Can I be blunt with you for a moment? Not just direct, but say some things that will make some people mad? Because you see, the world has changed. Real life is often counterintuitive. That in itself says something.
And unlike the rest of his high-flying brothers-of-the-secretary-generals-speeches, Greenstreet has chosen to step publicly into the minefield of political inequality. That is brave and praise-worthy.
With all the political insults, the debate has proven that the NDC's Congress platform is probably a more effective place to sermonize from than even a political office.
To begin with, I have an inexplainable yet incredibly strong feeling for revolutionaries who have the courage to stand up against the status quo. They are always misconstrued, yet, they are the ones who are standing up for human rights.
I doff my hat for Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, though I don't share his political leanings however for his courage for stating the obvious as it should, in his solidarity message during the NDC Congress is worth celebrating.
Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. No matter how much the truth hurts, it will never hurt as bad as the betrayal that comes with living a lie.
The NDC acts of moral turpitude; especially the President makes the Party insignificant when discussing issue based topics. It is extremely worrying to have a President responding to genuine criticisms and his effrontery to cast aspersions and innuendos or sometimes insulting, in the long term reveals the person and disposition of John Mahama.
Yes, never I have seen a nation so carried away by unreasoned passion, in criticizing in a demeaning manner its own, for no reason other than they have dared to be different. Also have never seen a nation in which dissatisfaction and resentment is so much and yet not capable to unite; do the right thing without persecuting the character of those who has dared to try to take our country on a different direction.
Never have seen people well versed in spreading intemperate gossips and hearsay and speculation that adds absolutely no value to our cause.
We are now a people of educated denigrates, quick in pulling down those who have enough courage and confidence to dream and not fearful to step up to challenge the status quo.
There is nothing wrong with Abdulah Ishaq Farrakhan challenging the status quo, and he should be applaud his bravery within the NDC caucus.
There is nothing wrong with Nana Addo challenging the status quo, he has contributed significantly to creating democratic space in Ghana.
Like the “Doyen of Gold Coast politics”, J. B. Danquah, and others before him, Akufo-Addo used his law practice to champion the cause of human rights, rule of law, justice, freedom, and democracy.
In fact, most momentous constitutional cases of our contemporary era, safeguarding the independence of the judiciary and the right of the citizen to demonstrate without police permit, were undertaken by him.
I have a great measure of respect for what he has done and how, out of the millions of cowards, he among others put themselves in harm’s way to challenge Rawlings. Just as Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, they are worthy of all the laudatory notices and must be acknowledged as such, as a national heroes.
Our collective difficulty today should be how we can carry our country on a new politically, realistic structured changes? Definitely to achieve any consequential advances, we must create new systems and review present procedures in our political discourse and it should be our collective responsibility - not built around any personality.
Ghana belongs to all of us - no group of people has an exclusive right to it. There is need for us to continually renew our leadership so that nobody ever plays the big man again. We do not want to ever be complicit in creating a dictator in any form or shape whatsoever. As this requires leadership accountability at all levels of our society.
The new phenomenon must be all-inclusive of the people in creating a new state. This includes those outside our borders. Our society must be based on the universal principles of freedom, equity, justice and the right to pursue ambitions without being limited by the state.
Finally, it must be based on the maximization of our potential as a country and the restitution of past injustices against all those who have suffered or been dispossessed.
Isn’t it therefore right that anyone of us, regardless of their position in our society, who behaves contrary to our political observations, must be subject to sanction? Our society must learn to focus on the issues – not on personalities - because none of us are perfect. However we must respect and duly honor those among us who at least stand for what is right.
We all know why we are where we are as a country. We have allowed a group of kleptocrats to dominate us and do as they please with our lives. We seem to have accepted that we are underlings and that we can be abused. That mentality needs to stop.
I want to encourage the likes of Abdullah Ishaq Farrakhan to be steadfast in these times. Nobody has the monopoly of political power. I have also noted that whenever one decides to take a new path, one cannot expect the multitudes to applaud and immediately follow. Leadership is a lonely journey only to be taken by a few of us who have the conviction and the courage to do so.
We must learn how to create choices for ourselves. We need more strong political parties with a new approach to our problems. We need new thinking and new language. For goodness sake, let those who have the conviction come forward and let us not pull them down. Ultimately we will all be the winners.
It has also been my conviction that those who seek to lead must prove to us that this is not all about them but about putting Ghana First.
We must hold them accountable to the standards we now expect: utmost dedication to the cause of freedom for all, selfless service, an inclusive approach, accountability and smart thinking on how to get our economy out of trouble.
I respect and support any Ghanaian who believes in democracy and does not think that they are the only ones with the answers and therefore entitled to lead us. I respect any Ghanaian who dares to be different and challenge this status quo, as long as they stand for what is right; our freedom and our right to self-determination.
Those who are quick to respond to genuine truth and facts suffer from amnesia needing critical attention. They prefer conformity as against reality. They will hate you for standing up to challenge the status quo.
Governance is not just a game of clashing parties and competing interests. The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.
There Is Nothing Wrong Challenging The Status Quo, Mr. President!
