Mssrs. Ibrahim Tanko and Sampson Ahi
I am writing this as a friend of Mr. Tanko, the MP for Yagaba/Kubori who made a headline in the media in Ghana last month. First I need to make it clear that I neither encourage nor condone what has happened. It was a very unfortunate situation not because it happened between two MPs from the same political party or in the parliament per se but because it happened between two good people. In my opinion this should not have happened to anyone at any place be on the streets, schools or even in the market place in Ghana. I was and I believe many of you were also saddened by what transpired on that day. It is true that all of us as people are better of today than we were before the incident. The same is true about Mr. Tanko and the Hon. Sampson Ahi who unfortunately was the person affected.
There are two things that have happened here and both show the fineness in human beings. First, Mr. Tanko I know has deeply regretted his action and has for sure learned a lesson from it. Anyone who spoke to him after the incident can feel that this is a man who knew that what he did was wrong. I can see this from his contrition and the swift apology he rendered to most importantly his colleague Mr. Ahi and the nation as a whole. Second, Mr. Ahi has shown us the good side of humans and that he is a matured person by accepting the sincere apology of his colleague and a brother.
One thing that seems obvious however, is that, many are failing to accept the fact that the MPs are humans like you and me. Yes, they are the “Honourables” and they are the lawmakers etc but we need to remember that they are our brothers and sisters, friends and school mates and they are elected from among us. It is believed that most Ghanaians are non-violent and reject any such act. However, these things sometimes do happen so the key point now is how we as humans handle them when they do occur. It means that all of us have a responsibility to show that we are better and greater than the unfortunate episode.
Finally, Mr. Tanko is a good man as far us I know him. He is someone you will love to be with all day all night. As far as I know him, he has no such prior history of violence but all I know is that good people do sometimes make mistakes. However, it is easy to know who they are by the way they manage the aftermath of an accident like the one in this case. I know Mr. Tanko is very remorseful and he has sincerely apologised to all that are bruised by this unfortunate incident. I hope he will be forgiven by the public and I thank Mr. Ahi for forgiven his colleague.
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