Soyez Sage, Monsieur Akufo Addo!

Before our Lord Jesus Christ finished his earthly ministry and ascended unto the heavens some 2,000 years ago, he did command his disciples to go into the world and proclaim what they had seen of him and propagate the gospel within the four corners of the world. Meanwhile, he had predicted that since there would be many anti-Christ prophets, they should distinguish themselves to do exactly what he had taught them; he charged them that not everyone who went about preaching in his name like them was their counterpart. He emphasized this point because Jesus knew long before his death that because of hardships, greed, poverty and lust for money, many false prophets would come to preach with his name to even cast out evil spirits, heal the sick and lepers, restore the sight to the blind with humility, to attract large following – e.g. if you voted for me to win power, I would be father for all; even if you did not vote for me I would not turn my back towards you no matter your political persuasion, I care for you all would be my cup of tea; I would reduce petrol price drastically to ?20,000.00 (Gh?2.00); I would build universities at Ho and Sunyani, build the Kotokuraba market and the Robert Mensah stadium respectively in Cape Coast, rid all the cities and urban capitals of filth to eradicate malaria within the first 100 days in office, ensure that nationwide armed robbery became a thing of the past, no political witch-hunting or vindictiveness, etc. but since all Ghanaians were mortal beings without divine talents, easily became convinced overnight, got converted and accepted the new faith of spiritual false baptism to vote them into power. Sweet political talk worked like magic indeed!

SIGNS ON THE WALL

Clearly, current events and development unfolding in Ghana point to the fact that if the NPP eschewed complacency; patched up their differences and worked as a team, respecting each other’s views, regarding each one as team player, and aim at one specific goal, then, the indications are that success would definitely crown their united efforts. However, nobody should dispute the fact the NDC as our arch enemy could not quickly re-strategize to come out as a full force. We should not take them for granted and jump to conclusion that all is well and that it is ‘agbenaa’ meaning, we have won the elections hands down. If anybody should have this mindset, then that person should be thinking in a fool’s paradise. My earnest caution to every Tom, Dick and Harry in the NPP is to work hard and possibly, harder than ever before devoid of tribalism and factionalism. The task ahead is a herculean one and needs an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach.

TEMPESTOUS STORM CALMED BY AN ACT OF GOD

God has mysterious ways of doing things and this continues to be a mystery. Many Ghanaians till date, don’t seem to understand. The dates December 28, 2008 and January 3, 2009 have come and gone. Many were the skeptics who thought Kenya’s political turmoil and eruption should have been witnessed here if the election results had gone contrary. The serious but dangerous inflammatory statement that came from some persons to cause fear and panic announcing civil war like the ones that erupted in Kenya, Rwanda, and neighbouring countries were neutralized. Serious and false alarms were raised from the roof tops of some radio communication networks suggesting that the battle line had been drawn for an imminent war. But the Lord stood his grounds and halted it with the raising of hand like when the disciples had forgotten about his presence on the boat that was cruising on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples relied on their perseverance but when they later re-discovered his presence and sought him, victory was won. The author doesn’t want to ‘sound a prophet of doom’ but would like to use this medium to re-echo this message to the party supporters and all at large, “now that NDC’s tenure is about to elapse and be kicked out of office through the ballot, they would definitely and desperately try to grip the last straw that will break the camel’s back to entrench themselves in power at all costs by fair or foul means”. So whatever it takes to win the election is something that pre-occupies their mind and not good governance. Every available state machinery and apparatus that could be marshaled to ensure they stayed in power would be employed even if it should cost lives to the detriment of majority of Ghanaians. The events of La Cote d’Ivoire are just fresh in our memories. Koku Anyidohu’s unguarded and unpolished speech and utterances with blind support from the flanks by the likes of Baba Jamal, Kobby Acheampong, Okudzeto Ablakwa, Omane Boamah and the Twum Boafos without any reprisal from the paymaster and singing ‘Egya Atta’s’ praises for sustenance are clear indication and manifestation that they are undaunted despite the fact that their boat continues submerging.

