Entering the mind of Mr Rawlings

Dear Prof.

I have looked on and listened with keen interest on your genuine campaign message and sincere desire for peace in our beloved country and change ofcourse from the NPP government. I am a noble Ghanamanba living abroad and love my country so much that I want to come back home and settle, share my knowledge and experience with my people. I believe this is what every Omanba wants and needless to say a peaceful country.

Your profile and records, Prof, speaks well of you… the party you belong and the genuine people that work for and with you sincerely believe in your potency as our next president but there is a huge But along the lines that echoes strongly that it is very difficult to ignore and let loose.

Why do I want to delve into the thinking line of our dear Mr Rawlings (or better to say our former ‘dear’ Mr. Rawlings), whichever phrase we choose the man used to be Ghana’s saviour and Kweku Baako’s one time bestest friends.

Prof, the question is why can’t Mr Rawlings just shut up. For christ’s sake this man is our ex-president, why can’t he behave just like the rest of the ex-presidents in the rest of the world. The likes of Tony Blair, Good old Bill Clinton and even our own Nelson Mandela just but a few. Kofi Annan’s life exemplary. I hear people normally say ‘let him speak because he also has human right and freedom of speech’, yes he does but when you have attained a certain level of statesmanship, the akans normally say ‘opanin dua mante mante’ literally meaning An elderly man, pretends not to have heard.

Now one may ask, does his ‘boom’ talk and inflammatory remarks go beyond just a normal senior citizen talk or there’s a deep emotional desire and the inner calling of ‘I want to….. by all means’… those who have been called as Pastors and Priests know and feel what I’m talking about – that inner calling.

Lets look at the guys record, yes yes we all know he staged a coup, a successful one, became a military leader, handed over power to one Mr Limann, next minute overthrew this guy again and said ‘ I handed over power to Limann, but he is not serving the people right so I’m back – I’m the terminator, to redeem my people (this is just to paraphrase), redeemed his people alright from the overspending of a noble government and amass wealth for himself with Swiss accounts etc. this guy then handed over power to one John Kufuour.

Atta, since you are a professor and for sure you are not a novice in analysing data, could you tell me why Rawlings handed power to Limann and took power back from Him? Your answer is as good as mine, he did it genuinely because he had thoughts and the people of Ghana were on his heart. People with big ego like Rawlings do not let things go easily, they think they are always right, and in their hearts of hearts, they are right; even if they are wrong, they are right because they knew they were wrong so that makes them right.

We heard rumours that Rawlings wanted to stage a coup during the early stages of Kufuour’s premiership, some blind followers of the NDC rubbished this, nevertheless, the NPP tightened its security belt just in case. Is there some truth in this? Look at the matter very objectively. Whatever be the case he didn’t or couldn’t do it.

Now the Lion is Roaring…. Rawlings is moaning, he is desperate to come to power and liberate his people, he can’t stage a coup during this term, he has already disagreed with your capacity to lead the nation (remember he used to be your boss), he is albeit fighting for you to win power, think for a minute Atta, read in between the lines, seriously don’t be fooled… he still doesn’t really like you that much but he has to let you win power so he’s campaigning for you vigorously so that when you win power AND BOOOM!!!!!………….. He is there.

It might be a new Ghana, a new head of state, a new king but its his party, his men at the realm, his men will be the security capos (remember none of this guys were your students, actually most of your students are in the NPP now), his men are the likes of Tony Aidoos, General Mosquitos, Alban Bagbins etc. it’ll be his cabinet crew and these are the guys you need to take and make decisions with.

Assume you win power, you take a decision with these crews and it doesn’t go well with their boss (not you), Are we talking about the Limann factor again????

Think Prof, think Atta…. How much can you secure this country without Rawlings knowing exactly what you’ve planned? The NPP could do that because they owed him no allegiance, it was their men and your students.

Remember Mr Rawlings has a big ego, he is always right, if he think you are not doing the right thing, he’ll talk over. You owe him allegiance, he is militarily astute that you are or as the Christians say ‘that you can ever imagine or think’. You’ll consult albeit.

Prof, if you had started your own party in the first place, you would’ve been a great contender, but I’m afraid of a repetition. For these reasons, I wish you all the best but you wont get my vote if I could vote. So I’m out.

God bless Ghana, God bless Africa. Kobina Arko-Tharkor