The saddest thing about betrayal is that it always comes from the closest associates and not an enemy. Former President Rawlings and his family have suffered severally since coming into the political limelight. But the striking worry is the kind of persons who betray them. They are usually those who have benefited the most from them. The story of Jesus and one of his disciples comes to mind.

Kofi Adams is the official spokesperson for the Former President, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings (affectionately called Papa Jay). Kofi doubles as a deputy general secretary for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) a party founded by his boss.

But Kofi is in the news for the wrong reason: Betrayal. As he criss-crosses the country as part of his campaign to become the National Organizer of the party, he is lobbying and answering questions with the aim of swaying the delegates to vote for him in the upcoming congress.

He is reported to have described the National Democratic Party (NDP) as a “useless party”. Really? He is said to have added, “I know that NDP has only three members; Nana Konadu, Bediako and Ernest Owusu-Bempah. It is the media that is wasting its energy, resources and time to provide them coverage. You can check if there is any trace of that party in the country.” Kofi is talking about a party founded after the Sunyani Congress, and led by Dr Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings. This is supposed to be a response to an allegation that he played a key role in the formation of breakaway group.

The response smacks of betrayal to say the least. Kofi’s choice of words and the timing show how insensitive he is to his paymasters. Besides that, it is politically incorrect. So as he seeks to be the national organizer, what becomes his position in the event of a run-off as far as the NDP is concerned? In any case, the same spokesperson confirmed the attendance of his boss at the NDP congress in Kumasi during an interview with Shamima Muslim on Citi Eye Witness news on the 11th October, 2012. This was a congress. So why this utterance now if his boss was attending a program that was and is still not illegal? Must you deny the Rawlingses in order to win an election? Why join the bandwagon to insult the Rawlingses in order to grab power? In other words, Papa Jay was at that congress to support the wife lead a “useless party”. A party with national, regional and constituency executives is now said to have only three members.

Kofi certainly would be a better National Organizer as compared to the loose talking Yaw Boateng Gyan, who hardly talks but when he does, is always a mess. With all the depth of knowledge he has acquired by his association with the former first couple, Kofi is capable enough to hold any national executive position in the party. But why not the General Secretary position, since he is currently the deputy? For fear of being bitten by the only ‘human mosquito’ Kofi thinks it is better to hound the clueless Yaw Boateng Gyan. But under the circumstance, is it necessary to be a national executive member? What went wrong when Kofi decided to run for a parliamentary seat during a by-election in the Volta Region, home of his boss? And will the story change this time round? For me every defeat of Kofi in any elections brings Papa Jay’s credibility to question. Are we going to see the second defeat for Kofi? Ask Asiedu Nketia and he will tell you who he wants to be the national organizer.

In the likely event that the NDC loses the 2016 elections, the party will require persons with some communication skills like Kofi, who has been groomed over the years, to keep the party together and not the rabble rouser ,Yaw Boateng Gyan. But to beat this “clueless” Organizer, Kofi does not need to betray his boss and the wife. In fact this is not only a betrayal, but also amounts to putting a wedge through the marriage of the former first couple. At least it is an open secret now that each had a separate interest in the last elections, but they managed it. By his association with Papa Jay, the ever charismatic and only political icon of our time, Kofi Adams is an authority in the NDC party, even without holding a national executive position. In my opinion, it was a huge political risk to have appointed Kofi after the well spoken and experienced Victor Smith. But the soft spoken Kofi has grown and learned fast on the job.

However, I still question the rational for his appointment whilst he doubles as a deputy general secretary of the party. This certainly was and is no illegality as per the party constitution, but it does not sound appropriate. Ironically, whilst Papa Jay fired the government for corruption and poor leadership, Kofi defended the government to the roof, more than any other appointee has done.

Former President Rawlings is no doubt the most popular politician in Ghana. But his popularity has taken a downward turn due to some of these betrayals. People have emerged from nowhere to become great persons in our society. The big names in the party today now calling themselves “gurus” are so by the kind courtesy of the Rawlingses. Some have become so rich and powerful, all in the name Rawlings. And Kofi is one them.

As a student of the great Jerry John Rawlings, I wonder if I can advice him. But I think the time has come for him to reconsider the future of his legacy as founder of the party and former President. Enough of these betrayals. Maybe it is time to push Kofi and the likes away and look within for someone to rebuild your legacy, rewrite your twisted history and rethink and plan the future for the Rawlingses and the NDC. Papa Jay should consider introducing his children into the front line politics of our great nation. I see Dr. Zanetor Rawlings as the best for this job. As a daughter and an insider, she would be of immense help in this regard. She would end the betrayals and would protect the family better. The image of the Rawlingses which is fast sinking by these fair weather friends must be checked. Maybe this is the time for the son or a daughter of the Rawlingses to also ‘exploit’ the name as others have done and are still doing.

John Vianney