DR. NKRUMAH’S CROP OF POLITICIANS

Now that the signs are on the walls and obviously, the odds are against the government, every step they take would land them in the gutters. This is the time that NPP should never be mistaken to do the wrong thing for them to have another leeway but to capitalize on their shortcomings. To cast the minds of readers back, let us re-visit the era of Nkrumah’s Ghana; he set up government machinery with men like Krobo Edusei, Kwaku Boateng, Kofi Baako, Amoah Awuah, Jantuah, Mumuni Bawumia, Abavana, Hammond, Inkumsah, Kojo Botsio and Gbedema. On decentralization, the appointment of district commissioners like Kwame Kwakye who was quoted to have ‘occupied the whole of Akyem Oda district’ fame and D.C. Kofi Akowuah of Bekwai, in the Amansie district and hosts of them actually had no tertiary education. Many did not even possess the MSLC but were able to steer and administer the affairs of state with precision and ‘home sense’ and managed it well too. Whoever thought this breed of politicians could manage a government that had just attained independence or self rule from the colonial masters? Without any shred of doubt and thread of imagination, they fared well and Ghana became a showcase and centre of attraction to the envy of many countries in the sub-region and beyond. That was the era when discipline was at its peak and command structure in the body politic was maintained and realized without any act of insubordination. That was when E. R. T. Madjitey became the first police chief, with the rank of Commissioner and Major Seth Anthony as probably the only senior Ghanaian military officer. I stand for correction anyway. May be the youth would like further enlightenment on the dress code – both officers and NCOs wore pair of khaki shorts and short sleeve shirts; with officers using brown shoes and hoses to match while NCOs used black boots and green portease to match. That was indeed the era when the ‘ahenfie’ police for the palaces were highly respected and feared by all.

RUNNING MATE BROUHAHA

This author should not be branded a prophet of doom but ‘ka-na-wu’ i.e. publish and get damned; or speak the truth and face the consequences because the game of politics traverses with truth. The NPP seems to be at the crossroads now -

1. The leadership (Council of Elders & NEC) as an advisory body has the intent of going to the north for a running mate. Should they go there again as has been prescribed by their NDC rivals to satisfy the posture that NPP is an Akan party? Sadly, in order to disprove that they always have to swallow the bitter pill only to tumble in the end.

2. Again, the same leadership seems to be a divided front that cannot with -stand the test of time to unite and reject the common enemy’s bitter pill from our throats. Also it cannot reason to see the dangers ahead that the political pendulum should this time round swing to BA to forget about the conservatism. 3. The Council should take note of the appointment of national officers – Asiedu Nketia, J.H. Opoku Acheampong, Yaw Boateng Djan, the deputy national women’s organizer, Cecilia Johnson as Council of State member and others and of course, the July Conference in Sunyani, and lastly the marriage of a Brong lady from Nkoranza by the vice president, are clear indication/ manifestation that they are not only bent on snatching and winning the region at all cost at our expense but to humiliate us despite their incompetence and ineptitude.

4. The leadership should know that the votes recorded in the three regions have always been to the advantage of our rivals and the fact still remains that they always succumb to pressures from NDC to set the tone for the leadership to be couched into submission to satisfy the S.D. Dombo-Jatoe Kaleo-B.K. Adama young generation. Their adamant and undaunted posture and entrenched position are clear indication and manifestation, no matter the consequences, even if it should lead us into another term of opposition.

5. While the perceived enemies in the party think if Nana Addo wins, he alone takes the credit to his boxing corner, whilst the other school of thought -the Akyem Mafia – want him to lose hence the push for a northerner to end his political career. My plea is that you forget about ‘they say, they say, and win the presidency with a Brong partner and avoid the ‘old boyism syndrome’.

6. The youth who out-number the aged in the party do not, repeat not, want to be pushed into opposition again despite the incompetence and ineptitude of the NDC but the aged conservatives don’t see it that way. They think that their sense of direction should be followed and trodden at all cost. But wait a minute!

7. Whilst the Brong Ahafo region would undoubtedly galvanize more votes to propel the party to power to enable Nana Akufo Addo become president, there are equally conservatives from the ‘kingmakers’ class’ who would do all possible to move the high heavens to ensure Nana does not win the enviable diadem to become president hence the push for the northern agenda.

8. After all, the situation now does not require any Oxford, Havard, Cambridge, or space scientist to partner Nana Akufo Addo; all that requires is little book sense and much home sense like Nkrumah’s formula. The question of an intellectual does not arise here period.

9. A case in point is South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki when he chose Jacob Zuma as his number two man. The doubting Thomases thought the latter could not perform but in my opinion, when he assumed the political reins of that world class economy, his performance has been superb; much better than our own professor.

10. Mr. Obama did not go in for a university don or an academia but Joe Biden. Joe’s rich political experience coupled with home sense have combined effectively to make him a man of his own class.

