The fact that the lion runs and looks back does not mean that it is afraid. Rather, it wants to see the distance it has covered.
In the 17th century, a group of white people from Holland went to South Africa and settled there. They took over the best part of the land, ejected the rightful owners from their lands and became the new landlords, while the real owners became tenants on their own lands.
Eventually, their descendants who came to be known as the Boers started to entrench themselves in their newfound positions. They introduced laws to legitimize their acquisitions. These new laws were similar to what the Pharaohs introduced in Egypt to
slaves. The laws in South Africa were to ensure that the blacks never gained advantage over the whites. That was how Apartheid was introduced in South Africa.
A similar scenario is gradually evolving in the contraption called the NDC, hereby referred to as the Nefarious Destructive Cancer. It has been harbouring many deadly viruses. Its manifesto was signed with the blood of the Founder and then leader, ex-President John Jerry Rawlings because he believed so much in the ideals of the contraption. But make no mistake about it. A decorated monkey will still be a monkey. The NDC is still a deadly contraption, infested with malignant tumours. Initially, these deadly tumours were held in check because the Founder and Leader was firmly in charge and any act of rebellion, stubbornness or recklessness was promptly nipped in the bud with military precision. It was the founder who singlehandedly made Professor Mills what he is today. He was an outsider. It was the same man, ex-president Rawlings who single-handedly made Asiedu Nketia what he is in the NDC today. The same applies to Kwabena Agyei, the National Chairman of the contraption. The Founder, after he had fallen out with his then Vice President went about shopping for a new person who would be amenable to his wishes. And like King Darius who instructed his men to look for someone who could recount and interprete his dream which he had forgotten, Rawlings issued a fatwa to his men to bring him such person. The learned Professor was fished from his obscure office at the Internal Revenue Service. He was docile and had a charming personality and Rawlings took a great liking to him. He was a “chubby” and a jolly good fellow then. A partnership was formed – what you might refer to as a gentleman’s agreement. “Scratch my back, I scratch your back”, no problem. What about Asiedu Nketiah? He was a Member of Parliament but hardly noticeable amongst his colleagues. He made up for his deficiencies by making sarcastic and biting but irrelevant comments about his political opponents. He was a non-entity in the party just like any other person. Then Rawlings took him along and polished his rough edges. He held his hands and took him to the various constituencies where he was introduced to the masses’ as the candidate of the Founder, and pronto, that did the trick. For who would dare contradict the Founder in those days? Nobody! Kwabena Adjei’s case is rather a very pathetic one. He, it was, who sponsored an independent candidate in his own constituency against the official accredited candidate of the deadly cancerous contraption in a parliamentary election. It took a great deal of “convincing” before members’ agreed to make him their national chairman, but just as!I have already stated, that was the period when Rawlings’ word was law in the NDC. Now, to the President. The democrats in the contraption did not see anything democratic in what the Founder did at Swedru when he unilaterally raised the hands of Professor Mills and foisted him on the party as its Presidential Candidate. They sesigned en-masse and formed their own$party. That ought to$have been a wake up call to ex-President Rawlings to tread cautiously on such a dangerous and unfamiliar terrain full of mines. But he was not a true judge of character and like what King Duncan said in “Macbeth”, There is no art to find the mind’s construction in the face, the ex-President and Founder$of the deadly contraption`was deceived by the friendly and docile looks and appearance of the learned professor and so concluded that he had got one more disciple and ally in his stable. Like tle power struggles in Communist Russia which devoured many patriots like Leonid Trotsky, The founder had to sacrifice known, true democzats who were tried and tested political juggernauts