By Dr. Michael J.K. Bokor
Monday, November 25, 2016

Folks, those of us who have persistently condemned the kind of "masochistic" politics that Akufo-Addo is leading the NPP to do toward Election 2016 won't stop saying that the NPP's rogue politics constitutes the danger that will not give Ghana the peace that it needs to develop.

We have said a lot already to make it clear that although elections in a democracy are to be won at the polls, the NPP's attitude and the public posturing of its Akufo-Addo and his benighted buffs prove otherwise.

Needless clashes and physical confrontations have occurred here and there between the NDC and NPP activists, leading to destruction of limb and property. Is that really necessary in a democracy?

As if that open display of waywardness isn't enough of a disgrace, there is now a new twist. We are being told of nasty happenings at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on the occasion of the public show of sympathy to the Asantehene on the loss of his mother (the Asantehemaa, Nanas Afia Serwaa Kobi Ampem II)., who passed on about a week ago at the over-ripe age of 109 years.

I had the pleasant experience of interacting with her many years ago when I visited her on official assignments and when Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings toured the Ashanti Region before Election 1992. I remember very well how gifts (bunches of plantain, rams, goats, etc.) were showered on Nana Konadu that she quickly donated to orphanages in that part of Ghana. Those fond memories!!

Now, she is no more, just a few days after news reports had presented her as declaring her staunch support for the NPP's Akufo-Addo, a move that contravened her son's edict that chiefs in his domain shouldn't be politically partisan. Interestingly, the Asantehene couldn't take her on before Death laid its icy hands on her.

In honouring her, the Asantehene has held a durbar at Manhyia, which was attended by former Presidents Rawlings and Kufuor as well as the incumbent John Mahama. We have seen images to confirm that all of these dignitaries conducted themselves well and exchanged pleasantries. Not so for the political interests identifying with them.

Contrary to such portrayals, the Daily Guide newspaper (owned and operated by the NPP's fraudulent Chair, Freddie Blay and his wife) have put forward a report to alarm Ghanaians that untoward things happened between the NDC and NPP followers to mar the occasion.

Highlights:

1. Irate supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) nearly manhandled a known supporter of President Mahama in Kumasi, who allegedly pulled a gun on them for shouting ‘change’ in Kumasi yesterday.

2. The incident occurred at a time when President Mahama, ex-presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, had all left the dais to pay homage to Otumfuo, who was seated at a different location at the venue.

The NPP supporters were bent on mounting the dais to teach Donor Fuseini, who was panting, a bitter lesson but some stoutly-built NDC members appeared on the scene which led to a free-for-all-brawl.

3. Members of the two political parties shouted “Change” and “JM Toaso” to show to the world that they would win the December 7 polls.

The shouts of “change” intensified, especially when Nana Akufo-Addo, who was accompanied by party gurus like Freddie Blay, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh aka ‘Napo’, among others, arrived at the venue.

The ‘JM Toaso’ chants also reverberated when President Mahama and his team of high-powered government delegation stormed the venue at about 2:30pm. (Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/DCE-pulls-gun-at-Manhyia-Palace-489856)

MY COMMENTS

Was that what the occasion was meant for? Open display of indiscipline and political immaturity?

Even though I don't respect the Daily Guide for the trash that it is, I am tempted to say that if what it reported is anything to go by, then, the Manhyia Palace itself has a huge problem to solve, especially within the context of the conflicting signals coming from there in respect of the Otumfuo's warning against any open show of partisanship for political preferences which has been flouted left and right without his acting to stem the tide.

Take the poisonously forked-tongue stance of the Offinsohene as an example. Then, consider all other instances of partisanship involving chiefs in Asanteman. In all that debacle, tongues are wagging that the Otumfuo himself is an ardent supporter of President Mahama, something that didn't occur before the 2008 elections when he openly identified with Akufo-Addo as an Oyoko clan leader pulling strings to benefit Akufo-Addo.

Then, again, consider his claim that Akufo-Addo has been his personal lawyer and a close associate who served his interests gratis---a veiled message that he is an Akufo-Addo supporter.

In all this scenario, it is not difficult to see what is happening. But must the funereal moment be turned into an occasion for political imbroglio? It's disgraceful, to put it mildly. Manhyia could have controlled the situation better than what happened to give it a bad name.

It lost the chance to project peace, especially given the presence of the bitter foes (Rawlings and Kufuor) and the incumbent John Mahama, who interacted coolly and calmly to teach Ghanaians lessons in accommodation and decorum for national peace, unity, and advancement.



Those hoodlums waxing in political waywardness are over speeding to their doom. Ghana will continue to live while they die foolish deaths!!

I shall return…
E-mail: mjbokor@yahoo.com

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