Listen to SAINT Mills!

Saints they say become saints because they never for a single moment see

themselves as anything but as sinners.

The recent development in the NDC party between the founder and his “senior

apprentice” can be viewed or described by true lovers of the party as very

unfortunate. But for most young apprentices like me, we would like to see it not

only as unfortunate but exceedingly interesting. Unfortunate because of the

effects it has brought to our party, but interesting because of the card our

senior apprentice has decided to play. The “card” that seem to be raising his

dwindling popularity but adversely affecting the popularity of the entire NDC

party.

Before I go further, permit me to cast our minds back to three general

congresses the party has held in the past, including the infamous Swedru

declaration. A vigorous attempt by Dr. Jerry Rawlings to sell the then fine but

highly unpopular professor to delegates landed him into drawing disaffection

for himself among his friends, cronies and some close big wigs of the party. Yet

he stood by his “BOY” and the NDC came out victorious at all three congresses.

Permit me again to remind us that prior to these happenings; Rawlings has always

been a long standing enemy of some families in this country because of his role

as a major hero of the June4 and 31st December revolution. Now what we must

realize is that some of these enemies of Dr. Rawlings are in the party and have

never been happy to see anything good about him; and that includes the NDC party

itself.

Surprisingly and interestingly, the first step our good professor and “senior

apprentice” decided to take after winning the 2008 election on the shoulders of

our founder was to heavily drop that political Godfather, turn his back on most

financiers of the party as well as the down triodes like myself (fooled

soldiers) just to enable him achieve his better Ghana agenda. Isn’t that an

interesting way of saying thank you?

Realizing how effectively the opium of religion and spirituality works on

Ghanaians; president Mills decided to play that card perfectly. The card I refer

to as the “saint Mills” card. Appear spiritually inclined and religiously active

and you will appeal more to the people than the “half devil” that brought you

this far. Do all you want to do to him and nobody’s attention will be drawn to

it. Why? Because you have succeeded in imprinting yourself as a man of God in

the minds of most Church going people. How interesting!

Thirdly, our “senior apprentice” identifies that synonymous to Jerry Rawlings is

SOCIAL JUSTICE. The reason most corrupt officials can never like him. A

principle he will stand by even at the point of death. Hence he decides to play

that card once again. Make it look like Rawlings is the one who wants to throw

everyone in to jail; and “SAINT MILLS” is the father for all.

As if that is not enough, he recruits a legion of novice politicians and

confused journalists with a clear cut responsibility to denigrate and discredit

Rawlings on all platforms they find themselves. This duty; they are gladly

executing as they are well motivated through appointments, promotions and

recognitions. He pretends he doesn’t know a hoot about what these young men and

women are doing; thinking it will inure to his benefit and raise his popularity.

Now let me ask my president a few questions:

1. Where did that God fearing aspect of him go, when he decided in the face of

strong adversity within the party to clinch firmly to the man he now thinks is a

“kakae”? Because those days I saw him more in the house of the Rawlings” than in

the house of the lord.

2. Has he asked himself how come the likes of PV Obeng , kwesi botchwe ,kwamena

Ahoi and other big wigs within the party whom he knew before meeting Rawlings

never saw what they claim they now see in him today? After all he sat in class

and worked with some of them for years. Yet they did not only express how much

confidence they didn’t have in him; they turned their backs on him and walked

confidently away when he very much needed them. Or could it be simply because

today they need him more than he needs them?

3. God fearing as they claim he is; does he honestly believe that this is the

best way to show his gratitude to the man who stood by him through thick and

thin times even at the peril of his entire hard earned political carrier?

4. Reflecting back to the very day he joined this great party, does he sincerely

believe that he has been a unifier? Forget all the “vultures” we see pretending

to be coming back now. He should look with an objective eye as far back as he

can remember and be frank with himself.

5. And as one of my comrades put it, isn’t it obvious that if the Mills of the

past were to see the Mills of today, they will fight at sight - I mean they will

shoot each other?

Let it therefore be made clear to our “senior apprentice” that we the young ones

who are awake, can only regard him as a “saint” if he can see himself as a

“sinner”. Mingle with the “sinner” like he had always done before he became the

president. Stand by the principles of the “sinner” (probity, accountability,

social justice, and transparency), and believe in the occasions that gave birth

to the party he is a leader of today (june4, and 31st December).

Let him again be reminded that the fall of Rawlings”popularity can never add an

iota of popularity to either him or his new masters. It will only make the party

unpopular and relegate it to opposition. It is not by our might, but by the

power of the all mighty that he (Rawlings) is as popular as he is.

In the interest of the party and in his own interest, it would be very prudent

to stop the pretence. Humbly call our “father” to the table not only as the

founder of the party, but as a major power broker, who can single handedly

unmake his administration especially through his inactions. To some of us, this

maybe Atta Mills” last chance to do one positive thing to the party that will

remain lasting, and undo a lot of the wrongs he has done to it as a leader.

Let it therefore be said someday that we added our voice to admonishing him

(Atta Mills) against shooting himself in the foot.

May God continue being gracious to our great party and bring to shame all among

us with ulterior motives!

Najeeb Saqueeb

(NDC YOUTH ACTIVIST)

najeebgh@yahoo.com