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Opinions of Friday, 2 June 2017

Columnist: Berko Akoto Pauline

The hypocrisy of a nation: Captain Mahama, may your soul rest in perfect peace!

Late Captain Mahama Late Captain Mahama

The Hypocrisy of A Nation

Captain Mahama, may your soul rest in perfect peace!

In this biased world, it's only when some tragedy affects one personally or when someone of importance is killed before people begin to wake up.
Ghanaians are talking about lynching as if it is something new.
Lynching is not new so stop this hypocrisy.

The lynching of pickpockets or petty thieves and yet sometimes of innocent people has been very common in Ghana and in most African Countries. The accusatory word of 'Thief' against one is a death warrant.
I wonder how many people, a petty thief or not have escaped the claws of these dastardly mobs.

As a child growing up in Kumasi, I witnessed many a times where the declaration of the word thief cost many people their lives.
Apparently, it's still happening now just like we have witnessed over the past days.

Mobs, without any cause, upon hearing the magic word will chase anyone who is running away from the scene.
And the reason why innocent people are killed is panic breaks and anyone can be the target.

During these frenzied times, God is the only protector of an accused.
And we Blacks as a people apparently worship God more than any other race.
We have churches in every corner of the country and make heavenly disturbing noises during the day and nights.

We have pastors living like kings by bilking their congregants blind yet receive praises.
I have witnessed many victims being pounded with pestles, blocks as is evident in the clip, mortars, stones, sticks, bricks, gasoline, feces and other crazy mob accoutrements.

During these moments, people struggle for academic degrees on how wicked they become in killing culprits.
Awurade!
Some human minds are indeed peculiar. In times of destruction, they forget they are humans due to maybe their situations and unhappiness about their lives.

People in these categories simply want to belong.
Poverty from an angle of an unemployed someone who is legally trying to better their lives yet unsuccessful breeds all these antagonistic attitudes against people.

I have witnessed many of these victims being killed.
How can children be witnesses to a thief already dead and lying on the streets and throngs of crowds marveling at it like the corpse fell from the sky?

When the time arises to 'punish' these so called criminals, some people are glorified for dishing out the worst punishments.
Imagine the effects that crop up within those who intend to do harm during their formative years.
In fact, in some neighborhoods, some tough guys were known to be the best brutalizers.

This young soldier, Captain Mahama may have been ambushed or executed but it is not new in a country where even leaders kill their opponents at will without being prosecuted.
Go down in the annals of our history and you will find out that most citizenry follow the tenets and examples of their leaders.
If the leaders can get away with these crimes of killing, so can the common person.
Unless one kills someone famous no one hears about it and even in these cases, is justice served?

In Africa, when it comes to it, even the judge handling the case will teach you a lesson or two about gratuity if you want your case to advance.
Life is about fairness and fairness is about life.
Trying to be perfect is better than trying to be evil.
Evil is difficult!
How can one tell me that some politicians imprison their opponents with no trials and yet nothing happens?
How can one tell me leaders can execute others by firing squad without trials and get away with it?

Now a nation mourns a young man because of mob action.
How many people have fallen prey to these kind of criminal atrocities?
How many times have the Parliamentarians deliberated about these heinous crimes apart from trying to gouge up their incentives?
Maybe this Captain's death will be a Clarion Call for the leaders to do what is right.

As a leader, if you think you can kill and get away;
As a civilian -in most cases - I think I can kill and get away.
Ghanaian Leaders, the ball is in your court. Come with instant solutions.
As I write, I believe some people are being lynched right now.

However, because most victims are nonentities, the pepetrators are getting away with it.
If the people of that village had known the consequences of their actions, believe me they would have hesitated in their barbaric act.
But to them, whether they knew the Captain or not, by watching the video and the way they were jubilating in dishing out their frustrations in killing this man, it is probably common and a past time to these folks.
Who knows how many people they have lynched?

Do they know better?

Probably not!
This kind of brutality is not confined to the villages alone. They are done in major cities where people are supposedly educated. But without recourse, a free for all atmosphere becomes the norm.
Stop this hypocrisy.

Many citizens have lost loved ones to these tragedies.
I have friends who have innocent relations succumb to these brutalities.
Without our leaders' intervention and a strong enforcement of the laws in terms of making lynching illegal just like they are trying to tag Galamsey, I wish us good luck.

I hear this young soldier is the nephew of the former president.
I am wondering.
I just want to ask the current president and all the past presidents that if this tragedy had happened to you while the top honcho, what and how would your reaction have been?
Change or amend the rigged Constitution?
Even though one cannot solve all human problems, one can set good examples.
The world is full of complications!

Those who are affected by these tragedies mostly have no power!
And those who have power are affected only when they lose their power.
And the former leaders only become enlightened after stealing the country blind and their families gratified.
If you are a leader, act now and stop this hypocrisy!
Don't react from behind a closed door.
Four years or eight years in office, is enough to do something for your people.

To the people, stop this hypocrisy and blame the leaders.
Don't wait till it happens to you!
As if most of us have not suffered enough!

What is this hypocrisy?