Opinions of Thursday, 26 November 2009

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Rawlings is Crying for Help

He is Being Pushed out of the NDC by President Mills' Coldness

That glittering virtue of patience being exercised by President Mills is the very venom that is silently killing Former President J.J. Rawlings. Rawlings can hardly understand why Mills is never perturbed by his (Rawlings') erratic provocations. President Mills' fortitude and endurance have never once wavered despite suffering persistent castigation by both his political rivals and that devil incarnate, J.J. Rawlings. Rawlings has been a nuisance thorn in his flesh since his ascent to the presidency. Mr. Rawlings who appears to be haunted by his past misdeeds seeks reprieve through the extension of his one-man-showmanship of power over Ghanaians. He wants to escape punishment but try as he manipulatively does; the requisite punitive sentence awaits him at the end of the tunnel. President Mills will never budge to any pressure from whomever to do the unthinkable. No matter how far Rawlings goes with his moaning, distractive insults and threatening, Mr. Evans Atta Mills says without uttering, "shove it up your ass".

President Mills' absolute maintenance of silence over the petty grievances, petty mindedness, and capriciousness of Mr. Rawlings is what is killing Rawlings softly. This reminds me of the song titled, "Killing me softly".

My eyes are welled up in tears to be reminded of an incident that took place about forty five years ago. All those involved in that scenario and most others in the entire village are dead and gone many years ago. I pray their souls rest in perfect peace. On one sunny afternoon, at Asiampa, one alias "Omem" was engaged in a heated argument with Nana Kwadwo Agyei, one of my numerous grandfathers as per the Ashanti custom and tradition. Nana Kwaagyei, as he was called by the Ashantis way of circumventing the pronunciation of names, was so furious at "Omen's" lack of simple understanding. He then decided to walk off. "Omem" angrily said to him in English as though jeering him off, "Kwadwo eei, gone, gone, gone". None of them had ever been to school. He had meant to tell Nana Kwadwo Agyei, "Kwadwo, you can go as nobody is restraining you against your will - thus, Kwadwo, go, go, go! Instead of using the present tense of the verb so intended, he rather used it in the perfect tense.

Rawlings in his "I won't die for bastards" speech to the 29 NDC chairmen from the Ga Constituencies, who had called at his residence to pay him homage and also to report President Mills, had threatened to quit the NDC. What a confused person he is? He is worse than a meandering stream in the wild Amazon forest. In one breath he intends to take back the party he formed "with his blood". In another, he threatens to abandon the party. What the heck?

From the above, and in memorable tribute to the mentioned departed souls, I am telling J.J. Rawlings on behalf of President Mills that, "Flt. Lt. Togbui Avaklasu I J.J. Rawlings eei, Gone! Gone! Gone!!

Let us pause a second to ponder over the absurdity of Rawlings towards President Mills. He wants President Mills to sack any Ghanaian who doesn't identify with the NDC from their jobs. Such cosmetic, dubiously created jobs should go to the NDC cadres as though Ghana belongs only to the NDC. What a "robbing Peter to pay Paul" situation! He also wants President Mills to send all NPP Ministers and leaders to Nsawam Medium & Maximum prisons without any formal trial. He presumes they are all corrupt and so should be treated as such. What an ignorant autocrat! This is a man who claims to be virtuous by his senseless bad-mouthing. He should note that "All virtue is summed up in dealing justly" - Aristotle. Is he dealing justly by his altruistic pretences? He should be his own judge.

Life is full of intentions but as man proposes, God disposes. President Mills is echoing what "Omem" said, "Rawlings eei, gone, gone, gone" Ghana will be a better place to live without Rawlings and his ilk around.

People expect President Mills to simply wave a magic wand to meet their enormous expectations. Money must be found first to carry out the fulfilment of his numerous gigantic electioneering promises. It is only a fool that takes a politician serious by his numerous electioneering promises. Does Rawlings who has been chastising President Mills belong in that family of fools? Probably he does.

On a kinder note, Former President Rawlings should bear in mind that once a political party is formed, it ceases to be the personal property of its Founding father. A political party is not a fixed structure that can say to be owned by one individual. How then can Rawlings threaten to take back his party whilst Atta Mills takes his government? Does he mean to remove the chair/table from underneath the person standing on it? How wicked that is. Can the following meaning of a party help Rawlings - a group of persons with common political opinions and purposes organized for gaining political influence and governmental control and for directing government policy? How then can anyone own such a group of persons? Unless the individuals in the group are themselves blockheads, nobody can own them except their Creator, God. Can Rawlings take away his party as threatened, fellow NDC activists please answer me?

I hope am done. Mr. Rawlings should think twice before he opens his mouth to insult sitting Presidents. Anyway, who is a bastard as purported by Rawlings? Bastard can mean anything. It can be a person born of unmarried parents; an illegitimate child; a vicious, despicable, or thoroughly disliked person. Does he fall under this definition himself? Your guess is as right as mine.

Rockson Adofo