Akua Bonsu

When Madam Fatima Salifu joked during some light-hearted moments with friends that when you see an NPP person, you would know; and when you see an NDC person, they don’t need to point him out to you, few understood what she meant. I certainly did not, and needing not to risk attracting attention to myself, I clutched my handbag and walked away. This was back in May of 2010 during one of my visits home. It was not until this past month that I understood what Madam Salifu meant.

The venue was Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday July 2, 2011. I had attended the funeral of honorable Adusah who was a former member of the Council of State. The display of pettiness was startling to me because of all the places that one would want to play politics, I would not have imagined that some people would stoop as low as using the final farewell to an elder who served his country well to play trivial politics.

I give them credit; the NDC showed up first. Their members sat together and chatted normally as would any group of attendees to a funeral. When time came for funeral contribution, members of the NDC strangely sat there as if they were not going to make their donation. That was a bit surprising since it has become customary for political parties to attend the funeral of famous people and make their donation.

On this day, I had worn a new pair of shoes that was giving me problems. They were a bit tight so I frequently had to bend down from my seat to adjust it. It was during one of these stoops that someone knocked me over. Although it was not announced over the Public Address system, word had gotten around that NPP presidential candidate Nana Akuf0-Addo had arrived in town. The pandemonium that ensued, of which I was a victim, was indescribable, with people tramping over others in a mad rush to get a glimpse.

Finally, Nana Akufo-Addo arrived at the funeral grounds, made his donation of 50 million Old Cedis, stayed for some five minutes and left with the considerate explanation that he did not want to become a distraction from the funeral proceedings. Soon thereafter, the NDC delegation promptly stood up, donated (get this) 51 million Old Cedis, and also sought their permission to leave.

Now someone help me out here. Why 51 million Cedis; why wait until the NPP donation before making theirs? Was it to make a statement? What statement is that? As I sat there with my jaw dropping stare at their heels, all I could think of was Madam Fatima Salifu’s comments. Indeed they don’t need to point an NDC man to you; you can spot them by their behavior