President Mahama; The Communicator at CNN

President Mahama has at various times been described by his admirers as a Communicator. Some have described him as a Communications Expert, whatever that means. Given the permutation of “communication” around his profile, is it any wonder that President Mahama chose to enhance his communication prowess by posing in front of the CNN emblem at the CNN Head Office on his recent trip to the US? After all CNN is a communications powerhouse.

Since the CNN pose, some Ghanaians have expressed their comments. If what I have heard is anything to go by, then I can conclude that quite a number of Ghanaians were far from amused. The comments have not been very flattering of the President. Majority of the comments I heard suggested that the pose by the President (by a commercial emblem in the US) was far from dignifying. Indeed some bluntly said it was nothing short of a national embarrassment.

Personally, I really did not find what the big deal was over the presidential “CNN” pose. I cut the President some slack on that.

Given our diverse backgrounds, education, experiences and visions, we might do things (including top public figures, I am sure) that others might find quirky or embarrassing.

Against this backdrop, how differently might some of our past leaders have conducted themselves were they to have taken a photo opportunity in the USA (for the folks back home and the world)?

President Kwame Nkrumah schooled in the US. He was passionate about big projects that would get the African to rapidly transform her circumstances into something immensely much better. I can visualize President Kwame Nkrumah, with a pensive and far-away look on his face, taking a pose at the Hoover Dam. And all the while thinking “Akosombo Dam - forward ever, backward never”.

Prime Minister Kofi Abrefah Busia was passionate about rural development, among others. He served as a District Commissioner from 1942 to 1949. He became the first African to occupy a Chair at the University College of the Gold Coast (now the University of Ghana).

The American Highway system rapidly transformed rural America by bridging the economic gap between urban and rural centers. I can picture in my mind’s eye Prime Minister K. A.Busia posing by a signpost of Interstate I-70 in the US, and thinking …”from Bawku to Accra, we shall do it”.

General Kutu Acheampong of Operation Feed Yourself fame would probably have posed in a farm in Iowa, all the while thinking “we shall be food independent”.

President Hilla Limann, the diplomat, the French scholar, and the gentleman that he was would probably have taken a pose in front of the UN building with some world leaders to affirm his belief in diplomacy and peace.

Flight Lieutenant Rawlings will not have looked out of place in a pose by AirForce One at Andrews Airforce Base in Maryland.

President Kufuor, the lawyer, diplomat, businessman, politician par excellence, with an uncanny ability to fraternize would probably find a business icon like Warren Buffett or Bill Gates to pose with. While posing, President Kufuor would probably be saying to himself …”I need to create more Warren Buffetts and Bill Gateses in Ghana to help grow the Ghanaian economy…”.

President Mills, in a characteristic “dzi wo fie asem” manner would have probably just posed by himself. After all, he would just be minding his own business.

So why should we not cut President Mahama some slack? His predecessors would have probably done it in their own style. President Mahama’s characterization as a Communicator and his vision led him to pose by the CNN emblem at the CNN HeadOffice. And talking of vision, it will not surprise me if what twirled in the President’s mind as he posed by the CNN emblem was “CNN, E De Be K? Kur”.

Gilbert Adu Gyimah

Gilly.gyimah@gmail.com

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada