I could not believe my ears listening to the aspiring presidential candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ex-President Mahama’s claims that he is vying for the NDC’s 2020 flagbearership slot because he owes God a duty to redeem the suffering Ghanaians from economic enslavement (emphasis mine).
In the last few months, I have been listening and reading, albeit with extreme incredulity to former President Mahama and the NDC apologists impetuous and sustained argument that the NPP government has messed up, or messing up the economy in barely nineteen months in office, and therefore will most likely return to the presidency in 2020 by the grace of God.
Believe it or not, it is quite infelicitous and largely ignoble for the NDC faithful to hide behind the biblical invocations and put words in the Almighty God’s mouth. But am I surprised? No.
After all, in Ghana today, aren’t some people who claim to be ‘Men of God’ choose to hide behind the Holy Book (Bible) and revoltingly bamboozle and swindle unsuspecting truth seekers?
Yes, the so-called ‘Men of God’ have succeeded in hoodwinking, proselytizing and fleecing unsuspecting truth seekers, who only want adulterated, more 'palatable' forms of Truth, watered down and compromised for convenience.
It is against that backdrop that the political manipulators would often seek refuge in the Holy Book and try to delude a section of the voting public into accepting that it is God who predestines someone like President Mahama to lead the nation.
Of course, the political manipulators will always succeed in brainwashing some gullible truth seekers who doubled up as eligible voters in accepting such balderdash.
Well, let us even agree that it was God who appointed Mahama to steer the affairs of the nation. But is the same God going to allow the people of Ghana to suffer again under the insensitive, corrupt and incompetent NDC government so soon?
In fact, if we were to accept the apple-polishers specious biblical narratives that it is God who ordains every leader, then, we may infer for example, that the late Saddam Hussein of Iraq was enstooled by God. And what was his fate following his perceived shenanigans? Wasn’t he brought down to his knees by God? Yes, he was humiliated in bizarre circumstances.
Well, did God also ordain leaders like Milosevic of Serbia; Charles Taylor of Liberia; Daddy Iddi Amin of Uganda; Mengistu of Ethiopia; Neto of Angola; Najibullah of Afghanistan, who brought nothing but socio-economic anguish to their citizens as it happened in President Mahama’s administration?
In fact, if those leaders were ordained by God to lead their respective nations, then I am afraid, they failed woefully and were dethroned by God accordingly.
Apparently, President Mahama’s abysmal handling of our copious resources was similitude to that of the slothful individual in the parable of the talents in Mathew 25: 14-30.
In the said parable, a man was going on a journey; he called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.
So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, and ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.
And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more. His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.
But his master answered him, ‘you wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
So he took the talent from him and gave it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mathew 25:14-30: ESV).
In President Mahama’s case, he will remain in the opposition in perpetuity for failing to make good use of all the resources at his disposal and wilfully brought untold hardships to the people of Ghana.