Daniel Seyoum in his article, Is Politics Really A Dirty Game? rightly stated that, politics is the most misunderstood subject matter, especially, in the mind-sets of third world countries (including Ghana). This misconception is deeply rooted in both the educated and the uneducated. For them, politics is a dirty game hence; they prefer to slam the door of their minds on everything that has to do with politics.
A renowned lecturer in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia said, “I like neither politics nor politicians”. He asserted further that, “in order to be an effective politician, you should be an expert in telling lies and making empty promises and you are expected to build the tower of your fortune upon the grave of others... Involvement in the politics of the third world is nothing more than gambling at the expense of the security of your life and your family ... Ugh! I prefer to lead a decent and secure life''.
A teenager who lost her father, a major-general in an unsuccessful coup d’etat said “I have deaf ears, blind eyes, and a mute tongue to politics…you know, politic is my eternal enemy...”
Finally, a politician who later became a labourer also said in a tone of regret that, “I made a wrong decision in my life the day I chose to study political science…I curse the day when I decided to take up political studies-yes, let the day be cursed”.
These laments are indeed regrettable.
According to Enclopedia Britannica, politics means ideology, and duty of a government and its relationship with other governments. It is a Greek word (polis) meaning, a state or city. Therefore, politics is at par with the action and manner of governing or administrating a nation.
By principle and law, politics is never a dirty game. It is not a pursuit of the devil, neither is it a task for one to exclude himself from. It is a noble pursuit, which should be undertaken by those with genuine love for the community, those with visions and entrusted missions. Politics is not a mere means of securing income.
Aspiring politicians should not forget that lawyers, doctors and the clergy are well trained before they would carry out their professional tasks; they as politicians are similarly expected to take proper political training to be qualified for their role. It must be noted that a political career marked by success and integrity demands a special type of person. Therefore political office is therefore certainly no place for a person who is materialistic. A good politician should have the community at heart. One must have a high degree of tolerance for scrutiny into his private affairs and should be willing to submit all his financial life for public consumption. A politician must be ready to answer for anything he or she has done that might be considered improper. Finally, a politician, properly so-called, should be determined not to compromise her integrity by corruption or dirty politics.
In a nutshell, I am convinced that, politics itself is not a dirty game; only, we may have some “dirty” creatures practicing politics. We MUST therefore not condemn this noble discipline because of the malfeasance of select dishonest individual. We must instead condemn those ill-acting individuals.
Relating this to Apostle Paul in Roman 14:14- I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is NOTHING unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
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