“You can't blame anyone else, …, no one but yourself. You have to make your own choices and live every agonizing day with consequences of those choices” — Max Brooks.

I'm a Muslim, and a very staunch one at that. I believe in the oneness of Allah and His omniscience. I also believe in “qadr” (destiny) as an article of faith in Islam. But I'm not foolish to believe that everything that happens in one's life had been pre-ordained.

Yes, you heard right! It isn't everything that happens in one's life that has been predetermined. Some, if not most, of the things that happen to us on this earth are as a result of the choices we make. Good choices produce good results and the reverse is also very true.

You see, there comes a time in a man's life when he is faced with the difficulty of choosing among many alternatives. Whatever choice he makes has its advantages and disadvantages. In making his choice, he should be prepared to live with the consequences of his action. Blessed, therefore, is he who makes a good choice; and misery becomes the lot of he who makes a wrong choice.

There is this beautiful damsel who had the onerous duty of choosing between two handsome men. One is sweet-tongued. He promised her heaven on earth, claiming he was as pious as 'Yesu Kristo' himself. He also pledged to shower love on her to prove he cared for her. His mantra anytime he visited the beautiful damsel was 'I care for you'. He subsequently came out with the “e dey be keke” mantra.

Being very honest, the other gentleman tried as much as possible to paint a very true picture for her. He told her life was not a bed of roses so she should not allow herself to be fooled by the sweet words being whispered into her ears. He however promised to do everything in his power to make life comfortable for her.

Oblivious of the fact that the first bloke was only singing the tune she wanted to hear, the beautiful lady did not even ponder over it before making her choice. The sweet promises hoodwinked her into choosing the sweet-tongue chap over the honest bloke. The two love birds hugged and kissed as the loser walked miserably back home to lick his wounds.

Almost eight years on and the beautiful damsel is yet to see any of the goodies promised her. The sweet promises have all turned into bitter realities. Indeed, the man who promised her heaven on earth has now made life a living hell for her; and the once beautiful lady who was the cynosure of all eyes is now a pale shadow of herself.

On the other hand, the man looks fresh and is always neatly and flamboyantly dressed. He spends lavishly on his numerous girlfriends at the detriment of his wedded wife.

Interestingly, whenever the wife complains of the deplorable situation in which she finds herself, the loafer of a husband shamelessly responds that even the Bearded Old Man above knows he is trying. She should therefore accept the situation because it is destiny that has brought them together.

Destiny? I can't think far oo! Is it not obvious that the lady is only reaping the consequences of the bad choices she made since 2008?

Abusuapanin, I know this puzzle would not be difficult to decipher. The hardship my compatriots and I have had to endure since January 2009 is enough for us to accept that we made a very grave mistake in choosing the Zu-za in 2008 and 2012 polls. For sure, the Bearded Old Man above did not choose incompetent Agya Atta for us; neither did He choose the very corrupt Mr Ogwanfunu to lead us. We did the choosing ourselves and the result is the unending hardship we’ve been compelled to endure.

Our will, and not God, chose a president whose greed led him to inflate the cost of Embraer jets. Our love for sweet mantras like “e dey be keke” made us choose a president who would go to any length to protect his corrupt appointees. Ask Gilbert Iddi of SADA fame and Hon. Chooboi Ankrah of Brazil fiasco fame, if you doubt me!

While I entreat my compatriots to be steadfast in savouring the tasteless “e dey be keke” dish being served us by the corrupt and incompetent Ogwanfunu government, it's my conviction that we shall not repeat the mistakes of 2008 and 2012.

Yes, the Bearded Old Man above does ordain leaders. But a foolish choice by an uninformed electorate may alter the tide of destiny.

See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!