We are the heirs and caretakers of freedom – a blessing preserved with the blood of heroes down through the ages. One cannot go to the Military Cemetery near Parliament House and see name upon name, grave upon grave, row after row, without being deeply moved by the sacrifice made by our gallant soldiers.
Similarly, one cannot go to the cemetery near the Presby Church at Kyebi and see the tomb of Dr. J.B Danquah, to Gwollu and see the tomb of Dr. Hilla Liman, to Wenchi and see the tomb of Professor Busia, to Asomdwee Park and see the tomb of Professor Mills or the Kwame Nkrumah mausoleum without being deeply moved by the role they played to bring the country this far.
The universal adjective to describe these heroes of yesteryears is patriotic and the good citizen and patriot know happiness is greater than comfort, more sublime than pleasure. They all did put their noses on the grindstone so that we will live as free people in a united country. And those of us who live in this time, who are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice, must do our smaller and less dangerous part to protect what they gave everything to defend, lest we lose our own love of liberty. Love of country is another way of saying love for your fellow countrymen. That is why no matter how old you are or how young you are, when duty to country calls, you must respond without hesitation.
Nana Akufo-Addo’s declaration that he will pick forms again to contest the NPP primaries moved me to tears of joy. He said there is a lot of work to be done, hence his desire to contest the primaries and lead the party one more time. This is a man who has everything to make him happy till he dies, but he has chosen a path that will open him up for vilifications and insults by upstarts. What he has been able to achieve in life is enough to make his family comfortable but he has decided to carry the cross so that you and I will live a dignified life.
The man wants to be the president of this nation because he would like to see this country become, once again, a country where a little six-year old girl or boy can grow up knowing the same freedom that he (Nana) knew when he was six years old. For the past six years that the NDC held the reins of power, the ruling elite are forever associated with unfulfilled promises. Ghanaians should pause for the passing moment and look back like historians do. If the NPP had been given the nod to continue with the good work left behind by ex-President Kufour this would not have been our lot. Nothing seems to be working well and it seems to me the devil has cast a spell on the President and his team.
The Volta River is overflowing its banks with all the turbans in full operation at the Akosombo Dam while the Bui Dam is also in operation but we still have dumso, dumso. The rain is falling in torrents and all the rivers in Ghana are overflowing their banks but the people are thirsty. Archbishop Duncan Williams has commanded the Cedi in the name of Jesus Christ to stand still against the Dollar but the freefall of the cedi continues. We produce crude oil and the Tema Oil Refinery is in perfect condition but we import refined petroleum products.
Armed robbery, spousal killings, contract killings, gangsterism, prostitution, homosexuality, hooliganism, rape, cocaine menace, defilement, sakawa, pornography, incest and many social vices continue to stalk the land even though men of God continue to pin the President down on his knees in attempts to exorcise any devil that may be worrying him, through prayers. Since Atuguba and his four other judges declared Mr. Mahama the duly elected president of Ghana, the man and his wife have visited almost all the churches in the country for thanksgiving services, but still, the centre cannot hold.
Corruption, unemployment, naked thievery of state funds, mismanagement of our resources and the pillage of our natural resources by foreigners continue to stare us in our lean faces as we trudge on with empty stomachs. Almost all our big markets continue to experience fire outbreaks and buildings continue to collapse, killing innocent souls. As for road accidents, a day never passes without one report or the other about fatal road accidents. In John Mahama’s Ghana, drivers and passengers dance with death on our roads every day. It looks as if we have offended the Almighty God like the way the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did to incur His wrath. Unlike Sodom and Gomorrah where majority of the people were sinners, the actions of a very few people in government have brought us to this worrisome situation. Probably we have to pray to God to adopt selective punishment so that those of us who are not involved in these vices would be spared.
Prayers? Yes we will continue to pray but here on earth we need to put our destiny in capable hands. God willing, we will be able to bear the pain for the next three years but I am afraid we will reach the end of human endurance later. He said since elections are won and lost at the polling stations, he will make sure the polling stations are secured. What this means is that EC Returning Officers will not have a field day anymore. And if any biased security person decides to take the law into his own hands, that is where the water will start to boil. And if any Finger of God is found in any polling station, it would be severed. Did I hear you call me a prophet of doom? If I am, so be it!
Protecting Nana And Bawumia
I shudder to broach this topic but it is good for me to discuss it so that we will all adopt collective security as we cruise towards 2016. In my moment of absolute tranquility, I ask myself: What if Nana and Bawumia are assassinated in the run-up to 2016? The sterling performance of Dr. Bawumia at the Supreme Court and soaring popularity of Nana Akufo-Addo have exposed the two fine gentlemen to danger. This thought keep coming and going in my already disturbed mind. Where I come from, our elders say anytime you think of good things to come, you must as well think of bad ones too.
History is always there to guide us. The NDC is a byproduct of two bloody revolutions that saw the cruel murder of three former Heads of State and top military officers as well as three High Court judges. Given the bloody backgrounds of these wish to-be-forgotten revolutions, things must not be left to chances. Even when the revolutionaries shed their dotted skins and became democrats, Mr. Ekow Kensen Arkaah, the former Vice President who rebelled against Rawlings and his NDC had to pay the supreme price.
Mr. Arkaah was on his way to his house in his black Mercedes car when a mysterious pick-up crossed his way, leading to a fatal accident. The man died a few days later when he was flown overseas to receive treatment. Many years after the death of this fine gentleman, the pick-up which crossed Arkaah’s car and the driver have not been identified. Remember Kwesi Pratt told Ghanaians that during the revolutionary days, 269 Ghanaians got missing. He even published the names of the missing Ghanaians in the defunct Voice newspaper. Kwasi, I dey lie?
As it stands now, the security forces have compromised their stance and are at the beck and call of the ruling class. What the NPP should do immediately is to contract private security guards who are ex-service men to take control of the security of Nana and Bawumia. These guards must be armed to the teeth and they should accompany the two gentlemen wherever they will go. Their houses too must be secured, day and night. The party members, particularly those who are well to do like Kennedy Agyapong should lead this crusade. In no time should these two gentlemen be allowed to travel without a convoy.
CCTV cameras must be fixed in their homes and offices to monitor the movement of suspicious characters. In the 2012 elections, Nana Akufo Addo garnered more than five million votes and so you can imagine what will happen in the country if he is harmed. Will somebody do me a favour by telling Madam Gina Blay to get me some sticks of Havana Cigar from the Accra Shopping Mall?
(Or Madam is afraid of Al-Shabbab!)