11. Finally, I entreat the kingmakers to reason with me on this line of thought that as far as and as long as J.J. Rawlings lives with NDC still in existence as his personal handkerchief or human institution, and does not dissociate himself from the NDC, there is no way that NPP would ever win more than 10 of the 49 seats from the three regions with Rawlings as their idol. Formerly, the best was 18 seats but dropped to 7 and with the loss of the Cherepone by election, it came to 6. Our best would be 15 seats; not more and wonder how we can miraculously win more than 800,000 presidential votes with a northern candidate? Highly impossible and that should be the yardstick, not just forcing Nana Akufo Addo to go to the streets to marry any ‘political prostitute’. He could marry ‘any idiot’ of his choice but the ultimate is the presidency, period. Secure your constituency seats first.

12. Whereas Brong Ahafo serves as the Rubicon bridge between the north and south; safe for victory; its geographical location is very unique and even nearer the north than south- and now that the two big parties have declared the sleeping giant as the strategic battlefield from where the victor always formed the next government, we stood a better chance of maximizing their votes so nobody should under-estimate that fact. Settler farmer votes would also be won because their job security will be assured and protected. The traditional votes from the two ‘African Banks’ (Ashanti & Eastern Regions) when added together will definitely clinch victory for us.

13. The polls from this seemingly third force political bank have always aided parties to win elections and should never be underestimated by the NPP strategists in any way whatsoever as the majority of the traditionalists have vowed and opted to work for us.

14. The writer is of the opinion that given the chance, any of these traditional leaders, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II, Oseadeayo Agyeman Badu and Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin collectively acting as a presidential commission with home-sense, could perform creditably, more efficiently and effectively than what we witness in Ghana today.

To bring the curtain down and dissect the pros and cons of the arguments raised above however, our brothers and sisters from the north, who predominantly form the Zongo communities, should never ever misconstrue the fact that they are not fine materials let alone a force to reckon with. Far from that! There are countless numbers of fine gentlemen with genuine academic qualifications to be offered the prestigious position, but what requires now or never is the ultimate crown. The Bawumias, the Harunas, the Ambrose Dery(ies), the Agambilas, the Boniface Saddiques and the rest should bid their time and understand that it is POWER we want and not GADHAFI’S GAMBLE’ and to be able to wrestle that power, we need votes, nothing but the crucial votes. The collective votes from the 49 constituen -cies since 2004 have not been more than 550,000 while there has been progres -sion in the votes from Brong Ahafo region – the difference being 6,800 from NDC’s 900,000 in 2008. As hinted earlier, this is precisely not the time to get wed-locked to any Oxford, Havard, Cambridge or spacecraft academia. Nobody hates the northerners; you are our brothers, kith and kin and perpetual bedfellows, but the pith of the whole matter now is that we want the presidency to send us to the Jubilee House so you should acquiesce to majority voice and popular acclamation and be prepared for the slaughter on the altar. My final caution to Nana Akufo Addo is to try to overcome the temptation of being tricked into collecting some fine and ‘handsome’ Greek envelope from someone up north to cause his own exit from active politics and the sudden disintegration of our party. Should anybody try to offer an alleged stuffed Greek envelope through your aide Gabby like Judas Iscariot for submission to you or the media for amplifying one’s chances against the others, fine; but if the ultimate intent is to enhance his chances to be presented to the kingmakers, then, forewarned is forearmed. Please don’t allow the media to dictate to you and bear in mind that the collective presidential votes from the 49 constituencies that form the bulk of the three northern regions do not match anywhere near the votes from Brong Ahafo’s 15 out of the 24 constituencies that were secured, so a word to the wise, is now enough. Finally, who leads the NPP to bell the cat to go begging the chiefs and opinion leaders from B.A. who have consented to help on all fronts if the so-called kingmakers stuck to their guns? It is hoped that sanity would prevail amongst the leadership so that Nana Addo will address well meaning Ghanaians on December 5, 2012 with these words of wisdom as captured from the book of Exodus, 14: 13 – 16, when Moses asked the Israelites to exercise restraint and patience at the banks of the Red Sea that the Egyptians (NDC) that you see today in your lives on horsebacks and on chariots, will never ever be seen anywhere for the Lord will fight for you Amen! Soyez sage, Monsieur Akufo Addo. Merci tres bien.

Kofi Appiah - 0 2 7 7 1 2 2 9 0 9 kofiappiahgh@hotmail.com