Mills Strikes Out

PRESIDENT MILLS STRIKES OUT!

“Opanin a otena fie ma nkwadaa di nanka no, se yebu

anankadifo a, oka ho” I open this article with a word of wisdom learnt at the

feet of my father of blessed memory. This is an Akan saying which literally

seeks to impugn the integrity of the adult whose presence the children (the

unwise) indulges in an abominable deeds.

There was a poignant question during the time of the

American infamous Watergate scandal that continues to reverberate in any quasi

scandal in present day American politic:

“WHAT DID THE

PRESIDENT KNOW, AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT”

In our culture, the ‘OPANIN’ (i.e. the elder) is a revered

member of the family considered to be the steady hand on the wheel in times

when the rowdy ‘children’ went on rampage. Such is the revered position of our

Ghanaian elders by virtue of our collective cultures and for that matter the

President in our political dispensation: To be the voice of reason in the last

resort. Woe to the family or by extension the country that does not have such

an elder (perhaps I should say a ‘statesman’). Many a times, things happen that

makes one wonder if there were adults in the midst of the rowdy children.

Ghana has arguably been endowed with great patriotic thinkers

(mind you; Ghana has not been the first

in everything good in Africa by mere chance). Our leaders have been wise on

the international front as well as the interior with the exception of our

current President. His approach to issues of international prominence has been

abysmal to say the least. Our President’s response to the Ivorian crisis (“dzi

wofi asem”) was symptomatic with a nonchalant leader who saw, hears or says no

evil. A Minister of State should have uttered “Dzi wofi asem”, while the

President took the high road in reprimanding the Minister to the dangers posed

to Ghana by an unresolved crisis in Ivory Coast mainly due to its proximity to

our peaceful country. That was strike one (American baseball terminology).

Wayomegate has consumed more ink and resources than

necessary all because the supposed ‘elder’ in the midst of the rowdy ‘children’

refused to act his role. Our President hue and cried as if he knew nothing

about the Wayome payout: Nevertheless, it turned out that the President was indeed

privy to the whole Wayome saga. His subsequent defense of his orders being

ignored by the so called rowdy ‘children’ is nothing but someone who’s been

caught with his pants down. That was strike two!!

Free Press and for that matter free speech is the bedrock of

democracy: Do away with it and you have nothing but dictatorship or

totalitarianism. The current debacle has been of a government that cannot stand

the free media; hence the boycott of Multimedia Group. Ebeii Uncle Atta, eyi

nso fi hen? I prayed that Uncle Atta would not be privy to this nonsensical

move by the government to boycott Multimedia and this must be one of his many

irrational fire-touting Ministers. Imagine my disappointment when I read that

the President not only knew but also actually approved the boycott! This is strike

three!!!

Human race have cultures and wise sayings that tend to

intertwine with others: The Americans have “three strikes you’re out” in their

baseball terminology, the Akan’s have, “Kwasea ne dua ontia so abiesa”, and

certainly the English have, “Once bitten twice shy”. One plus one plus one is

three; One plus two is also three, therefore it all adds up to three either way

you look at it. The moral of the above statements in a nutshell is not to be

oblivious of ones morals or lack thereof in matters of personal or national

interest. President Mills has stepped on our ‘dua’ (whatever one interpret

‘dua’ to mean) for once too many. He’s had his strike 3 at the plate; it’s time

for all concerned citizens to call our President out.

Fiifi Bannerman

Toronto, Canada