MILLS, KOFI AWOONOR, JOE GIDISU, FIFI KWETE MUST APOLOGISE TO ASHANTIS.
Imagine the shoe was on the other foot, and:
1. that Kuffour or for that matter any notable Asante had made a statement 'Great Ewe Project' similar to that of the 'Great Asante Project' irresponsibly, stupidly and amateurishly spewed by Atta Mills in the Wikileaks diplomatic cables.
2. that Kufuor had addressed a durbar of Ashanti chiefs in Kumasi and told them ''You are the kingmakers of Ghana''-- just as President ‘Do Little’ Mills said to a durbar of Volta Region chiefs at Ho on his first thank You tour in 2009-''You are the Kingmakers of Ghana’’.
Now what hell would have broken in Ghana!!! What are the know-it-all, traitor, chiseled teethed, CIA funded Kwesi Pratt, 'batakari kese' Bature, Kakrah Essamoah , Grandfaather, ‘lazy lawyers’ Eddie Annan/Chris Ackumey and a host of others saying on this Mills unprecedented 'bigotic' statement? Nothing, but deafening Silence from even the Asantes has greeted these provocative and incendiary statements!
It has now dawned on me that the big heart attitude of Asantes has kept this nation together all these years. They believe that for harmony to reign in modern Ghana, the game of tolerance has to be played practically on all fronts by all the diverse ethnic groups in the country. Ashantis have buried their pride and stood up gently and bravely and at the same time calmly to all sorts of provocations. Rather, on the other hand, the other tribes especially the EWES have shown hostility towards them under similar circumstances.
In Ghana’s 2nd parliament in 1971, the late Victor Owusu described Voltarians as ‘inward looking’ and hell broke loose in Ghana. Ewes have falsely attributed that statement to Ashantis general thinking and have used that statement as a basis to display hostility towards Ashantis up to today,— although it was one person, Victor Owusu, who talked for himself. History has it that, he apologised profusely for that thoughtless remark— yet for that remark, Ewes still harbour animosity towards the Ashantis.
Since then, in the middle 1970’s, history has taught us that Prof Kofi Awoonor , presently the chairman of the council of State, published his theses about suppressing a so-called Ashanti hegemony in Ghana----that efforts must be pursued to keep Ashantis out of central power at all costs. His idea is that Ashantis are too rich and proud people and that if they should control central power in addition, they will be too powerful. So that perennial EWE domination of the central government, Civil service, military , police, parastatals etc will serve to balance the forces in the country. Ashantis have taken this in their strides and lived peacefully with this dangerous ethnic-laden statement up to today. Kofi Awoonor has never apologised for his reckless remarks. Dear reader, check up with the PNDC, NDC1, NDC2 and the present NDC3 governments and confirm for yourself the EWE preponderance and the dearth of Ashanti presence in their ruling class.
A happening during Kuffuor’s era is sad to recall. There was a boat disaster in the Volta lake and a number of commuters sadly lost their lives in the sinking boat. Hon Joe Gidisu, without blinking an eye and in pursuance to anti-Ashanti sentiments stated officially in parliament that, Kufuor had deliberately refused to put in measures to prevent such disasters in pursuance of NPP deliberate Ewe ethnic-cleaning agenda. This preposterous, provocative and highly divisive statement was calmly swallowed by NPP in the name of tolerance and unrepentant NDC activists, Joe Gidisu and his fellow NDC MPs were delighted that they were giving it to the NPP and Ashantis.
Last week, under Mills/NDC, a more serious boat disaster occurred on the same Volta Lake and as many as 36 commuters died. Now, the loudmouthed NDC activists and Joe Gidisu are ‘mumu’ and are going about their duties as if nothing has happened. I am tempted to conclude that the disaster could be a divine intervention to teach Joe Gididu and his NDC a big lesson. Where is decency in this democracy? Joe Gidisu does not think it fit to apologise to Kuffuor/NPP for his previous reckless anti-Ashanti remarks and is going about as usual. I doff my hat to Ashantis for being so tolerant in the face of such provocations. May God continue to bless them!!
Wikileaks thank you! Wikileaks thank you! Now out of the blue, there has been another provocative revelation from Fifi Kwetey, one of the NDC leading tribal jingoist. That NDC backed Alex Kyeremanteng to win the last NPP Presidential primaries, since he (Kyeremanteng) carried Ashanti ethnic baggage, so that NDC would use that as a campaign mantra against NPP. So, to NDC, Mills, Fifi Kwetey and their cohorts, being an Ashanti is a baggage and that no Ashanti should be tolerated at Ghana central power. What hatred! What vicious thinking! What sadistic mind! What inhumane agenda! ---
Now check the other main parties, NDC, CPP, PNC. Coincidentally, none of their current party leadership or earlier aspirants since 1992 and even since 1957- (Presidential candidate, Vice Presidential Candidate, Party Chairman, Party Vice Chairman etc, etc) has ever been an Ashanti. So deliberately, these parties will not choose an Ashanti. And they want to tell NPP never to also take an Ashanti as their leader. So that Ashantis should by design be perpetually alienated and consigned to crumbs from the other tribes who they perceive NOT as baggage.
And in the face of all these, Ashantis are calm, open minded and tolerant going about their duties as if nothing has happened. I praise them to remain so. Jehovah is in full control.
So I encourage and advise Mills, Kofi Awoonor, Joe Gidisu, Fiifi Kwete to show decency and humbleness and find a way to apologise to the Ashantis for their unkind positions mentioned above, just as Victor Owusu did some years back. I want also to advise all tribes, especially the EWES to show similar tolerance and understanding, (as shown by Ashantis)-- to promote peaceful coexistence in Ghana. That is one of Ghana’s future challenge.
John Yawose
