For a man who has
become the epitome of violence in Ghana politics, one can safely conclude that
NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, was in a state of euphoria for obvious reasons
when he recently declared himself a non-violent person.
“I have never
supported the use of violence in politics; not one single day have I been
involved in anything to do with violence,” he said in an address to students of
the University of Development Studies, Wa Campus, last weekend.
Indeed, Nana
Akufo-Addo may have been in a delirious mood when he made these comments
because the facts on the grounds do not support it.
In the run-up to
the 2008 elections, precisely on Tuesday, December 16, 2008, Babs Hammer, the
33-year-old cameraman of Former President Rawlings was beaten to pulp at the Golden
Tulip Hotel by Nana Akufo-Addo’s bodyguards who accused him of filming the NPP
flagbearer as he was entering the hotel where incidentally, Rawlings was
lodging during his visit to Kumasi.
The beating took place
right in the presence of Nana Akufo-Addo; he simply looked on with glee as this
barbaric act continued till the cameraman collapsed.
In the run-up to
the 2007 NPP primaries at Legon and again in the run-up to the 2010 primaries
of the party to elect its flagbearer for the 2012 elections, reports of Nana
Akufo-Addo’s men physically assaulting Alan Kyeremanteng’s men was a common
news report.
TODAY newspaper in
a front page story on 27th July, 2010 headed ALAN TEAM CONDEMNS ATTACKS said a
member of the Team Alan, Kofi Dokyi
Ampaw, has described as “…..unfortunate
the inability of Nana Akufo-Addo to control his followers who are always
attacking and brutalizing supporters of other aspirants”
The paper goes on
to state that Mr. Ampaw, speaking on FOX FM in Kumasi, noted that “leadership
entails so many things, and very important of them is your
ability to effectively and efficiently manage your followers”.
The paper said
Kofi’s comments “follow a brutal attack
on one Kofi Dubai, a popular serial caller who is perceived to be an ardent
supporter of Mr. Kyeremanteng by some supporters of Nana For President (NAFOP)
at the premises of Ash FM in Kumasi.”
Mr. Ampaw, who is
popularly called Kofi 1234, according to the paper “noted that attacks on other
aspirants by Nana Addo’s militants and his
inability to control them showed the caliber of person he is”.
The paper quoted
the Alan man as saying “A good leader
has control over his followers no matter who they are. This is the hallmark of
effective leadership, not a person who condones violence or waits for his
followers to misconduct themselves only for him to disssociate himself later
from it.”
Later events have
proved that Akufo-Addo does not only condone the violence his supporters mete
out to others but that indeed, he helps in planning them. The proof is in his
speech delivered to his followers at Koforidua in a closed door meeting when in
reference to the severe beatings NDC supporters were subjected to at Atiwa during
the by-election, he said “Wo Atiwa, ye kyere omo adi kakraa bi, to wit, “At Atiwa,
we showed
them just something little”.
Then also is the kume preko demonstrations he led in
1995. That it ended in violence with the loss of precious lives, going down in
history as the most violent demonstration in contemporary Ghanaian politics is not
lost on Ghanaians.
His recent reference
to “militants” in his party and his infamous “all-die-be-die” speech cannot be
the utterances of a non-violent man.
Nana Akufo-Addo’s
violent CV also includes leading NPP thugs in Abuakwa to set ablaze the NDC
constituency
office in Kyebi, his hometown, after the 2004 elections.
Then also is his
order to his bodyguards to beat up supporters of Mr. Alan Kyeremanteng whenever
they meet them.
Clearly, Nana
Akufo-Addo does not have a drop of peaceful blood running through his veins.
His claim therefore that he is not a violent person is an exercise to deceive
himself and his supporters. The greatest calamity that can befall a man is when
he lies to himself. It is for this reason that Shakespeare, in Hamlet,
admonishes that “above all, unto thy self, be true”Does Ghana need a person of
Akufo-Addo’s caliber as
President? Kofi 1234 who is related to Nana Akufo-Addo, provides the answer
when he said the “No matter what the
situation is in the nation, both NDC and NPP and all other parties have agreed
we need peace and hence a peace loving candidate must be voted for…”
