is now here for our valued Legal Practitioners to carefully consider their attire and review this, in the interest of current African children and those to come. The history and burden of slavery is quite enough. Should we add the confuision of our Lawyers and Judges dressing like we are still in colonial times? 

By this write up, I petition you to engage some of the fine fashion and millinery designers we have in this land, to come up with designs for a new outfit and headwear for our dear Legal Practitioners. Materials suggested can be Kente, Straw, Bamboo, our beautiful African prints and any others of the many beautiful materials we have that depict true African culture. I am certain that the trusted craftmanship of our designers will support them in delievering an attire to reckon with; beautiful, grand and unmistakeably African in every way.

Ghana is clearly a shining star in Africa. Indeed, it was the first to gain independence in the region. How great would it be, for Ghana to once again lead the way in this change, and possibly pave the way for all African Legal Practitioners to adopt an African identity in their outfit, with no blonde wig in sight? Indeed, I believe even those we inherited these blonde wigs from, would be pleased to see us embracing our own identity in this key attire. And won't our Lawyers look utterly stunning and proudly African! Others might even join us in wearing them!

Given the above discussed, I ask that you kindly give consideration to the following:

- Commission a number of leading millinery and fashion designers in Ghana to design an attire and or headwear for Ghanaian Lawyers and Judges that depict the rich African culture.

- That the winning design will be perfected with the support of all the selected designers and input from the legal fraternity.

- That the final design is adopted as the new attire that all Legal Practitioners in Ghana must wear as a replacement for the current attire.