By Kofi Thompson
Yesterday I went to the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) national headquarters to see if I could talk to Jake Obestebi-Lamptey, the party’s chairperson - as background research for an article I was planning to write.
Not wanting to leave the car unattended, I sent a young lady I saw talking to some young men who were sitting outside in front of the building, to ask him if it was convenient to talk to him.
Being who I am, whiles waiting for the young lady to return with an answer to my message, I joined in their conversation - telling them that violence was not a path ordinary Ghanaians were interested in. This was in reply to a chap who was recounting what someone he overhead had said.
Apparently the person had said that if an Obroni (Twi for white person to the uninitiated) had somehow smuggled a bomb into Ghana, he would have gladly taken it to the Black Star Square and detonated it at the inauguration ceremony of President Mahama.
The code “peace without justice” was a phrase I heard someone use – whereupon I promptly told them that Nana Akufo-Addo was a good and decent man who would never approve of violence by any of his followers.
The 4-year mandate of the Mahama administration would pass in no time at all, I told them. Perhaps Ghanaians would vote their party back to power again then. Naturally that did not go down too well, alas.
However, it must be said in their favour, that on the whole they were good-natured - and considering the obvious hurt they must feel, were not hostile to me at all. And I did not feel threatened in any way too.
Judging from the obvious disappointment of those young men, the leadership of the NPP has its work cut out restraining the more extremist of their followers.
Jake Obestebi-Lamptey is on record as saying that the NPP disapproves of violence, and would not shield any of its members resorting to violence of any sort – which in his view was purely criminal.
From what I heard, most of which I prefer to keep to myself, Ghanaians of goodwill must pray without ceasing, for the leadership of the NPP. God must grant them wisdom and guide all of them at this very trying time for their party and its followers.
Above all, they must not forget that the next election will be in four short years. A nation in chaos and in the throes of a civil war, will be of no use to anyone then, will it?
Tel: 027 745 3109.
Email: peakofi.thompson@gmail.com