like Obed Asamoah, Frances Essiam, Kweku Baah and many others in the process. But he was greatly mistaken, for appearances are very deceptive. The learned Professor began to reveal his true colours and identity. Once entrenched in his position as Presidential Candidates, be surrounded himself with people of “questionable” character whose loyalty to the party and the country was greatly in doubt. The learned professor left no one in doubt that he was not a true “gentleman” when he openly and arrogantly repudiated series of gentleman’s agreement he had entered into with the Founder of his contraption. First, they “amended” their constitution which their Founder, ex-President Rawlings has signed with his own blood to remove the title of “Leader” from him and gave it to Professor Mills. The humiliation and cutting him to size had just begun. The next sign that all was not well between the Founder and the Son came during the selection and “unveiling” of the party’s Vice Presidential Candidate. The Founder and his wife had sent a note of warning that Mills would be digging his own grave if he went ahead and nominated John Mahama as his running mate. Mills called off the bluff when he went ahead and made John Mahama his Vice Presideîtial Candidate and dared the Rawlingses to do their worse. But in doing so, President Milms, then Candidate Mills revealed his ugliest side when his office deliberately gave a wrong time when he would announce and unveil his vice presidential candidate to his mentor, ex-President Rawlings. But the time ex President Rawlings arrived the ‘anointing ritual’ was over and the latter went home disappointed and dejected. This posture reveals how dangerous, treacherous, deadly and poisonous the President could be if it suited him to do so in contravention of the Oath of Office which he has sworn to defend at all time. From then on the battle line was drawn and many policies have been enacted, all aimed at “cutting the Founder and ex-President John Jerry Rawlings to size”. The Government of Professor Mills has deliberately been sponsoring Ministers and top appointees of the regime to run down the Rawlingses. At the arrow head of this group are The Omane Boamahs, the Nii Lante Vanderpuyes, the Hanna Bissiws, the Okudzeto Ablakwas, the Kwesi Pratts, the Alhaji Batures, the Kwabena Adjeis, the Asiedu Nketiahs and many others. Whoever thought that because of “noko fio” staunch Rawlings boys like Kwesi Pratt, who it is alleged collected millions from the ex-president during an end of year party at the latter’s residence in the early part of the twenty first century could today be pouring vituperations and aspersions on the character and credibility of the ex-President. Whoever thought that E.T.Mensah, a staunch ally of the Rawlingses (who was subtly rebuked by the Founder through a walk out when Rawlings found the house which E.T. had built not in line with the stoic and ascetic lifestyle he was preaching) could keep quiet and be dining and wining with the Mills, oblivious of the trauma the former First Family is going through. What about Alban Bagbin? The same noko fio, I believe is doing the job. Friends today, enemies tomorrow, so goes the saying. Oh, noko fio, why? But man must ‘wack’ and he who pays the piper dictates the tune. These days the enemies of the Rawlingses are falling amongst themselves trying to outdo each other to satisfy the master’s wish of cutting the ex-president to size by coming up with many negative things about the former First Family whiles at the same time heaping praises on the lame and visionless regime of Baba Go Slow. Otherwise, I see no reason why government sponsored vicious attacks on ex-President Rawlings should gain prominence at the expense of state matters. Why have Kwesi Pratt and Alhaji Bature not been invited by the Police for interrogation in connection with the fire that engulfed the residence of the Rawlingses? These two, had poured venom on the Rawlingses and even invoked the wrath of God on them. The very next day their residence was razed to the ground by fire. If it was not for noko fio, I do not see the motive behind the self-induced confession of Baby Ansabah that he had done some unpardonable acts against the NDC. What about the new stance taken by the Free Press? I bet, Tommy Thompson might be turning in his graves by now. Noko fio at work! While ex President Rawlings is learning the art of being “presidential” by adopting a stoic