General News of Monday, 26 March 2007

Source: alhaji baba suwari, new york.

HAWA YAKUBU: Tribute

In deep sorrow,pains and grieveness, I express my heartfelt condolensces to the family,fans and to the largest extent Ghanaians who waked up to hear that death has beckoned to the land of departed souls one of their indespensable assets in Hawa Yakubu Ogedde.May ALLAH (Subbuhanna Watallah) have mercy upon her soul in the grace and grant her comfort.

Simplistically, she was brave,dedicated,generous,non-discriminant,role model, you name it.In view of her contribution to the strengthening of multi-party democracy and geo-politics of our beloved country, many would have expected that she lives longer but when the times comes, nobody can stand against the wish of the omniscent ALLAH.

Hawa was a very generous person who was not stingy in sharing her wealth and knowlege with people in the interest of progress.She always thinked positively about peolple around her and helped solve their family and financial problems if it is within her capability.One unique characteristics that endeared her to most of her acquantances is her frankness and relaibility which is very important in life.She just recently helped to raise funds to assist children in the war-torn Dafur region of Sudan, a humanitarian gesture for which I believe the Almighty ALLAH will have mercy upon her if not any thing at all.

One important contribution of madam Hawa without which this tribute would be incomplete is how she used her heroic and vocal characteristics to define democracy in Ghana as defined by the legendary Abraham Lincoln and I quote "Goverment of the people,by the people and for the people".When the culture of silence was at it's peak in Ghana, she was among the activists who stood up and fought for the voiceless.In the NDC dominated first parliament of the Republic of Ghana which was boycotted the NPP,she was the only indepedent candidate who fought tooth and nail to stop the then majority NDC from making policies that will only favour them. One typical example being the Serious Fruad Office Bill which lead to the birth of the Serious Fraud office which is now an important institution fighting corruption in Ghana.It therefore came as no suprise to Ghanaians when parliament eulogised the former legislator for her contributions to the strengthening of that organ of government.

Human as she was, she is not infallible and therefore susceptibe to some level of shortcomings and inadequacies.I believe the untimely death of the "Iron Lady" might have touched people's heart such that, all those she had offended would forgive her and wish her well in the grave.

When the time comes for the re-codifying of the history of Ghana, it will be reduced to a piece of infantile intellectual mockery and satirical mimicry if Madam Hawa's name does not get a place in it.

I hope her offsprings Derek,Amanda and DD grow up to be responsible citizens of Ghana and continue the good work of their late mum. Damirifa Due Madam Hawa!