& Okoampa-Ahofee’s essay

The video uploaded to Ghanaweb on 4th July titled, “Ghana set for Obama visit,” finally convinced us to put in our two pesewas on the visit to Ghana by President Barack Obama. The positive views expressed in the video on Ghana by several people in Kenya and Ghana truly lend credence to the idea that Ghanaians are seeing a historic moment of great importance and impact.

Sadly, prior to the 4th July video, we had read a piece by Dr. Kwame Okoampa-Ahofee titled, Message to President Barack H. Obama, on the up-coming visit. That essay made absolutely little sense considering the divisive and ethnocentric record of Dr. Okoampa-Ahofee on Ghanaweb, and in other electronic forums.

Why Okoampa-Ahofee would suppose the President of the United States ought to give a hoot about a wealthy former leader of Ghana’s Parliament who removes not only dinning plates, but all appliances, all furniture, all carpets, all rugs, and them tells the people to come pick up those items from his mansion, after the discovery and backlash by the people, is beyond us. This is the same Okoampa-Ahofee who, in a preceding essay, argued that the “NPP Needs a Cohesive Akan Constituency to Win and Maintain Power.”

Frankly, we are utterly unable to reconcile that statement with President Obama’s political and social philosophy. That Okoampa-Ahofee statement does not make sense in Ghana, and would make absolutely no sense in Illinois, Texas, New York, or the United States for that matter, in this age.

If Okoampa-Ahofee’s statement had any logic, truth, relevance, or community-centeredness, President Obama might as well have chosen to go to Kenya, the Sudan, or Zimbabwe, for that matter. And so, to use Okoampa-Ahofee’s lame and worn-out phrase, needless to say, that is not how any people, Ghanaians included, can sustain and improve upon a democratic experiment of national proportion.

For Ghanaians in particular, the way towards a stronger nation and community, as envisioned by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah over 50 years ago, is inclusion of all the peoples in the political, social, and economic fabric of the modern State that is Ghana.

Yes, we think that there is another perspective. We think that there is a better Ghana-centered approach to making President Barack Obama’s visit to Ghana meaningful for the average person in Ghana. If any thing, the average person in Ghana needs to be empowered to internalize and expect that the Ghanaian political, economic and social systems will operate to provide an even playing field for all by being transparent, accountable, and responsive to all the people regardless of their ethnicity, religion, place of residence, income, sex, or language.

We dare say that globally, this is the essence of the Obama creed.

The reader will probably agree that the People and all persons at the tip of the spear of the current democratic dispensation in Ghana do not receive their due recognition. We are saying that Mr. Kuffour missed the boat big time with those expensive imported medals.

We are saying that Mr. Obama’s visit probably ought to celebrate and empower all the People and those at the fore-front of the fight to make the government of Ghana transparent, accountable, and responsive. But to the extent all the people cannot be recognized or empowered at the same time by Mr. Obama, we are suggesting that perhaps the American President could identify “a few way-out Ghana-centered individuals” in his public comments, or maybe elect to meet them if time allows.

Upon further consideration, Prof Lungu suggests 3 individuals for consideration using our Ghana-centered lens:

1. Dr. Afari Djan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission - for guiding the Ghana electoral process all these years, for reflective professional supervision and administration of the Ghanaian electoral system. For being a trail-blazer at the core and guiding Ghana’s current democratic dispensation through the universal ballot box program.

2. Mr. Appiah-Ofori, MP for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, NPP - for showing that you do not have to run with the pack and thieves of the publics’ resources even if you belong to the same political party and have similar belief in a history of a particular political struggle. For teaching Ghanaians that there is a big difference between public resources and private resources, that there is a massive difference between public life and private life. For promoting accountability and transparency in the Ghana Parliament all these years.

3. Mr. John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor, immediate past President of Ghana – For not losing sight of the greater Ghana-centered agenda. For responding as a leader of all the people and following-up to make sure Mr. Osei Yaw Nketia, aka, Dr. Asemfofro, arrived at his destination in peace following the People’s Assembly that fateful day in December 2008. For vacating the position of President of Ghana as arranged and expected, per Ghanaian electoral rules and procedures.

Dear reader, this is only Prof Lungu’s list. It is of course not all inclusive and you are free to react as you see fit. If you are so inclined, please provide some civil comments below and take time to indicate who else (up to 3 persons, perhaps), you think ought to receive honorable mention during the visit to Ghana by Mr. Obama. We suggest you make sure to type the surnames of your choice in the “Subject” block so it is easier for all to review, evaluate, and add to. Your criteria ought to be Ghana-centered; otherwise you will be wasting our time.

But however you slice it, it is a great moment in history for Ghana, this auspicious age in Global/African/Ghanaian history.

Cheers, Oman Ghana!

Prof Lungu, powered by www.GhanaHero.com

© 4 July 2009, Prof Lungu, Tokyo, Japan