Has Abacha's $5 million gift to Rawlings saga shut up Nana Konadu?

Folks, I am still piqued by the impact of Rawlings’ revelation and confirmation of rumours that the late Nigerian strongman, Gen. Sani Abacha, did give him some millions of Dollars.

The controversy surrounding the exact quantum remains, even if Rawlings feels nothing wrong about the deal. Is he clean in his conscience that he deserved the money given him by Abacha, especially when it wasn’t taken from Abacha’s own earnings but from the Nigerian chest? What did he do to warrant being given that money? And how did he spend it? Is Rawlings prepared to return that money to Nigeria? Too many worrying questions.

Now that Rawlings has conceded, he seems to have put very high hurdles in front of his wife (Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings) to jump. Can she? Will she tell us that she knew nothing about the Abacha largesse or that her husband has kept her in the dark all this while? A heavy conscience weighing her down? Too many troubling questions for Nana Konadu too.

Pushing everything further, we have noticed that before Rawlings’ concession, Nana Konadu had dominated the media scene, making all kinds of noise to castigate the Mahama-led administration about corruption, incompetence, and many others.

In launching her political missile at the incumbent, she sought to push her own agenda as well.

But immediately after her husband caved in to expose the deal between him and Abacha, she has virtually gone underground. Is she feeling the pinch already? We know how Rawlings has supported her in her bid to lead the NDP to Elect6ion 2016. The unexpected revelation by Rawlings and the ripples it provoked are really tough.

They seem to be undercutting Nana Konadu (the implications for Rawlings’ himself are already clear). Can the Rawlingses still go about professing to be apostles of probity and accountability?

By confirming the long-held rumours about the Abacha deal, Rawlings doesn’t come across to me as honest (as his NPP friends have portrayed him). He came out strongly to refute and condemn the allegation when the rumours first emerged more than 10 years ago. Turning round now to admit it doesn’t make him honest or sincere. It makes him a bad person instead. The political fallouts are heavy. Rawlings has virtually shot down his wife.

As if that headache isn’t acute enough to detract from Nana Konadu’s standing, the chiefs and people of Adoagyiri are fuming and mobilizing for action against Nana Konadu in respect of the 600-acre land acquired compulsorily for Carridem Development Company Limited. The land, which was acquired through an executive order in 2013 for 50 years, was sold for GHC5 per acre. Who sold the land? Certainly not the chiefs but the Agbodo-led Divestiture Implementation Committee!!

Making a case for the chiefs and people, the MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annor Dompreh, has petitioned President John Mahama to return the land to the original owners.

(See http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/President-Mahama-petitioned-to-return-50-acre-Carriedem-land-459297).

I support the move to divest Nana Konadu of that property. The original owners are embittered at the manner in which the land was taken from them; and I agree with everything they intend to do to reclaim their property.

This is where I urge President Mahama to accept the petition and act on it with little ceremony. He should grant the chiefs and people their right to their land. After all, beyond anything politically interested, the matter is too serious to gloss over. This is a good opportunity to add more woes to Nana Konadu’s lot so she cannot continue throwing dust into anybody’s eyes about probity and accountability.

I am strongly persuaded by the arguments raised by the chiefs and people and the fallouts for President Mahama if he listens to their plea. I don’t want to say that granting their wish will automatically translate into votes for President Mahama at Election 2016; but it will definitely prove that he understands what the issues are and can act in the best interest of the chiefs and people of Nsawam-Adoagyiri.

This is the opportune moment to ditch Nana Konadu all the more, now that her own husband has shot her down. What belongs to the people must not be trampled upon. Mr. President, over to you!!

I shall return…

Writer's e-mail: mjbokor@yahoo.com