attitude to things, out of the blues comes Alhaji Bature with an open declaration of war against him: “Don’t you see we have finished Rawlings? Why can’t we hear from him again?” Why does he use the pronoun ‘we’? He does so because he is doing the dirty job for his masters! And who is fighting the Rawlingses? It is the very Government headed by Professor Mills which he Rawlings has helped to regain power. Over the years, even though, I don’t agree with Rawlings’ antecedents, I have come to respect him for one thing. He has maintained a principled and unrelenting criticism of political leaders. When he started firing his salvos at ex-President Kufuor, some of us took a principled stand against him and stated so in our discussions and write-ups. But we came under heavy criticism from those, who today are bearing the blunt of Rawlings attacks. They told us in no uncertain terms that nobody could deny the ex-President his right to free expression, and that he would speak when he had to. Some of the words used by the ex-President on Kufuor and his ministers were too bad to be printed but such words managed to find ‘themselves’ in the manifesto of the Nefarious Destructive Cancer. So why are they complaining now? If Rawlings sees something wrong and as a statesman, should he keep quiet over it? No, he must talk! And so the heat on President Mills continues because ex President Rawlings will speak when he has to. I do not belong to the NDC stock, but I abhor and detest injustice. I have since childhood fought against injustice and those who know me personally will attest to this fact. You might chose to call me names,!buu over!the years, I have developed a thick skin to insulate me from such name!calling. I do nt like the treatment being meted out to(the ex-president, hence this write up.. Why should Alhaji Bature who was sacked from radio gold dare Rawlings in his ten? Has some “exchanges” taken place between Alhaji Bature and the Government? We deserve the right to know if any such transaction has taken place. Ccn President Mills match Rawlings in a popularity show or walk? As I have already stated, I am not a fan of the Rawlingses but injus|ice fires the anger in me. I speak from an objective point of view. Let all the Omane Boamahs, the Okudzeto Ablakwas, the Nii Lante Vanderpuyes, tle Ato Ehwois, the Koku Anyidohus, the Kwabena Adjeis, the Asiedu Nketiahs, the Ama Benyiwa Does, the turn-coats Alban Bagbin and E.T.Mensah, together with their mentor and leader, Qresident Mills take a popularity walk from the Castle to the Independence Square with ex-President Rawlings to see the one who will pull a larger crowd. Let |he Tresident and his men take their walk on Saturday so that the Rawlingses takå theirs on Sunday, and we shall see know who is who in Ghana and the NDC. In the alternate, let the$President and all his appointees take another populari|y walk with!the notorius armed robber, Ata Cyi and I bet you, the latter will pull a larger crod than the lame and clueless Baba Go Slow, President Ata Mills. You want to contradict me? The fact of the matter is that the name, Atta Mills has lost relevance in Ghanaian politics. Nobody wants to hear of the name again, including even members of his own party and the earlier the President and his hangers on got to know about that$the better it would`be for them and the entire country. The questions are these: Why should somebody toil to`cook the food for strangers to enjoy? Why should latter day saints in the nefarious contraption like Kwesi Pratt, Dr Omanu boamah, Okudzeto Ablakwa, Hannah Bissi be enjoying from where they have not sowed. Where were they when Rawlings was cutting himself to induce bloof to be used in!appending his signature on the party’s manifesto? Some of |hem were toddlers! And like the Boers in South Africa, these latter day saints have entrenched themselves in uheiv newfownd`positions while they jave relegated their own Founder, John Jerry Rawlings to the background. Rawlings Founded the Nefarious Destructive Cancer. Today, he is being vilified, maligned, abused, scorned, intimidated and even threatened. The new landlords have set their vicious dogs after him and they are baying aod yearning for his blood. What an irony! But this can happen on|y in the Nefarious and Cancerous Contraption. This is the more recson why I entreat you to embrace the tenets and ideals of Vision 2012 which has its main objectives of Regaining of Power"by