“Never was the voice of conscience silenced without retribution” – Anna Jameson.
In the 2020 general elections, each of the two main political parties, NPP and NDC, had an equal number of seats in Parliament. Thus, the deciding factor as to which side ‘carries the day’ fell on the independent candidate for Fomena in Ashanti. This MP had earlier been vilified by his ‘erstwhile’ party he loved so much, NPP, who declared him persona non grata amid an array of accusations.
Added, he was virtually sacked from Parliament, stripped of his “immunities”, declared the dark horse or is it “Oyuotumtum – dark deer,” amongst others.
To add insult to injury, the then President, Addo Show Boy, characteristic of him, openly, l mean without blinking an eye, and forgetting there was a tomorrow and that anything can and could happen, declared him to the hearing of my two Obama look-like ears and that of all and sundry that, there was no way he and by extension his Party, NPP, could work with him – not today, the day before nor the days thereafter – he can go and hang himself, after all, his name was already in the good books of Jesus Christ, having his bid to become a Catholic priest some years back botched.
According to the then minority Chief whip, now Minister for Interior, Mubarak Mutaka, all was set for this rejected cum dual disappointed gentleman (failed in his bid to be a Catholic Priest and, again, to represent the good people of Fomena on the ticket of NPP) to align himself with the other side, NDC, when BAM, BAM, BAM, a powerful Chief, without mentioning his or her name (sorry ooo, Chiefs are predominantly males) intervened, persuaded, coaxed, enticed, influenced, lured, coerced the MP to rather align with his parent Party who had earlier thrown him into the dustbin.
Will not expatiate further but granting Mutaka’s assertion holds, then that Chief has done a great disservice not only to the good people of Ghana but to humanity and generations unborn.
Personally, l believe that if that had happened – majority in Parliament coming from the opposition Party with an Executive President from the other side, more especially when Addo Show boy, aka, Joe Boy, was behind the steering wheel – what a what? Ghanaians to me, would have experienced the best form and type of governance which would have inured not only to our collective good but would also have enhanced and boosted our democracy, but NO, a Chief without consulting his gods, elders, obi – personal god, fetish, priestess, subjects, sat his somewhere and twisted history – ɛneyɛnnnɛ – things went haywire with their ‘y’ɛnntieobiara’ posturing – who cause am? – the powerful Chief.
This golden opportunity bestowed on Ghanaians by God in his infinite wisdom to redeem us from the shackles of ‘me nntieobiara’ was just spirited away by a Chief for no apparent reason but for the fact that he was a powerful Chief.
This reminds me of my no nonsense Headmaster, the late Peter Owusu Donkor, aka, Bushmeat of Opoku Ware School, (OWASS) fame.
l recall with nostalgia, our and his days at OWASS. One could not just fool and expect a shameless Chief to plead on his behalf. l learnt lately that students even go to school armed to the teeth, beat up teaching staff etc.
Mepa wo ky3w, to wit, forgive me, wasn’t in Bushmeat’s vocabulary. He will have none of that, he will ensure that one paid dearly for whatever misdeeds committed. Bushmeat is on record to have not only openly chastised Chiefs who came to his office pleading on behalf of erring students but “relocated” his own son to a less endowed school to save the generality of the student populace – “Otani nya wo naonkuwoa, hw3 ne baaniase”, kind of examples.
Bushmeat’s crusade did not end there. At morning assemblies at the Foya, he continued his chastisement without mentioning names but we knew them. Telephones and other means of instantaneous communication were not common during that era, so these “Beggar Chiefs” were sighted with their umbrellas on the corridors of the main Admin block and we knew the bad boys they were there to intercede on their behalf – Bravo, Bushmeat.
Why this long prologue? The President, John Dramani Mahama (JDM), has hinted that he will not intervene and or interfere in the ongoing investigations, prosecutions and what nots of persons alleged to have engaged in corrupt practices and other malfeasance which have cost and caused the country dearly. They must “go and remove their mouths” without any “external interventions”.
Yah, JDM has done it before, exemplified in the cases of Abuga Pele and Victoria Hammer. l have total faith in his unpredictability, subject to he delivering, when it comes to matters of corruption and other acts detrimental to Ghanaians but, A BIG BUT – Will Nananom, as discussed and mentioned earlier, the Clergy, so called eminent Ghanaians, family members, friends, Party faithfuls, School/Class mates allow him to be on his own?
Already, there are hints of influential persons canvassing, yah, parading the corridors of power to overtly tame some crimes – they have no shame. Thankfully, the Dormaahene seems not to have anything to do with these Nation wreckers and has urged the President to crack the whip. My prayer akin with the prayers of most Ghanaians is, Nananom and the likes tow Dormaahene’s example and make a public commitment not to go “abegging” for whoever and for whatever reason (s).
My training tells me that when you act as a referee for a person, you are invariably suggesting the sort of person you are – show me your friend and I shall tell you your character.
Paradoxically, even before suspects are summoned, some have started singing like canary birds, to wit, IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY OF US. If you have nothing to hide, why that lamentation, aka, CRY YOUR OWN CRY, alias, DI ASEM PA NA GYAE WO TIRI BISA or is an issue of Onipabonefodwaneabre a, obiaanta no.
Be it known to Nananom, the Clergy, so called eminent Ghanaians and those prone to begging that Ghanaians are fed up with them and shall spit red saliva at the opportune hour. They all were privy when the numerous scandals were being perpetuated and unearthed – no wonder, some are neck deep in the $58 million Cathedral saga.
In some instances, they were even approached to use their good office to halt some of these “atrocities” but they declined under the pretext of DI WO FIE ASEM – WHY THEN & NOW? They kept mute even when we were faced with existential threats amid babies being born with eyes on the forehead, six or more fingers/toes, kidney issues which are increasing at an increasing rate, among others.
As the Akans will say, “S3 w’anyabiribianma wase a, yentwa y3 hommo no krono”, to wit, if you have nothing good for vulnerable, poor and susceptible Ghanaians, the least you can do for them is not to offend their sensibilities by going “abegging” for persons who are accused of crimes against the State and have inflicted such pain and untold hardships on majority of Ghanaians.
This “Fama Nyame”, “enyehwee”, “To “air” is human”, “It Can Happen To One Of Us”, “Because s/he is from this or that stock”, have been our bane. This has consistently and persistently been championed by none, but the aforementioned. This “nonsense” must cease forthwith.
Long time l heard of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and I am doubtful if they still exist. Be it as it may, l will urge them to mount a sustainable campaign on the ills and legal ramifications of the activities of this Beggars Bridge – that their actions and inaction are akin to perverting justice, is a criminal offence for which they could be charged therewith – an example must be set out of this Beggars Brigade.
This time around, we as Ghanaians are making a passionate appeal to them, Beggars Brigade, to STAY OFF, ALLOW THE LAW TO WORK, for The Law Is The Law. There are very good Lawyers around to make NO CASE for them.
Some of the revelations are just nauseating and heart breaking. One is thus tempted to ask if they are humans, indeed, born of a woman.
l shall refrain and restrain myself from going ballistic, else l would have sent an SOS message to all the River gods in all the sixteen Regions to strike them on sight. Interestingly, before these River goddesses could strike, there was a pre-emptive strike by these looters to neutralize the efficacy of all the River gods through their illicit gold mining activities, galamsey.
How wicked can they be?