Tomorrow, Saturday March 29, marks another milestone in the life of one of the most distinguished, yet disastrous politician we have in this country. We must give thanks to the almighty God for giving him three scores and ten (70).
Happy birthday Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, don’t hesitate to invite me to your party. I want to hear you, when you respond to the happy birthday song.
My curious moment will be when you are ask, “How old are you now”. Let me help you “Am 70 years old now”. The old man is really old.
Growing up and when I became conscious of politics, I have always admired and respected Nana Addo Dankwa, for his resoluteness and readiness to sacrifice himself for the greater good of his people. Remember the days of ‘Kume Preko’ in the 90’s and during the Kutu Acheampong periods, as well as periods before then.
If we are to name individuals, who were in the forefront in the restoration of our democracy, Nana Addo will be among the names. If we are to induct leaders into the Hall of Fame, he will no doubt be there too.
Unfortunately for him, all these while, all that he has done and was doing, was so that one day he could become the President of the country.
Nana has already contested twice and just last week, he announced again that when his party opens nomination for the position of the flagbearer, he will pick the form. Haba oldman, your bones must be tired and so is your brains.
I can’t begrudge him for nursing this noble but misguided ambition, as his ambition has done more harm than good to his political party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the country.
The free for all insults that seem to characterize our present politics became a maxim, the moment he assumed the leadership position of the NPP.
Since he assumed the mantle of leadership of the NPP for election 2008, followed by the 2012 election, the utterances of his supporters has been nothing but disaster. Even internal dissent has been misconstrued to mean they are against the party, yet all they are doing is also staking a claim to the flagbearership position of the party.
On no single occasion has Nana Addo distanced or rebuke his supporters for descending so hard on his opponents.
This cannot take away the fact the he has served his due. First as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South, then as a Minister responsible for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, as well as the Foreign Affairs.
Since, he declared his intention to contest for the highest office of the land in 2007, and when he won the primaries of his political party, nobody or institution, has accused him of misappropriating or embezzling funds in any of the capacities he served.
Hardly do we get politicians in this part of the world, who will have the opportunity that he (Nana Addo) had, will not be complacent in one way or another, as far as stealing our monies are concern.
The motivation for most of the people to get into politics is so that they can enrich themselves at the expense of the generality of the people.
How many politicians have left office and have not been arraigned before the law court for embezzling funds or causing financial loss to the State. The least is endless, but for Nana Addo, he stands tall among them. He is a model for up and coming politicians.
This behavior could be traced to his desire to lead us. He has really bided his time well, but that is not enough to make him the number one citizen of this land.
Nana Addo, is 70 years tomorrow, not many people get this bountiful blessing of 60 years and another 10. His experiences over the years as an astute and accomplished lawyer, cannot be wished away. His experience as a politician cannot be swept under the carpet. A country is as good as the kind of leaders it has and he is certainly one of the leaders, we can be proud of as a country.
It is my fervent hope that Nana Addo will metamorphose from his two most cherished professions that has no retirement age, i.e. Law and politics, into a statesman.
He needs to transcend from this petty and over ambitious dream of trying to be President at all cost. He must sit back and offer suggestions as and when needed, because his best years are behind him.
I cannot be convinced that Nana Addo’s best years are in front of him, all that he is and all that he had ever hope to be is in the past. He was good as a lawyer and exceptional politician, period.
The future does not belong to him, his daughters and grandchildren have a higher stake in the future of this country and continent than him. They own the future, which is why Nana Addo must relegate himself to the background.
I have learnt a long time ago that the life of a man is not measured by what he takes with him to meet his maker when he dies, but what he leaves behind, after he is dead and gone.
Equally, as Dr. J.B Danquah said, the success or otherwise of the British rule, when they leave this country will be determined by our ability to govern ourselves. So Nana Addo’s success as a politician will be measured by the people he grooms to take over from him, when he dies, because as he himself has said, you can’t retire from politics.
The joy for him should be when he relaxes and watch his ‘boys’ take over the country by storm and transform it from an import dependant to export oriented economy.
I wish I am Rebecca, you wife, my birthday present will be that God will speak to you to hang your boots, from active politics. I am a concerned Ghanaian and a fan who has followed you since I was a small boy into now adulthood, it will be my cherished wish that you make history again by retiring
from politics.
The choice is yours and the decision is ours Ghanaians to either make you President or not.
Happy Birthday Nana Addo. May all that you desire come to pass, but not as President though.