So pathetic it is for a fool to rule a nation because the citizenry become subjects of servitude and penury. But thanks be to God that over five million Ghanaians voted for their choicest candidate they felt was wise enough to lead them to the promise land. I believe those Ghanaians are wise not fools to vote for a fool. Therefore, the perception that the President is a ‘fool’ is a mirage. It is only at the end of the President’s tenure in office that we fully can awash him clean with commendation or condemnation.

In this regard, President Mahama’s call for a section of Ghanaians to desist from calling him a ‘fool’ is not misplaced but a timely intervention to safeguard the integrity of the presidency including his very person.(See Stop Calling Me A Fool,Mahama-Peacefmonline.com) The Presidency is an inseparable entity from the person who occupies it. Hence, it is an absurd bluster for an elected leader, irrespective of his political affinity, to be verbally assaulted by his detractors. Good God, how can I possibly lose cognisance of the reality that a buffoon under strange circumstance can also sit on a throne? History is my witness.

That aside, as a people we should be careful not to run down established institutions that symbolise our great democracy. The seat of government and other state institutions are the foundations that regulate and coordinate a nation from ripping into shreds. In line with this, we cannot for the sake of our parochial political leanings brand our opponents who assume any high governmental office as fools.

For any reason, if a reasonable Ghanaian thinks that the President is faltering in terms of the implementation of policies to reduce poverty and that the President and his hangers-on reek of corruption and incompetence, the acceptable or decent norm is to show him and his sycophants the exit when they seek another mandate to rule.

Perhaps the other option for those who think he is sleeping on his job is for them to incessantly without prejudice constructively criticise his deeds by making his presidential failures public devoid of insinuations for discerning Ghanaians to make up their minds. That is why it is politically prudent to right the wrong by uncovering the ugly part of the wrong adroitly.

In the midst of this, the media cannot pipe songs of innocence now. They are equally guilty as hell. The platform they offer to those garrulous individuals who blindly honour the biddings of their paymasters is worrying if not sickening. Most of these media platforms have now become a contest between persons who can wax the Queen’s English or proficiently articulate any of the Ghanaian dialects without recourse to common sense that is geared towards nation building.

So, what is at play is simply, the more the high pitch of persuasive noise, the more we perceive these seemingly narrow-minded men as wise. By this, these men have gained wings to fly over those who are weightier than them socially and economically to excrete toxins on their hard earned reputations gleefully. Just as I will unreservedly condemn this sub-culture of our leaders being unduly vilified, our politicians must not also lose sight of the propriety for them to desist from insulting their opponents during political contests. What am I driving at? Is it not strange for want of political power for Asiedu Nketiah to openly brand the seventeen presidential aspirants of the NPP in 2007 as thieves who are about to elect their ‘chief thief’?

Did not Felix Ofosu Kwakye of the NDC refer to Nana Akufo Addo as having wet dreams, a man without integrity and bereft of humility just as a chicken is bereft of urine? The least said about Fiifi Kwetey and his venomous brigade of vipers the better. The opposition NPP must also be equally blamed since the likes of Kennedy Agyapong, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, John Owusu Afriyie among others are culprits.

Personally, the President should not wail like an ecstatic mourner due to the insults meted out to him. If he was not able to call his men to order as they drenched opposition members with insults, he should take those insults from his avowed critics as needless fringe benefits that are attached to his office. He cannot convince me that he has not ultimately benefited from the waywardness of some members of his political fraternity.

I wonder if he has the guts to go beyond his call for civility in public discourse by pledging to deal with any of his communicators who will engage in politics of insults before, during and after any elections he contests. In other words, he must put his house in order before he seeks to restore sanity in other people’s house.

The President must not be seen to exhibit any form of double standards. So far as Ghanaian politicians are not prepared to engage in clean politics, they should not lament whenever they are verbally tortured after annexing power. On the surface, the President appears to be a gentleman. He seems to hate insults but from my roof top, there those who are doing his dirty works for him to make clinch on to power only for him to turn around to advise his opponents to cease fire. By the way, where was he when... well enough of the negative flashbacks. May God deliver us from political vampires be they members of the NPP, NDC, or CPP. Mr. President, Ghanaians need to feel the impact of your rule in a positive way. Instead of being overly concerned with the insults from your opponents that seem not to abate, why don’t you prove them wrong by creating employment opportunities for Ghanaians not party loyalists? Our debt stock keeps piling and spiralling out of control but little can be said of what you have done. I hope to see an updated version of your green book that catalogues your better Ghana Agenda strides. Until then, focus on restoring hope in the hearts of Ghanaians or else...

SOURCE: OKOFO-DARTEY SAMUEL

E-MAIL: sodesq2000@yahoo.com