the NPP under Akufo Addo’s Prusidency. Restoration or Sankofa is the moving word. Before I concnude, let me illustrate what is happened in the NDC with the relationship that existed in the PDP of Nigeria between Senator Rasheed Ladoja, then Governor of Oyo State and his estranged godfather, Alhaji Lamidu Adedibu. The excerpts were taken from interview Adedibu and Ladoja granted The News magazine and were published in the magazine on 19th April, 2004. Enjoy the reading. Q: Could you tell us the state of relationship between you and Governor Ladoja? A: I am en individual in the PDP and he, Ladoja is an intividual wkthin the PDP, but PDP as a party has no problem. He is the person fueling the crisis, trying to antagonize everybody, without anybody supporting him. He wants to dominate the government and dominate0the party. It cannot work. Q: Do you feel betrayed? A: I leave you to judge the$issue. If at one time or the other, he came here and became a Senator, he ought to know my antecedents. He should have passed through somebody else to become Governor, but he came t`rough the same tested name that produced him as a Senator. He cannot even deny that it was through me at Momete that he became the Governor and everybody is a living witness to what is happening. I am living. I am still surviving. Q: But the Governor kept saying you are still his father A: Let’s review it. Let us have the fear of God in whatever we are doing. He was sworn in on May 29. As from the following Monday, we have not been able to sit together for one hour. You should judge it yourself. Q: But what really is the cause of the disunity between the two of you? A: I don’t know how I can describe him; he is a very heartless person, very heartless. If I can complain, whom else do you expect not to complain? I started complaining since June, last year. There is no doubt that God used me for him to become a Governor, but it is an understanding question for everyone that, why is it so early? I have not taken any penny from his government. And all those that worked for the party. If they don’t have this place to come, where would they go now? They would have been scattered. They only have this place to come. I thank God that they are meeting in my place. Q: You have described the Governor as a heartless person: people out there feel you ought to have known this before you backed him as the Governor in 2003. A: Before you can discover a wicked person, it is when you put him in power or when he has opportunity to do this or ôhat. When he was a Senator, he was not in a position to`do anything for(anybody. He was just a Senator to con|ribute to debate. Till he left there, he never said yes or no to all the debates. He was obedient whenever we say this"is what we want to do.
Q: Do you think it is time to settle this crisis in the interest of vhu people?
A: I am not prepared to sit down with him. I have forgotten him. I have(forgotten whatever he has done; after aml when Lam Adesina was here, he was doing better to us that were his opponents thqn this }an. Everybody wqs happy when we won the elestion. They said oqr man has won the elections, but what are they gaining now? Every appointment he is making is from his Local Government. He is the Governor, the Secretary to0the0Govesnment and the Commissioner for Finance are all from the samå Local Government. What is left in the government? The SSG is running the administration: he is the Governor. Wha| else is left for an9body? He is in charge of everything and he is a very stingy persn.
Q: You are the one at the grass roots. What is the fate of your supporters?
A: I am managing them. By the grace of God. God is with us.
Q: But Gov. Ladoja says he has no fight with you?
A: I am not a boxer and he too is nop a boxer. I leave it in your court, you judge it yourself. Why all this rancor for God’s sake? M have labored at the age of 76 to go round the wtate. I went round this state three times withou| him, before he joined me at the fourth time. His father was alive, why can’t his father join me to take part in the campaign. His father was arownd when he wanted to become the Senator. His father was 76 years; he never followed us to any campaign. Q: What exactly is the issue? A: He is a greedy man; he does not waît to share a penny with anybody. Let us say it before the Almighty God, a Governor of a State which God game me the opportunity to contribute so much as I did, as I am talking to you, I have not spent a penny belonging to thm government. He is a very`greeey person.