In a typically rare style, a chicken and its chick on Friday gave President John Dramani Mahama and his delegation an unusual welcome when they arrived in the coastal town of Dixcove in the Western Region.

President Mahama and his National Democratic Congress delegation were in the town, which is approximately 35 km west of Sekondi-Takoradi, as part of their 2016 election campaign tour of the region.

At a durbar of chiefs and people of Upper and Lower Dixcove, the chicken and the chick suddenly appeared in front of the president and the delegation – just about five metres away from where President Mahama sat.

Eyewitnesses who were at the durbar told 3News that just before libation was about to be poured for the President to address them, the chicken and the chick walked straight to stand in front of President Mahama, just at the edge of the red carpet platform on which the delegation sat. “The chicken humbly went down for the chick to majestically climb on its back,” one of the eyewitnesses, Daniel Haizel said in a Facebook post.

“The hen and the chicken suddenly rested in front of the President but shockingly, stayed off the red carpet,” Philip Agbeko Doe also posted on Facebook against pictures of the occurrence. The acting Omanhene of Dixcove was also said to have stood up and “gazed the miracle” in awe. The eyewitnesses say the chiefs in the area were thankful to their ancestors for the said ‘miracle’.

The chief’s mother was said to have said that Friday’s incident is the second to be recorded in the town, and that the first was when Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah visited there decades ago. About 10 minutes after the ‘miraculous’ incident, there were showers in the town; something that heightened the beliefs of the people that it was the doing of their ancestors and that it signifies good omen for the town.

Reaction

Photos of the incident, which have gone viral on social media since Friday, have attracted mixed reaction from Ghanaians. While some, especially supporters of the NDC claim it symbolises the humility of President Mahama and that it’s a victory omen for him in the upcoming elections, others believe otherwise. “In spiritual terms, JM [John Mahama] will still Rule,” Daniel Haizel wrote in a Facebook post while another person, Aggrey Fyn Kwaku, wrote “This is wonderful JDM is the man for Ghana”.

Another person who had a different interpretation to the incident also posted on Facebook: “When the dove failed to ‘dock’ on the ‘chosen one’, yaanom [witches] decided to opt for another tale to titillate their political fancy. This time around, it is some chicken and hen hypothesis”.

NDC ‘dove controversy’

White doves last Sunday landed on a podium on which President Mahama was addressing NDC executives, party members and supporters at the launch of its 2016 national election campaign at the Cape Coast Stadium. Though party supporters had claimed the appearance of white doves at party events signify successes and good luck, it has emerged that the doves are actually released into the air by some party members.

Over the years, there has been controversy surrounding the appearance of white doves at NDC party events. In August 2012, a white dove settled for a while on the shoulders of President Mahama while addressing delegate’s congress in Kumasi. Some party supporters claimed it was a good omen and a prediction of a resounding victory for the NDC.