Opinions of Thursday, 12 November 2020

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

The prodigal son Kwabena Agyei Agyapong has remorsefully come back home

Former General Secretary of NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong Former General Secretary of NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong

I was thrilled in my heart, to see my once seemingly malicious son, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, whose attitudes could rightly or wrongly then be seen as sabotaging the chances of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) winning election 2016, hence ostracized from the party or suspended from his position as the General Secretary of NPP, humbly returned to NPP.

He is now playing a positive role toward NPP winning election 2020 as opposed to his suspected sabotaging attitudes leading up to election 2016 that cost him his position. Many others including myself suspected him of working against the interests and chances of the NPP winning election 2016.

Now that he has turned a new leaf, realized his mistakes, and come back, playing an active role in the ongoing election 2020 campaign, I can only wish him welcome back home, my beloved son.

Let me explain why he is my son by the Akan tradition. I am from the Agona clan same as his late callously-murdered father, Accra High Court Judge, Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong, from Oyoko in the Ashanti region.

Again, his father's relatives and mine became so close, due to my friendship with his late father's nephew, Kwame Nyame (Emmanuel Marfo). I shall not go any further into the narration, but to leave it as briefly told.

I have been happy to see him follow His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on his campaign tours. My heart was full of joy when I heard him grant an interview to programme host Osei Bonsu, alias OB, on Asempa FM radio as an invited guest, on Monday, 9 November 2020.

As the father in the biblical narrative of "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" in Luke 15:11-32, recounted by Jesus Christ, forgave and welcomed his lost son back home with jubilation, so do I and many others welcome Kwabena back into the NPP with open arms.

From Luke 15: 17 – 19, it says, 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”

However, the son was not treated as one of his servants as expected but rather a beloved son. Similarly, Kwabena on his return to NPP has found favour in the eyes of the president, but not treated as an outcast.

I shall advise him never to go back into that habit that made many an NPP member clamour for his expulsion from the party.

I know that no amount of advice can change one from their bad ways but only when they encounter an excruciating problem. Kwabena has learnt his bitter lesson very well. I hope he will never backslide again.

May the following people join me in wishing him a happy stay in NPP with the hope of achieving his political dreams to serve Ghana and humanity in humility. They are, Comfort Basoah, Elizabeth Basoah, Kwame Basoah, Asabre, Kwaku Adu, Old man, Akua Badu, Mother, Joyce, Joe Dickson, and a host of others.