Opinions of Thursday, 26 November 2015

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Better Not be Shallow-minded in Addition to Having a Short Memory

It is public knowledge that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, the President of the Republic of Ghana, has declared in public to the whole world that Ghanaians have a SHORT MEMORY. Following this perception of his about Ghanaians, he goes on to do what he likes when he likes regardless of most of his actions and policies being very irresponsible and preposterous.

He gets away with his corrupt policies and ill-mannered behaviours with even some equally political novices goading him on, applauding him for depicting such politically incorrect manners all because Ghanaians have such a short memory; they will not recollect a minute later the bad things he has said about them or done to them.

After insulting the intelligence of Ghanaians in whatever way he thinks is appropriate, probably according to a dimwit's mind-set, he will soothe their pain with sweet words and promises, lies of course, and then the offended people for the fact of having a short memory, will be back on "buddy buddy" terms with him.

As usual, let me define what is meant by having a short memory. Short memory means forgetfulness which means consistent inability to remember.

As long as Ghanaians cannot in general remember the pains of yesterday but just the joy of today and even if they can remember that of today, President Mahama will take us for fools all of the time.

"Opana" Mahama alias "dead goat" knows what he is doing. He is getting away with how derogatorily he looks down on Ghanaians with impunity yet we have got sorry to say, some equally unwise and corrupt Ghanaians to rally to his defence when he comes under attack by some discerning Ghanaians who are prepared to flay and cut him up with types of knives that will make the "dead goat" feel some pains.

Why do we desire that a dead body (corpse) of a family member is treated with respect from bathing, laying in state to burial? Is the person not dead? Does the body care however it is treated? Why do we take pains to treat the bodies nicely and pay them our last respect even though we shall be interring them within hours if not in minutes?

Therefore, for President Mahama to come out sarcastically to insult Ghanaians that he is a "dead goat" thus, "Odwanfunu or aponkyefunu" so he does not care about whatever anyone says about him in their attempts to constructively or destructively correct him is just unfortunate.

If we care about the dead and treat them nicely, why should a sitting President decide to snob Ghanaians (the living) by his philosophical myopic sarcasm of dead goat; disrespectful show of nonchalance towards Ghanaians who voted him, either legally or illegally, to power.

In my view, a person with such a belief is not fit to be a friend let alone, the President of a country. A civilized President in a civilized society is accountable to the governed all of the time if he cares to know. He cannot continue to behave as though ascending to the presidency is his birth right as pertains in our traditional chieftaincy system hence have the prerogative to run his mouth at Ghanaians as and when he likes.

Yes, Ghanaians may have a short memory but it will be a disaster if they as well become shallow-minded. What then is to be shallow-minded, you may wish to know? Shallow-minded means lacking intellectual or mental depth or subtlety.

If we are not shallow-minded, how come that we clap our hands for, or give, President Mahama, a standing ovation when he demeans us in his most often thoughtless speeches interjected with insults e.g. This is baloney, I am a dead goat, what advice can anyone who hasn't ever been a President offer me, Ashantis can't speak English etc.?

He laughs at Ashantis for their inability to pronounce "R" or speak English yet we have some greedy Ashantis including our chiefs, principally ASANTEHENE, following him with all their heart, mind and soul because as the whole government is riddled with graft, bribery, and corruption, they will surely have their share of the loot if they support him. What a matching perfect situation of "show me your friend and I shall tell you your character?"

It is only in Ghana and among Ghanaians that "the knowledge of English is the criterion of a man's great learning". Here is a man who raps (slang) English like "Ako" (parrot) yet he is incompetent in the management of Ghana.
I, personally, will prefer someone who cannot speak the Queen's language (English) with English accent but can better manage Ghana to someone who speaks perfectly well the English language but is too corrupt and cannot manage the country well.

Mind you, once an English parliamentarian said, "English belongs to the English people. Some people may learn to speak English with the English accent, eat, dress and behave like English people but still, Englishness belongs to the English people" – "Woyiwa" (there we go), Mr Dead Goat.

Any Ghanaian who is not shallow-minded will not clap for President Mahama when after underestimating your intelligence as he often does, comes back to fool you with sweet words and there and then, you forget about all the bad things that he has done to you over the years. After all these years that many Ghanaians have been suffering from various forms of financial or economic hardships; no jobs, no electricity for your large and small scale industries coupled with official thievery depleting the national coffers of money meant for the infrastructural developments for the collective benefit of Ghanaians, we still have Ghanaians who have not realised how President Mahama takes them for fools.

President Mahama by his behaviour is indeed telling Ghanaians that we are shallow-minded but as sly as fox as he has always been, he prefers using the phrase "have a short memory"

Do Ghanaians now understand what President Mahama, the "awu nnya dee President" as always said by Kofi Tottenham in London, takes us for?

If we were not shallow-minded, we would not be clapping our hands for him if after all these years of suffering, he starts cutting swords for new projects that he knows he cannot complete, to be started in election year. Is that not a clever way of fooling his perceived shallow-minded Ghanaians or Ghanaians that have a short memory to re-elect him in 2016 for a second term in office?

Is he not right to treat us derogatorily as he does if we continue to smile and clap for him when he insults us instead of rebuking him?

Rockson Adofo
(Up and coming political strategist who has prophesies hidden in his write-ups if people might care to find them out. He is the champion of liberating the minds of Ghanaians from inferiority complexes, educating them on their rights and taking pretenders to straight to the cleaners without hesitation)