A Letter to MY Beloved Ghana

Dear Ghana,

I am writing this piece to you bearing in mind that in a short space of time you have to make it to the polls. My love for you is so great and deep that I cannot explain. On this tripod of affection for you, your children and the respect which your peers on the continent have for you that, I decided to implore on you to try in your possible best to espouse peace in your upcoming elections. This can be achieved through the ability to eschew certain tendencies which has the probability to draw swords instead of the olive branch.

A time for electing leaders is a period of solemn reflection on the messages of personalities requesting they should be voted for. Hence, cool heads must emerge above waters to decide decisively. There is the need to critically analyse what the current problems are, and then compare with the suggested solutions been proposed by the prospective leaders. Therefore, a serene atmosphere should prevail in the heart of Ghanaians to enable them execute this activity every four years. If violence substitutes peace, the end will only leave a bad taste in the mouths of your children - Ghanaians.

The Kumasi Accord as it has come to be known, which brought all the flag bearers of the various political parties together to sign a peace pact was in the right direction. The money involved in the organisation of that programme could have been voted to other social measures to ease some socio-economic pressures. But, it had to take place, because of the refusal of some Ghanaians not to adhere to simple constitutional requirement which led to that forum.

My beloved Ghana, leaders are taken from a people and not the other way round. The leader is an aggregate, disconcerted and insoluble member of the society. Therefore, in choosing a leader care must be taken not to ignore the crossing of the “Ts” and dotting of the “Is” for they are very relevant. In doing this, a person needs to soul searchingly put down the thought of ethnicity, tribalism and any form of cronyism. For the fact that, a leader is the embodiment of the people they lead. The self-disposition of a leader always depicts once again the people. Hence, why should a period of choosing leaders for Ghana bring about a fog of war? Many a Ghanaian started praying from the beginning of the election year associated with fasting via all night denying sleep to the eye. Several programmes have been held all for the reason, to ensure peace before, during and after the elections. Leadership choosing is a period of asking questions to the ever pressing needs of the Ghanaian. It is rather not a time for showmanship of who has the power to throw up more fire and “Manchomen” to vent terror on the electorate. Do you know, my dear Ghana that, leadership is public transaction with history? Therefore, leadership is not luxury after all, wherefore; it should not be considered an emotive pursuit.

My dear Ghana, in times of sharing love, bad comments is considered inappropriate, since it has the ability to negatively affect romance. The rocky love of Sierra Leone is not worthy a tale to narrate to you. Neither is it proper to recount the sour romantic experience of Liberia. What about Rwanda? I am in the known that, you are well aware of how that country’s love was thrown to the wolves. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s kneel wobbling love affair also is a bad taste for me to drop in your ear. My love Ghana, your beauty appears similar to the rising morning sun. The day you won the cut walk was when my affection for you reached its crescendo. My dear, I know you will like to keep your beauty which has attracted many in the past and present intact after this exercise. This attractive out look of yours cannot be exchanged for anything, because, your love is priceless. I hope you know that, my love?

Ghana, my love, I have to be a bit sincere with you. Forthrightly, some of your children are quiet weak in thought and action. They talk peace but practice something else. Action, my dear speaks more done words and has much effect. It is actions that change situations and not words. When I proposed love to you, with your concert, I acted to convince you to believe my love for you was so deep that I could not find words to explain. But, if I had left it at just a proposal, I wonder how serious you will take me for. Then had you walked away I would have understood the reason why you are leaving. Your children gathered in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional and Metropolitan capital to pledge peace. Words have been uttered, but tell your children not to stop there. They should try and walk the talk. If these Presidential candidates decide to commission in secret somewhat hit squads it will bring to nothing whatever pact was endorsed at Kumasi.

My love, man is free, man is freedom and freedom is man. This injunction leaves a burden upon man to always make a choice. The choices of men have always determined who they are. Remember that, when you choose for yourself you are choosing for humanity. Hence, if you fail in your choice you fail all mankind. Therefore, when you fashion yourself you fashion men. What choice are your children making? Pretending to be talking peace or remain true to what we say?

