*By Akadu Ntiriwa Mensema, Ph. D.

“Former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings says the ordinary people of Africa
are expectant of a wave of leadership that listens, serves and represents the
real aspirations of the people. He said: “Africa deserves better from its own
leadership and we cannot fail them” (Ghanaweb, October 4, 2010).

The Chief Fireman
In a poised lunatic pose
With hosing-tongue
Pouring political filth
Whose spittle is kerosene
JJ didn’t take part in Ghana at 50
Yes, he didn’t listen to Ghanaians
He was in Abuja for Nigeria at 50
Spewing
Spittle-ing
Foaming
Breathing down
His cacophonic contradictions
African leaders must listen
Listen to their citizens
JJ the walking contradictions
The Satanic statesman
Ridge’s Abonsam Fireman
Of P/NDC’s paradise lost
The man who knows it all
Never listens to anyone

JJ Rawlings
Self-serving
Self-righteous
Sanctimonious con artist
Political charlatan
Masquerading as a statesman
Full of it
His own bogus self
Never practices what he preaches
Peddle to bedazzled Africans
Impoverished African minds
That hero-worship this oppressor

JJ says it all
African leaders should listen
Look at the sun
Listen to their citizens
But JJ has never done that

1. JJ engineered Indemnity Clause
Protect his murderous regime
To stifle voices of dissent

2. JJ threatened mayhem
If NDC didn’t win 2008 elections
He listened to his own voice
To stifle voices of dissent

3. JJ closed down universities
University of Ghana - one year
To stifle voices of dissent

4. JJ shit-bombed press houses
To stifle voices of dissent

5. JJ razed down opponent’s house
To stifle voices of dissent

6. JJ celebrates June 4
Constitutional provisions aside
To stifle voices of dissent

7. JJ imposed curfew on Ghanaians
Culture of silence
To stifle voices of dissent

8. JJ killed the judges
Amedeka death squads
To stifle the voices of dissent

9. JJ gave broken-bottled haircuts
To stifle voices of dissent

10. JJ clogged opponents’ factories
Tata Brewery
KOWUS motors
Safo Adu Pharmaceuticals
To stifle voices of dissent

11. JJ beat up Arkaah
His Vice President
To stifle voices of dissent

12. JJ sidelined his colleagues
Kwesi Botchway
Akatapore
Obed Asamoah
PV Obeng
To stifle voices of dissent

In his lunatic pose
Of self-righteousness
JJ lacks probity, modesty
Accountability
He loves his own voice
His crooked tongue
Forked tongue
Warped tongue
The source of our woes
Has stifle voices of dissent

*Akadu N. Mensema, Ph. D., is a nationalist Denkyira beauty. She is a trained
oral historian cum sociologist and Professor in the USA. She lives in
Pennsylvania with her great mentor and teaches Africa-area studies at a college
in Maryland. In her pastime, she writes what critics have called “populist
hyperbolic, satirical” poetry. She can be reached at akadumensema@yahoo.com