Who Is Our Best Leader?

Many a man can't tell the difference and thus fall for the Devil, many a times, because he is devilishly clever in mimicking God. So who is a good leader? A good leader does not begin his leadership by stealing into the House of Government like a thief at night and overthrow the people's government. Would you, ultimately and at the bottom of your heart respect a thief even if you still accept his gifts? The journey is -if not more - important as the destination. If Dr. Limann was that bad- as Prof. Mills is now- the PNDC chairman should have formed "FONKAR" to campaign against Limann. And he should remember that had it been Victor Owusu and the PFP at the Castle, no way would he have succeeded in overthrowing the 3rd Republic.

A good leader does not cowardly kill ex-presidents and murder judges, including a nursing mother. Since when did murderers become the toast of society? A good leader does not terrorize innocent women and unleash soldiers mercilessly on hardworking and defenseless - market- women for standing up for their children. Was he not born of a woman?

A good leader does not rule by force. He does not maintain his grip on power through harassment, imprisonment, killing, torture, by bankrupting and by exiling a cross section of society. He is admired by many. Even those who dislike him don't feel threatened by him or he by them.

A good leader does not institute portable water usage fee, hither to free, in the least resourced regions in the country; a move that ushered in the worst Guinea worm epidemic in the three Northern regions.

A good leader does not physically assault his Vice President nor does he verbally abuse and intimidate his deputies.

A good leader does not run his country down to the status of HIPC before leaving office. Nor does he leave more than half his people in abject poverty after 20 years in power plus the worst educational system in the world.

A good leader does not continue to disregard the democratic laws of the land by reminding the populace, twice a year, of his bloody and shameful past.

A good leader does not lose respect in the very party he founded. He never gets insulted by his own people nor publicly ridiculed by his successors.

So who is our best leader? The Devil also comes bearing gifts hence his ability to deceive and thus lead men -even the most honest of men- astray.

In the final analysis, everyone has his good and his bad side. But positives must always outweigh negatives. And while no one knows - for sure - how the Lord would judge the sins of man, man's judgment of fellow man,on the other hand, is based on subtle differences. So to get to the bottom of the truth, let us compare and contrast the good, the bad and the ugly of both leaders. Then shall we see which one would end up in the "Inferno" and which one would end up in the "Purgatorio." "Paradiso" awaits the honest judge.

Akwasi A.Afrifa Akoto