I just listened to an interview of ex-president Rawlings on Adom fm which was played in bits on joyfm during its midday news on the 31st August, 2009. The Ex- president has never failed to amuse me!
He seems to be very hypocritic in his incessant calls for justice in the country and that is my personal beef with him. There is no doubt at all that, Injustice anywhere is a treat to justice everywhere. For us to be very safe in the country characters that visits mayhem on others must have the law fall on them like a big rock so us to serve as a deterrent to others.
I don’t think we leaving in a jungle whereby the strong can kill even in the market, in front of a police station, and in broadday light and go unpunished. I don’t think this was the changed or is the change Ghanaians voted for. Every Ghanaian every where will love to live in an atmosphere of peace and safety it is for this reason that, all wrong must be condemned by all irrespective of who perpetrated it. Wrong is Wrong is Wrong. Period! Ex-president Rawlings in the said interview did not understand why the killers of Issah Mobilla one time Regional chairman of the Convention Peoples party of the northern region have not as yet being brought to justice even though the suspects have at least appeared in court on two occasions in Tamale. The problem with Chairman Rawlings is that, justice is being delayed.
At least the Ex president must be reminded that, Ghana in now under a democratic regime and nobody can be arrested at dawn, killed, and his body not found up to date. Chairman Rawlings must have patience with the law no matter how slow it grinds. He simply can’t do anything about it. In a democratic dispensation justice is secured through due process and not through due force. In any case did he as President of Ghana showed justice to the High court judges who were murdered by his agents including a breast feeding Judge? Did he showed justice to the many Ghanaians who were stripped naked and molested when he presided over the affairs of mother Ghana either lawfully or criminally did he? And has he showed justice for the many Ghanaians who vanished when he was in charged of affairs of the country?
As a person who has had the opportunity to rule this country he is expected to be a statesman for all Ghanaians and not some Ghanaians but not engage in very plain hypocrisy. Why is the ex-president so very selective at calling for justice for some crimes but quite over other crimes? Yes the killers of Issah Mobilla must be brought to justice by all means but what about the following Chairman Rawlings: What about the killers at the Agbogloshie market recently. Shouldn’t they be brought to justice? Why is he not talking about that? What about the killings at Bawku Mr Rawlings?
What about the death of Salifu Maikanni who was allegedly assaulted by the BNI and died the following day. Why is he not talking about that?
What about the killings of Abu Hanifa Basha and co at Jakpahi in the Tolon Kunbungu district of the Northern region in 2004, Mr Rawlings?
What about the burning to death of Gazali in Tamale in 2004?
What about those who were killed during the Kume Preko Demonstrations Mr Rawlings? Don’t they also deserve justice?
What about the recent killings and burning of houses in Tamale?
And what about the killing of a sub Chief at Gushiegu in the Northern Region Mr Rawlings?
It is a big lists of issues but let me just end the list here. You see as a statesman it is the expectation of every Ghanaian that, you will if very sincere be engaged in collective calls for justice but not selective calls for some justice. Don’t you think you are being so very much hypocritical Mr Rawlings? My advise to the Ex-president is that, for him to be taken very serious then he must improve upon his style and modus operandi regarding his incessant calls for some justice for some to advocating for justice for all in that way we would have hailed him and asked that he be given a Nobel Prize for advocating for peace and justice in a non partisan way in his country for all!.
Ex-president Rawlings must also be told that, when Ghanaians went to the polls on the 7th December 2008 his name was not on the ballot paper for any contest. It was John Evans Attah Mills that Ghanaians voted for and not Jerry John Rawlings! So he must stay away from conducting himself as if Ghana was running a co-presidentship. We have one president and one first lady in Ghana and nothing more.
All the problems in the NDC is the handiwork of the Ex-president he goes about making inciting statements and want to dictate to the duly elected president. The elders of the NDC if they have some must tell him in his face that, his utterances and activities were inimical to the success of the NDC. He must be told that, he should respect the judgement of the elected president whether it pleases him or not. One thing is clear President Mills is President of all Ghanaians and not just president of the NDC. The Ex-president must be told loud and clear into his ears. Ghanaians should not have any reason to keep quite over the unacceptable behaviour of the Ex-president. After all he is just one of the over 25million Ghanaians in the country. Posterity will never forgive us if we refuse to talk while just one person paints the country black by his unguarded comments. May I urge ex President Rawlings to also include on his lists alleged charges of corruption against Mohammed Mumuni the foreign affairs ministers and Muntanka Mubarak the ex-sports minister when ever he is throwing corruption charges about. Infact he should include those who spent over 1.3Billion on Tea and kebabs the other time!
If he is seen to be making an all inclusive calls for justice then Ghanaians will take him serious but as long as he continuous advocating for some justice but mute over certain injustices then he will only be seen as a frustrated ex-president who wants to plunged a stable country into chaos by his commissions and omissions.
A word to the wise they say is enough!!
Akilu Sayibu UK Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk
