The politics of villification

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• All Die Be Die 10 years ago

  Mr. Kennedy, it's profoundly amusing how you're trying hard to catch flies with honey, in your attempts to be in the good books of the NPP Warlord Mr. Akuffo Addo, after you've been verified by his staunched followers followi ...
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  Mr. Kennedy, it's profoundly amusing how you're trying hard to catch flies with honey, in your attempts to be in the good books of the NPP Warlord Mr. Akuffo Addo, after you've been verified by his staunched followers following the publication of your books indicting him for the loss of the presidency in 2008.
  
  At any rate, who will be mediate among the belligerent and feuding political parties in Ghana if the priets who are supposed to play that role take sides with one political party? How neutural will there be? In your subconscious mind, do you think an avid NPP supporter like Rev. Bishop Martey will be a neutural mediator to mediate between the NPP and NDC? You see, the likes of Otabil, Martey and Palmer Buckle have clearly demonstrated their political leanings and biases and therefore have lost the credibility of being neutural arbiters in the Ghanaian political terrain.

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• CHRISTOS CHRISTOFF 10 years ago

  Thank you sir

  Thank you sir

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• Prof Lungu 10 years ago

  We will be the first to admit that we do not know much about which priest is meeting with which politician, why, and to what effect.
  
  True agendas are never published on TV, after all!
  
  In the main, we do not care about ...
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  We will be the first to admit that we do not know much about which priest is meeting with which politician, why, and to what effect.
  
  True agendas are never published on TV, after all!
  
  In the main, we do not care about personal religious agendas to the extent it is divisive and has, as history shows, little role in promoting effective public policy that serve the average person in the street. So, if priests can bring politicians together to engender peace and/or good policy, we say go forth. In that sense we will be very careful not to exclude Imans, and every other religious and/or traditional leader(s), including women. (Or. maybe we missed something there).
  
  Further, we should not assume so much in these "personal" matters. To the point, it is actually debatable that "Priests...(have)... calling to promote peace,..".
  
  Of what practical effect is that "calling" if the "priest" instead spends more time amassing fortunes, seeking power, or blessing dictators and sanitizing history for their joint-benefit?
  
  We see some of those influences, in addition to conflation of factors, and sanitization of facts, in Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy's essay on "Vilification"!
  
  On just this one point for instance, we learn that....
  
  READ: "...We permitted Danquah to die on a cold prison floor, away from his family and have since happily tried to justify our dereliction by calling him a traitor!..."
  
  WE SAY: What is that supposed to mean, really? Who did what? Is Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy trying to say there are no causes and effects, that a prison in the Ghana of 1960s ought to have been as comfortable as his bedroom, or that prisons themselves do not "promote peace" at a certain level?
  
  How many people does Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy know, or read about, that lost their lives and their livlihoods as a result of political violence that had Danquah and Busia in the middle?
  
  How many times did Danquah decline offers to join Nkrumah's Unitary Ghana government for "peace" in Ghana?
  
  THEN THIS: "...We permitted both Nkrumah and Busia to die in lonely exile, far from their loved ones."
  
  WE SAY: The record is clear. It shows that Busia was part of the coup detat that overthrew Nkrumah and sent him into "lonely exile".
  
  So, how do we think it is logical and appropriate to conflate Nkrumah with Busia on this one point?
  
  In our upcoming essay, "What Ghana-Centered/Ghana-Proud Means To Us!", we talk about that:
  
  "...This explains the confusion in every Hall of Ghana Government (Judiciary, Parliament, Tourism, Education, History, Culture, Bank of Ghana, Forestry, Oil and Mining, Energy and Power, Technology, Environmental, Ambassadorial, Academy of Arts and Sciences, etc.)...", and even among many intellectuals who will stride both sides of the "peace fence" when it suits their agenda, of the moment.
  
  Peace!

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• All Die Be Die 10 years ago

  What this Arthur Kennedy guy is saying, in effect, is that the NPPians are more Ghanaians than the rest of us and therefore have the right to villify others but they can't be held to the same standard; what hypocrisy and fals ...
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  What this Arthur Kennedy guy is saying, in effect, is that the NPPians are more Ghanaians than the rest of us and therefore have the right to villify others but they can't be held to the same standard; what hypocrisy and false sense of entitlement. To Arthur Kennedy, what was the motivation of Kuffuor trying all means to jail Tsatsu by elevating Justice Afreh to the Supreme Court after he and Akuffo Addo had been floored earlier on? What was the motivation of arresting Tsatsu in the church of all places as well as jailing Kwame Peprah, Ibrahim Adams and Sipah Yankey, coupled with the death of Salomey in prison, under those bizarre and frivolous circumstances? Mr. Kennedy, it looks like the NDC government is treating you people with kids' gloves, looking at all the acrimonies and deep seated hatred your government sowed in the country. You're very luck so don't sit here pontificating to me about poilitical villifcation whereas you perfectly know where it emerged from.

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• Prof Lungu 10 years ago

  All Die Be Die,
  Based on the content of the essay, we agree with you in principle.
  
  Nevertheless, we beg to depart with your "...it looks like the NDC government is treating you people with kids' gloves, looking at all th ...
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  All Die Be Die,
  Based on the content of the essay, we agree with you in principle.
  
  Nevertheless, we beg to depart with your "...it looks like the NDC government is treating you people with kids' gloves, looking at all the acrimonies and deep seated hatred your government sowed in the country...", even with your "it looks like" caveat.
  
  Greetings!

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• C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago

  Arthur, are you just waking up from a long slumber of several years?
  
  Is it not your party leaders and members who introduced this vilification and demonistation politics into Ghana's body politic? Was it not Busia himself, ...
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  Arthur, are you just waking up from a long slumber of several years?
  
  Is it not your party leaders and members who introduced this vilification and demonistation politics into Ghana's body politic? Was it not Busia himself, leader of the NLM and then the PP, that started it? Or, do you want me to refresh your memory? Which one should I post? Telling It As IT Is or the Tribal Imbroglio?
  
  The chickens are simply coming home to roost, not that I agree with some of the stupid comments some NDC members make here.
  
  Btw, I was lodging on Legon campus during the holidays when you guys planned the revolt against the PNDC. I knew that it was the decision to introduce compulsory military service for students, in addition to the National Service, by the PNDC that was the main motivating factor - not any quest for democracy - that led you guys to that decision. The teasing of some of your executives by a friend (Abbott or Kobla) doing post graduate diploma in librarianship didn't help much. He, like myself, had already done national service and knew he wouldn't be affected but when the aluta started, he couldn't finish his course and left to Norway. luckily. It was your own self-interests that started the whole aluta. Not surprised you joined the NPP.
  
  Andy-K

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• Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 10 years ago

  C.Y.ANDY-K, I can tell you for a fact that PNDC never planned to introduce compulsory military service for students in Ghana. If anyone ever told you that there was such a plan, that was simply a big lie. In fact, the militar ...
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  C.Y.ANDY-K, I can tell you for a fact that PNDC never planned to introduce compulsory military service for students in Ghana. If anyone ever told you that there was such a plan, that was simply a big lie. In fact, the military was strongly opposed to such ideas.
  
  I do remember our office attempted to organise mass military training for PDCs and WDCs in border areas supported by Sgt Aloga Akatapore but other members of the PNDC, especially WO Adjei Boadi, the late PV Obeng and Opkanya (Rawlings) himself were opposed to it.
  
  I also worked with some military offices who were attached to our secretariat as well as good contact with senior officers such as the late Captain Quarshiega of the PNDC Secretariat and the idea of even some of us being trained and given arms for self protection was regraded as a threat and a challenge to the military. The PNDC would not have survived if such plans were ever entertained. It was probably one of those rumours at the time.
  
  Though I was not a PNDC member or PNDC Secretary, I had very good knowledge of government policies as the senior officers I worked with trusted me to to discuss matters discussed at PNDC and PNDC Secretaries' meetings with me and I never recollect such idea being planned.

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• Yaw Ohemeng 10 years ago

  Yes, I wrote that article. No I did not vilify you. My calling for you to be treated as an enemy combatant was in the intellectual sphere.
  
  I pointed out that you never got the opportunity to exhibit whatever leadership qu ...
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  Yes, I wrote that article. No I did not vilify you. My calling for you to be treated as an enemy combatant was in the intellectual sphere.
  
  I pointed out that you never got the opportunity to exhibit whatever leadership qualities you may have because universities were shut down. That is a fact. I pointed out that you were chased out by agents of government of the time.
  
  I pointed out that the experiences after shows that you were never invested with any overwhelming political skills.
  
  These are all facts and not vilification. Contrast that with articles you have written. You have called people thieves who divert campaign resources. You have not provided proof and no one has been found guilty of such.
  
  You call people tribalists and yet you went on to tag others 'Akyem Mafia'. If what I wrote was vilification then I'm in good company.
  
  I do want an intellectual engagement to douse the flame currently raging in the NPP. Going this way is not my style. Let's find the space and heart to debate this intellectually.

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• kwadwo. 10 years ago

  I guess your piece really exposed this hypocritical former student leader.

  I guess your piece really exposed this hypocritical former student leader.

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• Osei Kofi 10 years ago

  Your piece was one of the most despicable piece of vilification I have read on the web.To call that a balance truth only tells you how politically empty and biased a character you are.Your piece lacked intellectual depth an ...
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  Your piece was one of the most despicable piece of vilification I have read on the web.To call that a balance truth only tells you how politically empty and biased a character you are.Your piece lacked intellectual depth and therefore was empty of content only vile untruths.

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• Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 10 years ago

  Dr Yaw Ohemeng, I was in Manchester on Thursday but did not know how to contact you. I drove my daughter to begin the next phase of her life at Manchester University. I hope the next time I come to visit her we can meet up.
  ...
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  Dr Yaw Ohemeng, I was in Manchester on Thursday but did not know how to contact you. I drove my daughter to begin the next phase of her life at Manchester University. I hope the next time I come to visit her we can meet up.
  
  I remember I did express concern about the title of your last article and I am not surprised Dr Arthur Kennedy has responded to it though in general term. Well, I also get people criticising me for the choice of titles. Have a nice Sunday.

