RE: Kofi Annan Returns Home On Tuesday

Press statement / Correction

Ananse looks at Ghana / Africa Post-50: What future and the type of leadership that can get us there in the next 50 years? Regarding the news item “Kofi Annan Returns Home On Tuesday” (Ghanaweb, January 20, 2007), we call on Ghanaians to translate our high emotions at this news into tangible deliberation on the future of our country and the type of leadership that can get us there.
We admire greatly the work of Ghanaweb/GHP in championing Ghanaian news online, however, like any political news we have a denial to issue. While the contents of the said news item attributed to draftkofiannan2008.com web site reflect our stated positions, we have at no time been “turned down” by Mr. Annan; we have received no communication from his office. We are currently focused on making the Ghanaian society aware and involved in this call on Annan to lend his knowledge of global development in a tangible manner toward strengthening our institutional capacity. That capacity is only achievable in a knowledge conscious executive environment.
It is our hope that following a short period of a well-deserved rest, Mr. Annan would wake up one morning to the resounding call of Ghanaians to come and lead us. We feel that if society can make that call he would be obliged. The United Nations that Annan served sends young graduates as poorly paid experts dubbed ‘volunteers’ to remote corners of the world; this would be the time for him to take one for the country – get bruised but deliver. It is Ghanaians who can make this draft process stick, and it is to them Annan would be responding if he chooses to do so. draftkofiannan2008.com viewers show great deal of interest in this news item. We are confident that Ghanaians will continue the dialogue through various actions: radio, print, television and online commentaries, informed deliberations, and informal chats in our homes, workplaces, akpeteshie bars, fufu chop bars, wherever two or more are gathered. Such commentary can be fed into the resource centre we are building from your emails.
We suggest that we place this draft in the context of: “have the promises of our independence 50 years ago been fulfilled?” and how do we reconstitute our internal dynamics toward a well-defined society within the next 50 years as our generational accomplishment?
As a nation, we cannot achieve the revival we dream of through timid steps, gradualism, and idolatry.
We welcome those who argue against drafting Annan for the executive office. Some have questioned his competency, African loyalty, and honesty, but we say take heart in knowing that we include you in this process - to provide oversight, using your sharp tongues; they are like arrows that could be made into ploughs.. For such perceptions and that Annan will be “bruised” by some supposed devil in the Ghanaian, some suggest that he not even bother. We do not believe society is intent on bruising and maiming; wisdom brightens a person’s face. What is bruising, though words can wound, compared to Nelson Mandela’s long prison term?
No one is claiming that Annan is righteous; we ask that people present their own top 10 reasons either way of the argument, like we have done at our TOP 10 REASONS.
Those who have expressed interest in helping Ghanaians become aware or serve in other roles we encourage you to organize local meetings with your friends and, for those who are able, to contribute your thoughts on anything Ghana/Africa @ 50, which we can include in synthesizing informed positions. But the best is to organize local events, however small a group to generate awareness and consciousness about the draft.