The Concert of Ideas: Any Correlation Between Leadership and Good Judgment

If blind adulation was the sole criterion to judge a nation?s perspicuity, and maturity, then suffice me to say that, Ghana would have outdistanced the British to becoming Sub-Saharan Africa?s political powerhouse in the twenty-first century. The reality is, we are not, and no amount of sizzling political proposals from our wanting-to-win political leaders will change my opinion about the emotional immaturity of some of our political actors. Do we ever, for a minute, take into account, the incalculable dangers to leaving our nation?s politics to our experimental politicians? Since embracing politics as a career, some of our nation?s politicians have lost their reflective attitude to become pyromaniacs.

I take offense to the Honorable Kenneth Agyapong?s recent coldhearted comment that the family of the ex-president will be the first to be annihilated should violence break out prior to, and after, the 2008 presidential election. Would the Honourable Member of Parliament?s populist brand of political terrorism go any way to heal the old wounds between the two major parties? I was equally stunned by the extensive silence on the Honourable Member of Parliament?s comment, and the failure of the government to censure him for speaking in a manner that is unbefitting of a gentleman and politician.

Does the provision on free speech confer on our politicians the uninhibited privilege to express their terrorist views in public without being hauled over burning coals? If the preceding is what democracy is about, then we must rethink our brand of national politics, and resocialize some of our political leaders to (re)learn good manners. While democracy offers us the window to communicate our views on any subject matter, it does not allow incendiary provocations. Our nation cannot afford the cost of any human folly that could be misread, as a threat, and incite violence. Can we blame the victim, and the embattled, for deploying legitimate violence to defend himself, and his family? Even under International Law, states have the right to adopt pre-emption, as a necessity, to suppress threats to their security.

The breeding of the Kenneth Agyapongs in the nation?s political space also attests to the quiescent character of the Ghanaian voting public, and our predisposition to choosing impulsive politicians, whose tough talk, if left unchecked, will one day reduce our nation?s democratic accomplishments to rubble. What true, and civilized, democracy would allow a political figure to pass such a loutish comment without dispensing some form of consequence? If the nation?s political leadership would allow Mr. Agyapong to speak with such a discourtesy, and get away with it, what moral obligation do they have to guiding our young children from using snide language against noble citizens? Having run out of ideas, some of our nation?s politicians have turned our democracy into a theatre for political comedy, and character vilification.

Many of Mr. Rawlings travels to help bring democracy to the continent have been overanalyzed and misrepresented to serve political ends of his adversaries. In the coming days, or months, we should not be surprised to seeing Mr. Kenneth Agyapong run, gasping, to the radio station to announce that Mr. Rawlings is trying to recruit an army of dead people to effect regime change, all because the ex-president visited the cemetery to pay respect to his dead uncle. This is not a conjure of my delusional imagination, as I am clinically termed by someone here on Ghanaweb, but my satirical way of chronicling the growing insecurity that has enveloped our ethno-democratic politics.

Political developments in Kenya should humble our leaders. It must teach them that enduring wisdom is acquired through humility and not self-importance. As a matter of fact, our dearest Kofi Annan is an example of the extent to which humility, and wisdom, can thwart efforts by powerful agents, and nations, to destroy one?s reputation. Can we withstand the grisly sight of seeing our country becoming another Kenya? Would it serve any moral purpose to replicate Kibaki?s Kenya in Ghana? Would it make any sense to set one? house ablaze, if all it requires to preventing the preceding is working together as a nation, and according our opponents the respect they deserve?

While rationality is an accessible product, it can easily elude a fine brain that allows itself to be immersed in meanness, and the justification of wrong, as right, using one?s might. Our nation has a lot to lose if some of our politicians continue to squabble like ducks, and like cocks entertain the illusory thought that the sun will rise to hear them crow, when they are at their lows, and cannot throw the balls of snow at the crows.

Would Honourable Kenneth Agyapong be immune from the physical and psychological wounds his confrontational attitude is seeking to create? Civilized democracies thrive on the display of wit to outwit one?s opponents and not calls for violence to physically exterminate one?s adversaries. In twenty-first century liberal democracy, to deviate into the space of good judgment is forgivable. It marks a noticeable departure from old thoughts into the orbit of civilized conduct. The fault in our democracy, as we have come know, does not rest in our stars, but our chose of politicians whose concept of free speech, and peace, is at the atavistic stage, and cannot be trusted as a dependable resource to solidify our communal values on peaceful co-existence. Let?s reject violence and embrace peace in the interest of our dearest nation.

A fox that rejects the wise counsel of the wolf, and pursues a fight with the hyena, has no one to blame, but himself, if the hyena places its head between its locked jaws, and makes mince meat out of it. What is implausible, today, could be inevitable, tomorrow. Let?s accord our presidents, past and present, the respect they deserve, even if we disagree with their policies, and vision for the nation. Like him, or loathe him, Mr. Jeremiah John Rawlings has served his nation well, and the best way he knew how. In 1992, he became acquiescent to political pluralism. In 2000, he conceded to a transition, which he personally supervised, and left our nation in one piece. As a pragmatist, and an astute leader, he understands Africa?s ?Hobbesian? politics, and time to quit, if and when necessary, to preserve the achievements of the struggle against injustice.

While our democracy has accorded us the voice we never had before, it also demands from us the commitment to show magnanimity toward our opponents, and treat them with the dignity deserve. Let?s not allow the conceited to use the child?s words to create castles to keep our nation in darkness. That men and women, who were once united for a cause, should fall apart, not knowing why. To yield to their contrived envies, and terror, born out of their lies, we cannot fly. Perhaps what they seek is to make us fight, like drunks, and as we sink in our siblings? blood, they sing like punks, with spiky horns, in their thongs. Am I becoming personally political? Or, am I just an average citizen voicing my opinion on the unintelligibility of some political comments originating from certain politicians, and the inestimable pains they could inflict on our nation? Whatever your perspective is, you could be right. Am I not Ghanaian, too? Let?s hear from you. Hope all is well, and I wish all well. Good day and cheers.