CSOs, Nana Oye Lithur's hypocrisy and selective amnesia!

“Those whose conduct gives room for talk are always first to attack their neighbours”—Jean Baptiste Moliere, Tartuffe.

I’m sick yet I do not need to see a doctor for any treatment. I had a very restful sleep, yet I feel very tired. Yes, I am sick and tired of the hypocrisy of some political actors in this country and the selective amnesia being exhibited by our religious leaders and civil society organisations (CSOs).

What at all did Kennedy Agyapong say that we haven’t heard in this country before? Indeed, we’ve heard worse things from politicians on the other side, but not even a whimper was heard from the so-called CSOs and gender activists. That is my beef today!

Do not get me wrong, Abusuapanin. Not even in my wildest dream would I condone such reprehensible acts. The allusion by Kennedy Agyapong to the effect that Madam Charlotte Osei had exchanged sexual favours for her position is dishonourable and must be vehemently condemned. It is wrong and cannot be justified.

As I wrote some time back, Madam Charlotte is one person many people do not trust to be a fair arbiter. Her actions since becoming the chairperson of the country’s electoral body have heightened that mistrust. I, however, would be the last person to support Ken’s verbal assault on her. It is very distasteful.

But so were the others; the so-called CSOs and gender activists turned a blind eye to. We were all in this country when John Jinapor, then Spokesperson for Vice-President Ogwanfunu, said on live television that Ursula Owusu sat on the laps of her male counterparts to gain political favours. It was as bad as what Ken had said; but did we hear the noises we are hearing today?

You know Hon. ‘Kookooase Kurasini’, don’t you? He is a foul-mouthed politician whose mouth exudes so much smell that not even the extraction of the rotten tooth in his mouth would improve his breath. He was also caught on live television insulting Shamima Muslim, a journalist, that she was a prostitute. We waited in vain to hear the voices of the discredited gender activists and those making noises today.

As for Hon Nii ‘Patapaa’, he went beyond insults and charged his hoodlums to beat a female Member of Parliament (MP). Her only crime was that she had the audacity to step into his constituency to monitor an ongoing registration exercise for voters. Ursula Owusu was left to her fate by Nana Oye Lithur and the other self-styled gender activists.

It was very disheartening to even hear others say she brought it upon herself.

It is more than obvious that the CSOs turned a blind eye to the examples above and others not mentioned here because they were afraid of babies with sharp teeth. They knew too well that sharp-teethed babies wouldn’t spare them if they dared to condemn the Zu-za activists who disrespected women. They were thus compelled to hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil.

However, they’ve all suddenly found their voices. They know that those riding on the Elephant are gentle. They know the Elephant does not have sharp-teethed babies who could give verbal bites. Is it any wonder that our ears have been inundated with all manner of statements from all manner of groups and persons on the Ken debacle?

But my compatriots and I know better. We know hypocrisy when we see it. We also know selective amnesia when we see it. Indeed, what we are witnessing today is nothing but hypocrisy and selective amnesia.

As I write, there is news about one Alistair Nelson, who brazenly threatened to teach our judges some bitter lessons. I’ve just listened to the tape, and it sent shivers down my spine. The threat is very chilling, to say the least. If I were a judge, I would be tightening the security screws around me.

I’ve read Alistair’s apology and I have the feeling it is genuine. I hope and pray that his apology would be accepted by all and sundry. But is an apology enough to erase the veracity of a criminal act? After all, a threat on the life of judges is a crime, isn’t it?

Such outbursts shouldn’t be taken lightly at all. We cannot pretend it is an empty threat because there has been an apology. The threat was clear and graphic enough to show Alistair’s intent. The law must take its course no matter whose ox is gored. But the question is, will it?

If it were Ken or any other Osono member, all manner of statements would be released. They would be arrested and charged in court with terrorism and genocide. President Ogwanfunu would gleefully push for the bulldozer-kill-ant theory to be used. That is the hypocrisy and selective amnesia I talk about. We are watching!

See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!