( Q: But the belief is that he gave you a contract and a ~ery handsome amount of money for the job? A: When you say that, I will abwse him and his family. Q: Alhaji, but that is the story everywhere. A: No, ùou use your commo~sensu on that. Wxen he wanted to be Smnator, he contacted me, or is it the first person I woult be sponworing to become Governor? You just want$me to say more tjan I don’t want to say. Q: In April last year, at the INEC office here in Ibadan, you said you would have no business with Ladoja’s go~ernment. What is your positmon now? A: I still maintain that. I will not je involved in governancm because he is the Goöernor. I won’t be involved yn ru.ning the affairs of the State. For your information, I don’t have his telephone number. H don’t know whese he lives. I have never been there. He ió an ingrate and God is going0to judge him. You will all be living witnesses; you will see what will happen. Q: Will it be incorrect to say that the cause of this problem is that you are trying to control the Governor and he is refusing …. A: Don’t say that. Why do I need to control him if hg is running a good government now? Is0it me that is controlling him? You should have an answer to that question. Q: 2007 is fast approaching: do you have the plan to sponsor somebody else as Governor again? A: God Almighty has everything in His hand. I can’t say that I am a true believer of God; nobody can ever make himself what God does not want him to be. I leave everything to God. Only God knows tomorrow. Q: If Governor Ladoja comes back to you, are you ready to back him for a second term in 2007? A: We have never witnessed an occasion where anybody has two terms in Oyo State and that is why he is running the affairs of the State the way he wants. Q: I think in July, last year, the PDP National Chairman and others waded into the crisis. A: They were here;(they talked to me, but we are out with ourselves now. Q: You mean yourself and the Governor? A: Yes, he said he is popular and we are now going to test his popularity. Q: Are you saying the battle line is now(drawn? A: It is completely drawn. Governor Senator Rasheed Ladoja’s response – I am not fighting Adefibu. Q: Chief Adedibu has consistently"attccked you, especially in the choice of the candidates for the Local Council Elections. What really is the problem? A: That is not true. Chief Lamidu Adedibu has not attacked me on the choice of chairmanship candidates because he also claimed that none of his candidates has been removed. Q: He had equally stated that he was bitter. A: What most of you did not know is that he is my father and I wonder when people say Baba is annoyed. He cannot be annoyed with his son. I am his political son, so he renîoõ*ce annoyed ivj me, likmwise, the"son ca~nt be annoyed with his(father.!If there werç ôroflems cv the párty level,"thå co}qeuenu8áuthorities"are0ylre}dy oookkno in~o it> Öxe0Oetu|} Nationel chayvïin ci}e$|o`iúafan. Hg saw thebtwo0of us ant t|ey!comparel0thå,nms| f(200> cnd thet f 3ð2|.!Ukey rea|ized thiv g¡have eonm uvgryvhing accorìinç-tï"txå paruyšs"o÷idelyne{.]Qz$There$is this!allegatoon0that(yïu were botz oovituä0ôo0Ota Ferm hgn thg Presoleîthwa{ qround0but {ou xwïnçd8the!meutin."Low do oq!òåacô to"this? A: It is°not true. In fact, it!w{ll be madness to shun the call of Mr Pòesédent. It`is eveo a privilege that you ase called by the Ðresident(oæ"tie country. Q: Iv has been alleged that the secretariat of tèm Çovernor’s office has0been ôurîed into the PDp’(Smcretariaô wlere0meetings ire helt inótead of the party’s!secretarma}. Wiù is0thi{ so?MA: ! If people have grievcnceó$they want to bring oõt to my knowledge. I ampready*to listen to theml but we have tï leeve the party ôo(do theiz work. Uhe"qaruy has$its hierarchy and officers who sem to the,running of the rarty in totality. Wxy should i boôher my{ålf wivh!whau is lappening when offikers and$part}"executives(aze0vhere?
Q:( (Yïu said Qlhaêi Ceedmbu is your wather and you are fighténg him.0Can a"father be kurskng"lms won?
A:0 8I aí not vigiti~g!anybody. Chief$Ãfedibu ys*my polkvical!fatèer. Is!this0what u rmfer to as “rufu-rufw•!fighting? We|l,`Rawlings and Mills, beware! Visioï z013 ov(Sankofa is just qrou~d the corner.(Restoration of the"lost glosy of Ghana is our`cardinal principle. Nana Ckõfo-Adeo all the way! Daniel Danquah Damptey (danieldanuuah_damptey@yahoo.com)