I read the distasteful press conference by a group called the Ga-Adangbe, complaining about the government’s omission and neglect of Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Tawiah III. I rather thought the omission of the Ga Mantse from the program was for the sole purpose of neutrality and mutual respect for the feuding factions in the chieftaincy dispute. But one faction (Ga Adangbe) felt offended and left out. The last time President Mills accepted a congratulatory message from the Ga Mantse; the opposing factions took President Mills to task and accused him of siding with Nii Tawiah III. What do the Ga people want??? Maybe to divide Greater Accra into two for them to co-exist and accept each other.
The government’s omission of the Ga Mantse should serve as a wake up call to get this cheap chieftaincy issue resolved once and for all. Until unity is achieved amongst them, they will never gain any meaningful recognition from this government or any future government. They have to show to the world that Nii Tackie Tawiah III is the one and only chief for all Gas, then the government will follow suit. Obama’s visit to Ghana is for all Ghanaians not just for Ga Mantse and I do not think the government will ever say no to him if he still wants to be at the durbar in honor of President Obama.
Ghanaians do not need any tribal sentiments at this crucial moment, when we have proved to the whole world how matured we are during the general elections. Such trivial tribal sentiments have resulted in tribal and civil wars in so many parts of Africa. What if the Ashantis, Dagombas, Ewes and other regional house of chiefs, who speak with one voice, start holding press conferences and protesting? Then maybe we might have to tell President Obama that the “Air force One” had a flat tire and it might take a week to fix it, so he should take a tour to visit all the ten regional chiefs.
The Gas have always accused successive government for the woes but not themselves. They see evil in other people, but not the enemy within them. Had the Mills government included Nii Tawiah III in Obama’s program, what will the four Royal Houses who have opposed the Ga Mantse do? They would not only accuse President Mills of siding with Nii Tawiah III, but accuse Obama of supporting Ga Mantse because Mrs Naadu Mills is a Ga and maybe on the Ga Mantse’s side. While countries like Nigerian and Kenyan are still furious, with some blaming their government, for Obama’s choice of Ghana, we are also not PROUD of ourselves but complaining.
The first to start was the NPP North America, trying to do the impossible task of killing the visit. Then followed the Ga Adangbe complaining about who to invite and where obama should be going. They did not bother to check the authenticity of their facts before the press conference. How credible is the Ga Adangbe group, if they could come out with inaccurate information that Obama will be going to the Ashanti Kingdom, when he’s not. Thank Odumankuma (God) Fiifi Mills is NOT an Ashanti. What if he is going to the Ashanti Kingdom? Yes he can, because the Ashanti have only one King, the Asantehene, how about you Ga Adangbes???
Please do yourselves a favor, go home and iron out your differences and come back again. Ghanaians will be waiting and will listen when you speak with one voice. For those who care to know I am NOT an Ashanti, Northern or a Ga, but a GHANAIAN and even if I’m a Northerner and the Northerners starts complaining like “cry-babies” as did the Ga Adangbe, I will tell them the same facts, because facts are sacred.
Muhammed Suraj Sulley Jawando (LRT) NY Presbyterian hospital, New York msjawando@gmail.com / mjawando@yahoo.com