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• Yaw Ohemeng 10 years ago

  Hi Kofi thank you. If I know of your coming next time, I will give you my contact details. I chose the title for dramatic effect. Things were straying into personal territory,,which needed a strong reaction.
  
  I am not offe ...
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  Hi Kofi thank you. If I know of your coming next time, I will give you my contact details. I chose the title for dramatic effect. Things were straying into personal territory,,which needed a strong reaction.
  
  I am not offended in any way. We all want to enhance the chances of the NPP but our methods differ.

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• Akwesi 10 years ago

  Do you remember what Kwesi Pratt, Fred Abgenyo and other NDC members said about Otumfour during the mv ben game trail. Have you also forgotten about what they said to him during the Techiman Tuobodom issue. Give us a break wi ...
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  Do you remember what Kwesi Pratt, Fred Abgenyo and other NDC members said about Otumfour during the mv ben game trail. Have you also forgotten about what they said to him during the Techiman Tuobodom issue. Give us a break with your constant attack on Nana Add, you know nothing about politics.

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• Prempeh Forson 10 years ago

  Dr. Kennedy, I am one of the people who strongly disagree with your style of handling NPP issues given the fact that you have once held a leading role in the party. I do not think that a person in your position would have bee ...
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  Dr. Kennedy, I am one of the people who strongly disagree with your style of handling NPP issues given the fact that you have once held a leading role in the party. I do not think that a person in your position would have been denied audience in any quarters of the party had you sought to address your concerns and also offer the advices you have being putting out in public hoping that your party leaders see and take on board. Better still you could be in Ghana sitting on one of the committees in the party and advising on issues. In politics it is common sense that you do not provide your opponent the weapon to destroy you but it seems that's exactly what you so often do unless the individuals you attack publicly are actually more of your opponents than the NDC.
  
  I think the examples you have cited are not valid. Here is why: I do not agree with Jerry Rawlings, in fact I dislike him for what he has done in this country. He led the slaughtering of people for crimes far less than what he ended up committing. Jeo Feli was killed for taking loan to go into agriculture and later Mrs Rawlings took loan in a manner far dubious than Joe Feli, state assets were sold to her, Mr Rawlings is a millionaire today and I do not know his company, if he has one the fact that he hasn't made it publicly known in itself is even questionable. But occasionally Mr. Rawlings say things that I agree with. For example I totally agree with him that Ablakwa, Felix, Hannah Bissiw etc are all mediocre appointees. I can cite him but it still doe not change my view of him. Afari Gyan is another. There are clear examples of his misconduct, arrogance and incompetence. It is possible for him to have connived with different regimes at different times. Such is the corrupt nature of Africans. Otumfuor is a close associate of John Mahama, I can't say for sure if he had anything to do with the supreme court case. We all saw what went on. Victoria Hamma hinted on roles some people had played behind the scenes to ensured that Mahama won. I doubt that Otumfuor had anything to do with it but even if he did it doesn't mean that if Otumfuor makes a fair point on any issue it shouldn't be cited. Ben Ephson in my view is biased. I don't fault him, he has every right to be bias. He votes and has who he wants to vote for. It again doesn't mean that if he makes a point and one sees it as fair point it should not be cited. You Dr. Kennedy wants us to believe that if a person makes one fair point it means every other point he has made or yet to make must be viewed as fair. That's neither here nor there. Even a wicked person sometimes does act of kindness. Ben Ephson is bias person, Kwasi Pratt is bias but once in a while they make fair points that can be cited. As we recognize their biases we must also recognize their fair points. You Dr Kennedy seem to be happy with portraying yourself as an honest person by speaking out publicly against your party and enjoying praises from the NDC supporters or equally dissenting view in the NPP. You must know that there will always be dissenting views in every group, society and nation. this is why we have factions in the NPP, NDC etc. Even in Churches there are dissenting views, there are some that think Catholic fathers should be allowed to marry and others who think otherwise. In a nation this is why we have different political parties seeking to develop the country through different methods. So please accept it and stop destroying the chances of Nana Addo. If you become a leader of the party there is no way you won't have opposition within. Kufuor had oppositions but Kufuor won not because of his special character as everyone wants us to believe but rather because all the members buried their difference and worked hard to make sure he won. If Alan, yourself, Nyaho Tamakloe etc do not agree to bury the differences and work for the party to win, the party will remain in opposition and Nana Addo will not be blamed. The least you can do is to stop attacking your leader in public.
  
  If you have anything to say to me on this you can email me: prempeh.forson@gmail.com

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• Chabba 10 years ago

  Please Arthur Kennedy you better shut up with all your pretences now! Now you are talking about vilification, you see how it feels? You have consistently vilified Nana Akuffo Addo for no justifiable reason except that he is a ...
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  Please Arthur Kennedy you better shut up with all your pretences now! Now you are talking about vilification, you see how it feels? You have consistently vilified Nana Akuffo Addo for no justifiable reason except that he is a threat to your vaulting quixotic ambition of becoming NPP flagbearer. God is a God of Justice and He takes our motives and intensions very seriously so never ever think you could have your way in the long run through injuries and injustices to others.

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