“I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” ? Harriet Tubman
The parable of Plato's cave could be compared with what happened to Tubman and some slaves in America. It is same thing happening to some Ghanaians who believe that "safety" is more important to them than their freedom. It is just like a house Negro who prefers the crumbs under the table of his Master than to be a free slave owning his own farm and house. What a pity!
Psychologically, after being "caged" by Rawlings for almost 20 years, some of the people have lost their conscience. This is what is described as "Learned Helplessness." Sort of, throwing up your hands in the air and saying, if nothing works, why try? In our local parlance, it would be " Ebe gu'a gu" or "Fama Nyame syndrome." Learned Helplessness is mental illness and that was why Tubman could not save a lot of slaves. The same reason, you might not be able to save or help anyone that believes that his or her freedom is not important.
The learned helplessness destroys your ability to think critically. It makes you inferior to others. Those with that illness don't have any motivation to do anything and could care less about what happens to them, let alone to their friends or family members. Judging from the comments by the bloggers, you will understand the plight of our people.
To Danny, you are telling us that Atuguba has the right to degrade his accused and call them names in front of the global viewers, the "mere" people like Dr. SAS can't and shouldn't speak ill of him, just because he is on the Supreme Court. Is that what you are saying? I think Atuguba has to learn to respect people when they appear before him. That is my take
Joni 10 years ago
In principle, no matter how brilliant or learned the justices of the Supreme Court are, they are capable of interpreting the law or making rulings that can be criticised - indeed, that can be wrong outright. I think the citiz ... read full comment
In principle, no matter how brilliant or learned the justices of the Supreme Court are, they are capable of interpreting the law or making rulings that can be criticised - indeed, that can be wrong outright. I think the citizens have the right to question and criticize such rulings and show why they are wrong.
There are two things: 1. criticizing those actions or rulings of the justices that one sees are wrong. 2. blatantly insulting the justices because one thinks they have misinterpreted the law.
Well-bred and decent people do and limit themselves to nr 1. What kind of person indulges in nr 2? Your guess is as good as mine.
Kojo T 10 years ago
In maths there is only one answer Unfortunately law is not like that which is why you can appeal . It depends on the judge and his interpretation
In maths there is only one answer Unfortunately law is not like that which is why you can appeal . It depends on the judge and his interpretation
insight to the bone 10 years ago
here we go again, another pepeni idiot pratt trying to mislead the Akans and lull us into a comfort zone so we are unprepared . war will definitely come not because of a petition but rather because of the injustices , corrupt ... read full comment
here we go again, another pepeni idiot pratt trying to mislead the Akans and lull us into a comfort zone so we are unprepared . war will definitely come not because of a petition but rather because of the injustices , corruption and mentality of my time has come so let me chop some. all the signs of a prewar climate are now very evident , the army come out in full bravado force to scare the people , the national security calling for unnecessary meetings with political parties , people beginning to hoard food ,rice and canned goods , the list is endless . political parties dont cause wars rather it a time when new leaders are born . this political oligarchy has failed so the time is ripe for grass roots changes and that can only be achieved in war . don't believe the hype and stay vigilant and ready , long live the republic of Akan
NAKED TRUTH 10 years ago
Nyansasem, did the mere thing of Sir John have respect for others when he opened his dirty fangs to describe Justice Atuguba as "voodoo deity?" I am convinced that you have not listened to the full version of what Sir John sa ... read full comment
Nyansasem, did the mere thing of Sir John have respect for others when he opened his dirty fangs to describe Justice Atuguba as "voodoo deity?" I am convinced that you have not listened to the full version of what Sir John said on radio. He even deserved a jail term and more rubbishing than he received from Justice Atuguba. From his own mouth Sir John said "I am humbled." Why then hold brief for such rascals?
Nyansasem 10 years ago
Watch the video and comment on that.
Watch the video and comment on that.
TROUBLE-MAKER 10 years ago
"Psychologically, after being "caged" by Rawlings for almost 20 years, some of the people have lost their conscience."
Unfortunately,you were right here on this planet for those 20 years of Rawlings caging Ghanaians but yo ... read full comment
"Psychologically, after being "caged" by Rawlings for almost 20 years, some of the people have lost their conscience."
Unfortunately,you were right here on this planet for those 20 years of Rawlings caging Ghanaians but you did nothing to break loose.
It`s been about 12 years since he left the presidency and since then this country has always been politically volatile among NPP and NDC supporters especially the so-called party leaders.