Ghana, can you please allow me to admonish your youth who are full of youthful exuberance? My love, I hope you are thinking, my lover boy has taken off his romantic cap and put on a motor riders helmet? I am suggesting so, for the reason that, I know, I’m not sounding romantic. But love, my dear lover, I learnt is the beating of the heart as well as the thinking of the brain. Some of your energetic youths are used to perpetuate electoral violence. Honestly, some of these youths are our brothers, friends, boys and girlfriends, husbands, fiancés and fathers; therefore, we have to take the initiative to admonish them to stay clear from such activities which has the power to take Ghana to the slippery slopes. Ghana, your children should be able to report all those who will prefer to sacrifice your beauty on the altar of parochial expediency.

Adding on to my appeal to you, love, Ghana is your men in black. You might ask what about them? My love they can sometimes act funny with their loud manners. And your sons in the black boots should be implored upon to keep their weapons well tagged under their armpit. Your Electoral Commission and Commissioner should also be up to scratch and try his possible best to live above board. Please, nothing below belt, the right quantities of electoral materials must be made available to the various polling stations to deflate any swell of doubt with the populace. This, my beloved Ghana you have to school your sons and daughters on. The world over will be observing you and your children choose their leaders for the next four years. Will your children opt for the United States of America style of high political maturity as you (Ghana) is known for or the other way which always results in blood and displacement? I do not know you as such.

Strength does not live in the arms but rather in the heart and the brain. One’s ability to destroy does not exhibit strength, rather fear. Because in every human community the breath of life is discourse and not war. The will to go to war or cause civil strife is an indication that, fear lives in your heart, and your brain tells you are weak if you don’t react. Respect, as a matter of fact is earned or commanded not demanded. We ought to live everyday of our lives as an example to the many that look to us for inspiration. Let us live to inspire the present and future generations. We cannot afford to restart this nation again. The engine is running and we need not put off the ignition. The mistakes of the dead are examples for the living. My love, as I aforementioned, it is not right for me to talk of where there is hue and crying while we are in a romantic mood. But, Liberia was real, so was Sierra Leone and Rwanda. My dear, here is laughter there is crying and tears, here is groundnuts but over there are bullets and here again is tears of joy while there it is blood. Let us maintain the formers instead of the latters, and keep our love affair going. Let us unite everything together and defend what love we share not to shatter our nation. This is what we all own in the defense of a land which took the blood of our forefathers to pull from the blazing furnace to restore us to the dignity of nationhood. It’s your turn my love, to defend your integrity. As we seek to lead a people in long life and prosperity, we should think of being of service to our people. With this, fear cannot find its way into our heart to suspect each other. If we live well today, we will not need to weep when our true time comes for us to die. We will not be like the cowards who die before their time, and when the time comes they whimper for another opportunity to live another way. Do not die for what is to happen to an individual, but die only in the defense of your nation, Ghana, in her honour. Then you will go home like a hero or heroine singing your own dage, a man full of valor, worthy to emulate. Stand up the lover of this nation, Ghana. Stand for love and peace.

Leaders, some start war any time they want. Some ignite civil strives for their rights; others do so for their own glory. This usually see many of their citizens die, because of greed and the quest for power, it’s so worrying. My lover, I have not given up my romantic affair with you. My choice of words might cause you to reconsider your love for me, but I’m being factual. Even before I could finish this piece and the ink could dry on the pact, Kumasi had started fuming with anger to exploding point. It is your children, are you asking what about them? It’s the direction they have taken and pursuing. The masters of democracy had their elections a couple of weeks ago and it was superb. Why can’t your children my love, emulate them? They have already started hacking each other.

My dear Ghana I wish your children will adept to the adopted ways of democracy, which many espousers are adapted to enable them live in peace.

We just need to remain united and focused, allowing no cracks in our front, harbouring no fear in our mind and with no doubt what so ever, this mountain, we shall overcome and surmount come December 7, 2012.

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*All men’s souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and divine.***

*Socrates.*

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*Lovely yours*

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*Patrick Twumasi*

*(0209045931) *