By Salifu Ali

Somebody has to get the courage to tell Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings: It is not gonna
happen. I mean her circle of friends. I mean those who have kowtowed to this
lady for far too long. I mean her loop of cronies and stomach supporters. I mean
those who know best. And finally I mean those who know the situation on the
ground that Nana Konadu just like Nana Addo will never be sworn in as president
of our Great Republic of Ghana. Ever!
Nana Konadu who has been the life President of the 31st December Women’s
Movement still holds the foolish ambition that because of the grassroot support
that she enjoyed during the days when her husband was in power which led to the
singing and showering of praises on her, the same thing holds true today. In
fact Konadu thinks NDC supporters and to a large extent those who like her
husband Rawlings will roll out the red carpet to her if she decides to stand for
the presidency of the land. Some wishful thinking! I dare Konadu to first test
her popularity by stepping down and contest any of the leading members of the
31st December Women’s Movement for the organization’s presidency and see if she
will win.

Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings is one of the most polarizing political figures in the
country today. The mention of her name alone sends many people packing. Many
Ghanaians do not want to hear about her again. “We have had enough of that
woman”, most people always say when her name is mentioned. And in politics and
social circles if your name is replaced with “that woman or that man”, what it
means is that you are spent force. You are done! Finito! If Konadu does not
know, she and her buddies should do some background polling to see the results.
The fact that people turn out in their numbers when she visits rural areas of
the country to promote her subtle idiotic presidential ambition should not make
her draw the silly conclusion that those turn-outs will translate into votes
come election day.

In Ghana today, if I Salifu Ali announces that I want to stand for the
presidency and tour the regions, people will turn out to come and listen to the
‘garbage’ that I will spew out, but that does not mean they will vote for me.
Many politicians of the past have fallen prey to the deception. If Konadu is not
aware of this she should go seek counsel from Rev. Kwabena Darko. He fell into
that trap in 1992.
Many Ghanaians recall the excesses of Nana Konadu when her husband was in the
helm of affairs in this country. Many Ghanaians still know that she is one
dangerous greedy woman whose path you never have to cross. She was and perhaps
still is the woman all members of her 31st December Women’s Movement have to
kowtow to in all situations and that some national, regional and district
members of her organization were even booted out just for dressing better and
looking prettier than her. These are not made up stories. They are the truth.
And journalists should cross-check this information. At the mention of Konadu’s
name during her hey days, her own members of the organization ran for cover.
And this is the same woman who wants to come and lead the NDC and probably
Ghana. Sometimes people do not sit back and check their checkered past to
correct their wrongs thinking that people have short memories. If they do, Nana
Konadu will have realized that her 31st December Women’s Movement does not have
any fire left in it. Those key women who fiercely supported the group but are
still around in the country today have all deserted her due to her terrible
character trait. Presently, those women do not even want to be associated with
the group again, let alone be seen with Nana Konadu.
Nana Konadu was known as the “unforgiving one” by ministers and top officials of
Rawlings’ administration. You dare not be in Konadu’s red book. If Konadu marks
you down today, you are gone tomorrow. It is an open secret that she pushed
Rawlings to get rid of key brains who stood by Rawlings in his governing days.
This is the truth and it is strange that nobody in the NDC have the stomach to
come out and tell Ghanaians who Konadu really is for fear of ticking off
Rawlings.

Konadu should know that she is not marketable. She does not have the will power
to rule Ghana. A person who is so petty and does not allow competition even
within her own circles is not fit to rule Ghana. What she is using the so-called
Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (FONKAR) to do will not fly. Konadu is
just wasting her time. I will spend my time raising my grand children.

Everybody in Ghana knows that a vote for Konadu is a vote for Rawlings, which
means that if Konadu should become president in Ghana today it would be Rawlings
in Konadu’s clothing. And this is something Ghanaians will never do again.
Rawlings’ days are over in Ghana. Much as NDC supporters admire him, they do not
want to see him in power again. I guess the NDC is making a face-lift and do not
want to be seen as the “Takashi” bullish party.

The ranting of Rawlings against President Mills for not doing this and that
should inform Ghanaians that President Mills does not take instructions (Much as
Ghanaians feared before the elections) from Rawlings. It should tell Ghanaians
that President Mills is his own man. And who in the NDC would have gotten away
by openly criticizing Rawlings during his time as it is happening every day to
President Mills by his own party people.
Rawlings is using his wife or if I should qualify it driving his wife into
believing that she too can become president. What the so-called FONKAR is doing
is not something the Rawlings’ are not aware of. They are deeply involved, but I
dare say that if Konadu has something better to do apart from taking care of her
grandchildren, she should go sit somewhere and enjoy the money she has. Ghana
will never fall into their hands again. She will never be president of Ghana.
Because she is not marketable! Period!
Ghana needs a leader who is beyond pettiness. The country needs somebody who can
think right on his/her feet. Our dear country needs somebody who will look at
the bigger picture and see the problems confronting the country. And I dare say
again that if Rawlings was able to do what he continues to claim he did for
Ghana, his wife will not be scheming for the presidency. By trying to become
president of the land should tell Ghanaians that Rawlings/Konadu did nothing
that beats every past leader of the land. Konadu will be used by Rawlings to
settle political scores if she becomes the president of Ghana, but that aint
gonna happen. They better look for something else to do. A word to a wise……..
salifuali@rocketmail.com