The Judges have a job to do and that`s their field and we must leave them to do just that.
Those of you who think they are not doing a good job can take the case to your "Kokoase Ahinfie" to be heard.
Kwadwo 10 years ago
Although Sir John was strong in his comments about Atuguba , why was Atuguba screaming while delivering the contempt judgment for the Court? It reminded of the Rawlings era people's courts. It was quite unsettling. He n ... read full comment
Although Sir John was strong in his comments about Atuguba , why was Atuguba screaming while delivering the contempt judgment for the Court? It reminded of the Rawlings era people's courts. It was quite unsettling. He needs to realise that you only scream if you do not have reason to back a decision. That was uncalled for.
Kosoko 10 years ago
He was only passionate of what he was putting across-- considering the nasty stuff spilled out by a general secretary of a major political party and in fact a lawyer who is suppose to know better. The evidence is that he care ... read full comment
He was only passionate of what he was putting across-- considering the nasty stuff spilled out by a general secretary of a major political party and in fact a lawyer who is suppose to know better. The evidence is that he carefully choose his words well-- in a form of warning but an excellent advice to all. The stark truth is that cases before the court are not meant to be discussed. In Kenya, when the court warned that the case was not to be discussed outside court, everybody obeyed till it ended. The indiscipline in Ghana is excessive. I think justice Atuguba is still very lenient.
kofi ofori amoako 10 years ago
Atuguba's nephew works for Mahama as his Executive Secretary. Why is Atuguba therefore presiding over a case in which his nephew has a substantial interest in the outcome. Atuguba is clearly conflicted and could have better s ... read full comment
Atuguba's nephew works for Mahama as his Executive Secretary. Why is Atuguba therefore presiding over a case in which his nephew has a substantial interest in the outcome. Atuguba is clearly conflicted and could have better served the cause of justice if he had recused himself as the question of impartiality will inevitably arise. Who is to know if he is not discussing the case with his nephew while they are enjoying some toseafe and pito at home?
Kosoko 10 years ago
Was it the reason why he was abused by sir John? If this was a issue, the petitioners should have argued their concerns right at the beginning of the trial.
Was it the reason why he was abused by sir John? If this was a issue, the petitioners should have argued their concerns right at the beginning of the trial.
TROUBLE-MAKER 10 years ago
"You do not have to be a sage to realize that the Court’s hard stance against irascible and irresponsible pronouncements by impulsive members of both the NPP and NDC has been very effective"
Danny,it was effective to the ... read full comment
"You do not have to be a sage to realize that the Court’s hard stance against irascible and irresponsible pronouncements by impulsive members of both the NPP and NDC has been very effective"
Danny,it was effective to the point where some loud mouths began to pee before they reach the courtroom.Some obviously chose to lie low to avoid going to prison. Man pass man,eehh.
Who would want to be in the shoes of those judges? They have a difficult job to deal with,and at this difficult time they need our prayers and sympathy
Well done,Danny.A well written article.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Kwobia,Toronto 10 years ago
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Paa Kwesi Mintah 10 years ago
Danny Boy wrote:
"The capacity to speak the English language with distinctive lucidity is not necessarily an objective phenomenon, and I touched on this issue in a recent article, in which I described our collectively drab ... read full comment
Danny Boy wrote:
"The capacity to speak the English language with distinctive lucidity is not necessarily an objective phenomenon, and I touched on this issue in a recent article, in which I described our collectively drab, unhurried accent as uninspiring when compared to, say, that of native-born Americans. On the other hand, having lived in the U.S.A. for several years, some of us now have a platform to make a comparison, albeit a subjective one, which may be unfair to those domiciled in Ghana. The justices, by virtue of their relatively advanced ages, belong to a generation that took education seriously and learned the craft of good writing, even if their oratory does not elicit applause from younger Ghanaians."
A superb oratory skills is a pre-requisite for any trial attorney and a judge.
The art of lawyering precludes that supposition that one has to read from a prepared script.
The same applies to judges who have to make instant decisions and explain sections of the law by their actions. If you're a Mumu judge who takes 2 minutes to complete a sentence, albeit laced with incoherent erhms and haws, you portray incompetence and degradation in authority.
Lawyering and judging is 70% oratory and 30% clerical.
In our traditional Ghanaian chieftiency court setting, no slow tongue, speech impaired person is ever appointed a linguist. And that may be that we had no written communication but nothing beats great oratorical skills.
A mumu judge/lawyer might as well seek another line of work.
Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 10 years ago
For the first time in your octogenarian life, you have said something sensible Paa Mintah! If one speaks English, he must speak standard English. If one writes English, he must write standard English. Atuguba's writing and ac ... read full comment
For the first time in your octogenarian life, you have said something sensible Paa Mintah! If one speaks English, he must speak standard English. If one writes English, he must write standard English. Atuguba's writing and accent are sub-standard, and these alone bespeak his incompetence as a Supreme Court Judge, notwithstanding the supposition that he belongs to the colonial era of fossilized articulation.
NAA4U 10 years ago
THE SUPREME COURT MUST BE LEFT ALONE TO DO THEIR WORK. IT SURPRISES ME HOW GHANAIANS CAN OPEN THEIR MOUTHS TO INSULT PEOPLE WHOSE ACADEMIC LAURELS AND EVEN POSITION IN SOCIETY THEY CANT MATCH.
IT IS ABOUT TIME WE START BE ... read full comment
THE SUPREME COURT MUST BE LEFT ALONE TO DO THEIR WORK. IT SURPRISES ME HOW GHANAIANS CAN OPEN THEIR MOUTHS TO INSULT PEOPLE WHOSE ACADEMIC LAURELS AND EVEN POSITION IN SOCIETY THEY CANT MATCH.
IT IS ABOUT TIME WE START BEHAVING SEEMLY
Kwadwo 10 years ago
You said it so well. Atuguba needs more than a speech therapist.
You said it so well. Atuguba needs more than a speech therapist.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksBA11k6xvQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DksBA11k6xvQ&nomobile=1
---------
“I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” ? Harriet Tubman
...
read full comment
In principle, no matter how brilliant or learned the justices of the Supreme Court are, they are capable of interpreting the law or making rulings that can be criticised - indeed, that can be wrong outright. I think the citiz ...
read full comment
In maths there is only one answer Unfortunately law is not like that which is why you can appeal . It depends on the judge and his interpretation
here we go again, another pepeni idiot pratt trying to mislead the Akans and lull us into a comfort zone so we are unprepared . war will definitely come not because of a petition but rather because of the injustices , corrupt ...
read full comment
Nyansasem, did the mere thing of Sir John have respect for others when he opened his dirty fangs to describe Justice Atuguba as "voodoo deity?" I am convinced that you have not listened to the full version of what Sir John sa ...
read full comment
Watch the video and comment on that.
"Psychologically, after being "caged" by Rawlings for almost 20 years, some of the people have lost their conscience."
Unfortunately,you were right here on this planet for those 20 years of Rawlings caging Ghanaians but yo ...
read full comment
Although Sir John was strong in his comments about Atuguba , why was Atuguba screaming while delivering the contempt judgment for the Court? It reminded of the Rawlings era people's courts. It was quite unsettling. He n ...
read full comment
He was only passionate of what he was putting across-- considering the nasty stuff spilled out by a general secretary of a major political party and in fact a lawyer who is suppose to know better. The evidence is that he care ...
read full comment
Atuguba's nephew works for Mahama as his Executive Secretary. Why is Atuguba therefore presiding over a case in which his nephew has a substantial interest in the outcome. Atuguba is clearly conflicted and could have better s ...
read full comment
Was it the reason why he was abused by sir John? If this was a issue, the petitioners should have argued their concerns right at the beginning of the trial.
"You do not have to be a sage to realize that the Court’s hard stance against irascible and irresponsible pronouncements by impulsive members of both the NPP and NDC has been very effective"
Danny,it was effective to the ...
read full comment
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.
Obama once said that Ghana needs strong institutions.This is the occasion for one such institution,SC to stand up and be counted.Justice Atuguba has stood up to such a challenge.
Danny Boy wrote:
"The capacity to speak the English language with distinctive lucidity is not necessarily an objective phenomenon, and I touched on this issue in a recent article, in which I described our collectively drab ...
read full comment
For the first time in your octogenarian life, you have said something sensible Paa Mintah! If one speaks English, he must speak standard English. If one writes English, he must write standard English. Atuguba's writing and ac ...
read full comment
THE SUPREME COURT MUST BE LEFT ALONE TO DO THEIR WORK. IT SURPRISES ME HOW GHANAIANS CAN OPEN THEIR MOUTHS TO INSULT PEOPLE WHOSE ACADEMIC LAURELS AND EVEN POSITION IN SOCIETY THEY CANT MATCH.
IT IS ABOUT TIME WE START BE ...
read full comment
You said it so well. Atuguba needs more than a speech therapist.