Sekou Nkrumah is a Confused Politician

It has come to public attention that the outspoken and confused son of Ghana’s first president Sekou Nkrumah, in a radio interview on XYZ Radio suggested that the age of Nana Akufo-Addo would prevent him from delivering the kind of hands-on leadership required to develop Ghana. The man who could not find a home in his father’s political party is said to have warned that Ghana cannot repeat "what happened to the late Mills in office."

While it comes as no surprise that Sekou Nkrumah knows absolutely nothing about leadership, it is important to clarify a few things. If Sekou’s idea of leadership is a one-man-show, then let it be known that NPP provides an all-inclusive type of government. That means ministers and other political appointees are talented enough in their respective fields that they would not need babysitting to get ther work done.

During the presidential debates in 2012, it was the "older" candidate who demonstrated the ability to shoot from the hip with all the issues facing Ghana at his fingertips. Some of the "younger" candidates were either coughing all over the place like Ebola patient, or struggling to answer questions about a job the already occupied. Further, the premium that Ghanaians place on the wisdom of elders would be meaningless if we even so much as entertain the foley associated with questioning intellectual ability for older people.

Nana Akufo-Addo is one of the most intelligent, articulate, and strategic leader we would have the opportunity to be led by. He has controlled his diet; he has kept up with his exercise; and he hasmaintained a strict schedule with his health checks. As a result, Nana Akufo-Addo is ina remarkable shape and can run circles around Kotoka Internationa Airport. In fact he looks much better than a computer generated 70-year-old Sekou Nkrumah.

BUt what makes this claim by confused and unstable Sekou Nkrumah nonsensical is the fact that Ghana has experienced youth leadership with Rawlings and Mahama and the results have been disastrous. Rawlings is better remembered by what was then known as "Rawlings Necklace," a hunger-induce slimming of Ghanaians that protruded their neckbones to form a necklace-like ring around their neck.

Today Mahama is better remembered by several disasters all culminating "mahanomics." The cedi is running backwards faster along with its accompanying rise in prices of basic goods than Ussain Bolt; our national teams are competing on the world stage in "borrowed uniforms;" a trippling of fuel prices has forced private vehicle owners to abandon their automobiles to patronize trotro; we are making negative global news with an airlifting of millions of cash to Brazil; our children are failing the WSSCE at record rates; and a host of other disgraceful leadership blunders.

In contrast President Kufuor, perhaps the oldest person to have led our country, gave us inarguably the best eight years in our country's history. In light of the history and the evidence, that Sekou Nkrumah would make such ridiculous referrences to Nana Akufo-Addo's age as an inhibiting factor raises serious questions about the former's level of intellect and even sanity.