In his feature article of Saturday, 13 September 2008 (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/printnews.php?ID=149862) the author accused Kennedy of hypocrisy for lashing on ex-president J.J Rawlings. In fact Kontopiaat asks very important questions that need answers but unfortunately his questions seem to be directed to the wrong person. Kennedy is only doing his work as communication chair of his party. It is sheer ignorance to assume that Kennedy should play the role of Chief Justice or Attorney General. Therefore, I find Kontopiaat’s article very misdirected and very misinformed. One wonders the intentions of the author. I hate to admit, it might be out of jealousy of the popularity of the Akuffo-Addo campaign.
Kontopiaat wrote: “His latest effusions about Rawlings unmasks the kind of hypocrisy the NPP has subjected Ghanaians to.” In my opinion, for Kontopiaat to say or suggest that Kennedy has suddenly discovered his sense of fairness, morality and ethics after lashing on J.J., is to beg the issue.
In the first place Kontopiaat needs to check his facts. To say that Kennedy graduated from some mushroom school is outrageous. Not only does Kontopiaat want us to think that Kennedy is a marginal student, which he is not, but to suggest that he is not intelligent enough for his position is totally preposterous. I do not wish to question the author of the said preposterous article of his academic pedigree or status but I can vouch that he did not have his facts right. For goodness sake, Kennedy until his departure for Ghana was the CEO of a state medical facility. He did not pay to be appointed; he worked his way up. It was a blow for him to leave his cherished position but for love of country he did.
I challenge the author of that smearing article to travel to Orangeburg, South Carolina to check the facts. Will Kontopiaat do his own investigation and stop throwing dust in our eyes? If he cannot go to South Carolina for any reasons, let him Google Kennedy and compare his notes. He may choose to ignore the citations and facts but he cannot bamboozle us.
Let readers know that contrary to what Kontopiaat would want us to believe, Arthur Kennedy has always been an “A” student and attended accredited medical schools here in the USA, Canada or and elsewhere. In all situations he excelled in his profession at all levels.
Kennedy has always been above average student. From kindergarten he’s always been at the top or within the top 5 percent in his class. But these are not as important as his record of delivery and performance out of the classroom or in the business world.
Let Kontopiaat come out to dispute the facts with solid evidence not hear-say or what he wishes to be true. Does Kontopiaat know anything about Kennedy’s education in Canada, USA and Ghana? Does Kontopiaat know anything about Kennedy’s excellence as a physician in Wisconsin? Does Kontopiaat know anything about Kennedy’s academic performance as a medical student in Legon? Does Kontopiaat know anything about Kennedy at all? I wish Kontopiaat knew what it takes for a child from a humble background to attend prestigious institutions both at home and abroad or to combine studying medicine in Korle-Bu with student politics? Yet Kennedy did not only become a Hall president but NUGS president. So how dare Kontopiaat to play down on the intelligence of Kennedy? This is the same thing they used to tell about Dr. Kwame Nkrumah yet we all know he’s by far the most visionary leader Africa has ever had.
Kontopiaat wrote, “Here is a man who knows nothing about Ghana other than his alleged plot to subvert the erstwhile PNDC government in 1982”. I do not wish to ridicule or play down on Kontopiaat’s love and admiration of his hero, J.J. but I am concerned about his misinformation to the Ghanaian public. I wish Kontopiaat had just told us about his disagreement with Kennedy and left the political smearing to the dogs. Or is Kennedy purportedly being exposed just because he is so bold to confront our former president, Mr. J.J. Rawlings of his records? Perhaps it is because he is so good as the communications director of the NPP political machine. Unfortunately the facts could be hurting but we cannot hide them for too long. We must call a spade a spade.
Kontopiaat wrote, “When Arthur Kennedy decided to abandon his medical practice with the Family Health Center in Orangeburg, South Carolina, ostensibly to contest the presidency of Ghana, he was advised by several well-meaning people to really "think twice". But knowing Arthur Kennedy and his "all knowing" self, he did not heed that advice.” My question is: What makes Kontopiaat think that Kennedy has made a mistake to go back to Ghana to serve his country? Does Kontopiaat want to suggest that one must always expect to win the first time to be considered successful? And whoever said that you can only serve your country by being the president? Since Kontopiaat understands this very well why does he want to refer to Kennedy as "all knowing?" When did self confidence and determination become a bad thing?
Unfortunately it is rather Kontopiaat who is behaving as the chief whiner and director of misinformation for his hero or political party. As a matter of fact one finds no substance or one jot of evidence from all that he wrote in his feature article of Saturday, 13 September 2008. If there was anything obvious at all, it was his desperation of the popularity of Nana Akuffo Addo rather than his hero. If Kontopiaat thinks Kennedy has signed and released any “outright lies” as he claims why doesn’t he even state one of them? Let the public now decide who is peddling cheap propaganda- Kontopiaat (for NDC) or Kennedy (for NPP)? So I put it back to those who think otherwise: Wherein lies Kontopiaat’s “veracity and logic” in his entire article?
Kontopiaat wrote “Where was Arthur Kennedy when his colleagues were "causing financial loss to the state"? If I may answer him, Kennedy was bettering his education and serving the sick.
You know what? By his own admission Kontopiaat in his article has exonerated Kennedy as not corrupt as the other politicians, including his own hero when he states that Kennedy is not part of the establishment. Mind you Kennedy did not mince words to repudiate the NPP when the time was right. Therefore one wonders if Kontopiaat is actually picking on the right person. Or is it sheer jealousy because Kennedy did not join the NDC ticket instead. I just don’t get Kontopiaat’s logic.
Okyere Bonna, www.okyerebonna.com
