Roasting the 'kaiser'

“And suddenly, hammers, planks, shovels, tomahawks, and many such dangerous equipment are being directly applied to cannibalize and destroy the demoted anti-corruption crusader for daring to call a spade by its proper name, and making a fine meal of his masters on the eve of a critical election!”

His appointment was greeted with conquest, funfair, and victory for the Government. But pessimists and political sages saw in that celebratory appointment an attempt to domesticate a wild lion, or tame a democratic serpent and so they rang the alarm bells from the heights of Mount Afadjato, warning the celebrants that it would not be long before their joys were turned to sadness and their merriment into sorrow. It took some time though, but the chickens have come home to roost, and the Kaiser has stung with a bang, leaving a wave of unhappiness, disappointment, and mourning behind.

And suddenly, hammers, planks, shovels, tomahawks, and many such dangerous equipment are being directly applied to cannibalize and destroy the demoted anti-corruption crusader for daring to call a spade by its proper name, and for making a fine meal of his masters on the eve of a critical election!

It is incredible, the avalanche of attacks that have been fired from radio, TV, and print media to blow the man away and to exterminate him beyond any sense of himself. When the whole apparatus of the state is unleashed mercilessly against a common fly that escaped execution through the little hole in the attic, with his tail in his legs, know you then, that the times are evil.

But I have no sympathy for the Kaiser! Whatever he expected to accomplish in the so-called Special Office, but which in effect is no more special than any other office in the Ministry of Local Government, only the Kaiser can explain.

Appointed by an Executive Head, technically supervised by a lawful Attorney General, working with a team of borrowed officials, almost governed by a Board appointed by the President, surrounded by un-cooperative government officials eager to frustrate any rocking of the government boat, starved of relevant financial support, holed up in a three-bedroom apartment, and all these woes amplified by the high expectations of Ghanaians for the Office to perform anti-corruption wonders, it was only a matter of time before the ship sank.

And so here we are, as we were in the beginning, with millions of taxpayer money thrown down the drain, our expectations quashed miserably, and the fight against “chop chop” advancing no further than it was 28 long years into the Fourth Republic!

Kaisers don’t run away! But when a Kaiser runs away for his life with his tail in between his legs, know you then that any prognostication of anti-corruption battles in this country is only a wishy-washy sound bite, meant in jest only. Farewell, anti-corruption. Till we meet again!