We Ignored the Truth...

late President Mills didn't deserve what we did to him

By Seidu Kpebu

“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people” Martin Luther King Jr.

I sat down and listened to radio and watched TV with bewildment. What was going on? Except that my president had passed away and Ghanaians, as if to say they were waiting for this day and moment, instantaneously and spontaneously started mourning and then, the unthinkable: Ghanaians raining praises and eulogies from every corner of the earth on the late President and scholar.

Ooh so the President was an angel, he was God sent, he was a King of Peace (Asomdwehene), he has provided a lot of developments needs for his people. Mmmmmm, I never thought the King of Peace has achieved anything until his death.

The 'naysayers' became the 'yeahsayers'. The only accolate I didn't hear was that the late president was the next prophet God sent after the last prophet on earth. Then I also remembered that hypocrisy and doublestandards became the mindset of some of my compatriots who are prepared to turn a blind eye to the obvious to advance a political ideology.

So if Professor Mill H.E. truly achieved what the naysayers are now touting, why the attacks on those mortal beings who have consistently preached that the King of Peace was nearly marching neck and neck with Osagyefo in terms of providing the development needs of Ghanaians? Do we now conclude that all these years people who have eulogized the 'The Prof' for his examplary life: humility, peaceful, patriotism, selflessness, integrity, incorrigible, incorruptible, God loving (not fearing), a scholar, teacher, sportsman/administrator, not vindinctive and above all father-for-all, are those who tell Ghanaians the truth?

I sincerely believe that Ghanaians will hence forth rather trust the centre-left political commentators. They are vindincated because Ghanaians and the international community have confirmed their narratives.

Now is the delimma; will the people who, before the death of the 'The Prof', launched a scathing attacks on him, once again turn around to say he performed abysmally? With all the tributes and clear evidence that he and his team chalked an unprecedented successes in just three and half years, will Ghanaians ever believe any politician or journalist who goes on radio, TV, political platform or any gahtering to claim that the NDC has done nothing?

From the north to the south, the east to west, opinion leaders, chiefs, market women, the youth, commercial drivers and all have made references in their tributes to some of the projects and initiatives he brought to their communities. Nearly every community in Ghana has one of many projects provided by the late president: he provided water, electricity, schools, factories, ICT, roads and social intervenstions to the less privileged in Ghana. This strategy of targeting the poor in Ghana was acknowledged by the United Nations when they paid tribute to him.

The President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, is determined to continue with the policy to ensure that Ghanaians are brought out of poverty and also to ensure social equity. The late president had absolute confidence in his Vice now President.

As a nation, have we learnt any lessons from our failures? No, not at all. The very dirty politics that we indulged in before the tragedy befell us is back with a venom. Then I ask, where are the civil society organisations who eulogized the late president to my admiration? Do they listen to radio, watch TV or read the newspapers? Are they on the social network sites? Do they read what is posted on those sites? If they do, what role will they play to ensure that past mistakes of political vilifications and vitriolics are not repeated.

Will the civil society organisations, religious bodies, opinion leaders and all Ghanaians protect the sitting president His Excellency John Dramani Mahama from vicious and unwarranted attacks, a fate sufferred by his predecessor?

When we elect our leaders, let's give them breathing space to work, but we can criticise them constructively if necessary. After elections political activities must be minimised.